Wai'an Introduction
Wai'an Village is located in the southern part of Xiyu Township, bordered to the north by Nei'an Village. It possesses a natural barrier which makes it less susceptible to the northeast monsoon, becoming the most populous community in Xiyu Township. Due to its geographic conditions, it is suitable for fishing, which is the main livelihood of most residents. The villagers primarily adhere to Taoism, with Wenwang Temple serving as the faith center for Wai'an Village, where the deity Wenfu Wangye is worshipped. During the Lantern Festival, Wenwang Temple becomes the focal point of activities, hosting events such as turtle-asking and the Peace Bridge to celebrate the occasion. At night, fishermen gather to express gratitude to the heavens for blessings and to pray for a bountiful catch in the coming year, with nearly a thousand fishing boats assembling at Wai'an Fishing Port to light up the fishing lights and pray for good fortune. The bright lights of the fish lamps illuminate the night sky of Wai'an for three continuous days, creating the special and limited phenomenon known as "Wai'an Fishing Lights" during the Lantern Festival, attracting many tourists to visit. For those wishing to overlook the scenery of Wai'an Fishing Port, they can head to the high-altitude Wai'an Three Immortals Pagoda, which provides a panoramic view of the entire Wai'an Village. The Wai'an Three Immortals Pagoda, also known as the Xipu Three Immortals Pagoda, is situated on the summit of the village front mountain southwest of Wenwang Temple in Wai'an Village. It consists of three stone towers erected on a cliff, with a square stone base below and a conical stone pagoda above, about 2 meters tall and approximately 1 meter in diameter, serving the purpose of warding off evil spirits. The main pagoda is adorned with a basalt stele. Additionally, Wai'an features the "Wai'an Bait Cannon," recognized as one of the ten historical buildings in Penghu County. During World War II, the Japanese military constructed a fake cannon covered with cement in a depression of a plateau to mislead the U.S. Air Force bombardments. Surrounded by trenches connecting relevant facilities, the bait cannon has an octagonal gun platform with dual barrels. The platform width is 5.35 meters, the barrel length is 6.13 meters, and the distance between barrels is 3.16 meters, achieving the purpose of luring and deceiving enemies. It is a rare and unique military facility, not only a witness of World War II but also reflecting the strategic geographical importance of Wai'an. Furthermore, near the old Wude Airport in the Pengnan District of Magong, there exists another Wude Bait Cannon, believed to have been constructed around the same time as the Wai'an bait cannon and the Gongbei bait tank, bearing significant historical meaning.
Wai'an Three Saints Tower
