Siyi Ping Introduction
Xiyu Pingyu is located in the southern seas of Penghu, under the administrative name of Xiping Village, governed by Wang-an Township. It is an outlying island of Wang-an Township (about five nautical miles away). The island is approximately twenty-three nautical miles from the administrative center of Penghu County, Magong City, with a travel time of around seventy-five minutes. Among the four southern islands of Penghu, Xiyu Pingyu is situated to the northwest of Dongyu Pingyu, with an area of 0.3477 square kilometers and a maximum elevation of about 42 meters. The island has a slightly quadrilateral mountain terrain; since there is no port, there is only one pier located on the southeastern side of the island. Due to the topography, village buildings cannot cluster around the port, so the residents chose to settle in flat areas on the mountain tops, creating a unique landscape and cultural features in the village, which is located on a platform in the center of the island. The southeastern coast of Xiyu Pingyu features broad and towering cliffs that are quite prominent. Many of the residents of Xiyu Pingyu have moved away; most of the houses have also fallen into disrepair over time, with the village's center of faith—the Huaniang Temple—being the best-preserved structure. The Huaniang Temple primarily worships deities like Wushui, Mazu, San Taizi, and General Chen. Although its scale and appearance may seem slightly inferior compared to temples on other islands, the golden furnace and temple design still reflect the past glory of its recent construction. The road from the pier to the inland village, known as "Haohan Slope," is about 50 meters long. After passing the slope, one can see traditional Penghu houses made of coral stone and basalt stacked together. Due to the lack of sheltered valleys on the island, the village is mostly located in low-lying areas of the terrace. Most residents of Xiyu Pingyu have relocated, and many traditional houses are in a state of disrepair and abandonment; only a few have been preserved intact, as villagers return home periodically to clean and maintain them for the temple fairs. On the northern side of the island is the Land God Temple, which sits facing south and separates from the Huaniang Temple by location. This temple serves to guard against northern evil spirits and protect the village. The coastal scenery by the Land God Temple features volcanic gravel and a distant view of the Headscarf and Anvil rock formations. The southern end of Xiyu Pingyu has a denser concentration of villages, while the northern end has fewer structures, leading to more varied and spectacular geological landscapes, with expansive gravel beaches. To the left of the gravel beach is a "small anvil," where the Headscarf can be seen in the distance.
