Xiyu Ping Introduction
Xiyu Pingyu is located in the South China Sea off the coast of Penghu, administratively named Xiping Village, and is governed by Wangan Township. It is considered an offshore island of Wangan Township, situated 5 nautical miles away. The distance from the administrative center of Penghu County, Magong City, is approximately 23 nautical miles, with a travel time of 75 minutes by boat. Among the southern four islands of Penghu, Xiyu Pingyu lies to the northwest of Dongyu Pingyu, covering an area of 0.3477 square kilometers, with a highest elevation of about 42 meters. The island features a slightly quadrilateral mountain terrain, but due to the inability to construct a harbor, there is only one pier located on the southeastern side of the island. Because of the terrain, village buildings could not cluster around the harbor, so residents chose to settle in the flat areas on the ridge, resulting in a unique landscape and cultural features as the settlement is situated on a platform in the center of the island. The cliffs and sea erosion gully on the southeastern coast of Xiyu Pingyu present a broad and towering cliff terrain that is evident. Hua Niang Temple, the residents of Xiyu Pingyu have mostly migrated away, and many houses have been damaged due to long-term neglect. The village's religious center, Hua Niang Temple, is the best-preserved building. The temple primarily worships deities such as Wu Shuai, Matsu, San Taizi, and General Chen. Although its scale and appearance are somewhat underwhelming compared to temples on other islands, the design of the incense burner and the temple still reflect its past glory upon completion. The road from the pier to the inland settlement is about 50 meters long and known as "Good Man's Slope." Successfully navigating this slope allows one to view traditional Penghu houses constructed from coral stone and basalt. Due to the lack of sheltered valleys on the island, settlements are often located in low-lying areas of the plateau. The residents of Xiyu Pingyu have largely moved to other areas, with many ancient houses showing signs of decay; a few remain intact as villagers return annually for temple festivals and maintain their homes. North of the island, there is a Tudi Gong Temple that faces south, located separately from the Hua Niang Temple by the pier, which serves to ward off negative energy from the north and protect the village. The coastal scenery near the Tudi Gong Temple showcases geological formations of volcanic angle gravel, with views of the Headscarf and Anvil in the distance. The gravel shores are primarily concentrated at the southern end of Xiyu Pingyu, while the northern end is less developed. Therefore, the geological and topographical scenery is richer and more spectacular at the southern end, displaying a coastline composed of large gravel beaches. On the left side of the gravel beach, a "small anvil" can be spotted, with distant views of the Headscarf.
