Xiyu Lighthouse (Fisherman Island Lighthouse) Introduction
The Yu-Weng Island Lighthouse is a national historic site. It is located at the Cape of Yizaiwei on the western side of Wai'an Village in Xiyu Township. The waters to the west are part of the "Xiliu," one of the six major currents in Penghu (which include Yizhu, Erhou, Sanxiliu, Sige Bean Head, Wutanmen, and Dongji), and has served as a navigational landmark for ships traveling between Taiwan and Xiamen since ancient times. In the 43rd year of the Qianlong reign (1778), Governor of Taiwan Jiang Yuanshu and the Deputy Minister of the Penghu Grain and Defense Office, Xie WeiQi, established the Xiyu Lighthouse here to serve as a maritime marker for vessels coming from Xiamen. This was the first lighthouse built in the Taiwan and Penghu region. The existing inscription on the monument "The establishment of the Xiyu Lighthouse" states: "Penghu is located between Taiwan and Xiamen, and Xiyu is of utmost importance. When the wind signals are uncertain, all official and merchant vessels rely on Xiyu for respite." This highlights the significance of constructing the Xiyu Lighthouse in this location. When the lighthouse was first built, according to the monument: "The base of the lighthouse was broadened to five zhang, made of rock, and was a seven-tier pagoda, each tier being seven chi tall, sturdy and meant to last forever. It was topped with a long-lasting light..." A shrine to the goddess Mazu was also built beside the lighthouse, where the caretaker would light the lamp at the top daily at dusk. Due to years of storm damage, in the third year of the Daoguang reign (1823), the Penghu magistrate, Jiang Yong, along with Chen Yuanrong of the Penghu Navy, raised funds to repair the Xiyu Lighthouse. However, the light produced by the lamp at the top was weak and did not meet international lighthouse light standards, prompting the UK, US, Japan, and France to request the Qing government to build a new lighthouse. In the 12th year of the Tongzhi reign (1873), an envoy from the Customs Office of Fujian was sent to Xiyu to purchase land for constructing a new lighthouse and rebuild it along with its facilities. In the 13th year of the Tongzhi reign (1874), the Customs Office hired British engineer David M. Henderson to plan and design the new lighthouse, which was to be a round cast-iron structure. The lighthouse was painted white, and a triangular pediment above the entrance bore the embossed inscription (DAVID M. HENDERSON 1874). Construction commenced on July 11, 1875, and was completed in November of the same year. It began operating on November 18, employing foreign personnel to manage the lighthouse. Near the lighthouse's western wall, there remains a grave of the daughter of a British lighthouse keeper of that time, marked with a cross-shaped tombstone inscribed "Nelly O’Driscoll." Once the lighthouse was completed and operational, it was officially named the "Yu-Weng Island Lighthouse." The new lighthouse stands at 11 meters tall with a light height of 67.7 meters. Additionally, three fog horns were installed on the southwestern side to provide warning signals to passing vessels in foggy conditions. During the Japanese occupation, the lighthouse continued operating under Qing Dynasty protocols but also added a louvered weather station. In 1897, a submarine telephone line was installed between Magong and the Yu-Weng Island Lighthouse using Japanese military infrastructure, marking the beginning of wired communication in the Taiwan and Penghu area. During World War II, from July 5 to August 7, 1945, the lighthouse was attacked by US bombers but fortunately sustained only minor damage, allowing it to continue operating. In 1966, the Yu-Weng Island Lighthouse was refurbished with a fourth-order rotating lens electric light with a luminosity of 180,000 candlepower, with a light range of 25.1 nautical miles. In 1981, two "electric fog signals" were added to enhance safety for vessels navigating in low visibility. Source: National Cultural Heritage Database 【Recommended Stay Time】 2 hours
Xiyu Lighthouse (Fisherman Island Lighthouse)
