Xiyu West Platform (Xitai Fort) Introduction
After the conclusion of the Sino-French War in 1885, Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang Yang Changjun and Taiwan Governor Liu Mingchuan personally inspected the Penghu Islands and proposed, "The Penghu Islands are isolated and dangerous, serving as a gateway to Fujian and Taiwan. It is necessary to build strong fortifications, procure sophisticated artillery, and deploy elite troops to ensure defense." They repeatedly petitioned to strengthen the maritime defense of the Penghu Islands and suggested building a city in Magong. The Qing court accepted their proposal and appointed Wu Hongluo as the first General of Penghu. Upon his arrival in Penghu, he was ordered to construct Magong City and built four new Armstrong-style artillery forts: the North Fort, the Jin Gui Tou Fort, the Eastern Fort of Xiyu, and the Western Fort of Xiyu. In the 21st year of Guangxu (1895), during the Second Battle of Penghu between Qing and Japanese forces, the Japanese troops landed at the eastern side of the main island of Penghu, at Luhsi Longmenli. As the Western Fort of Xiyu was located on the westernmost side of Penghu Island, it could not provide fire support for the eastern Gongbei Fort. After the Japanese troops captured the Gongbei Fort, they moved swiftly to occupy Magong City. The Western Fort of Xiyu failed to exert its artillery power during various battles on Penghu Island. During World War II, due to the American military's island-hopping strategy, after capturing the Philippines, they bypassed Taiwan and Penghu to directly attack Okinawa, so the forts on Penghu Island did not engage in direct artillery fire against American warships. As a result, the coastal forts on Penghu Island remained undestroyed and have been preserved to this day. On December 28, 1983, the Western Fort of Xiyu was designated as a national historic site. Source: National Cultural Heritage Database. [Recommended duration of stay] 2 hours.
Xiyu Xitai
