Maoao Fishing Port Introduction
Miao'ao, located in the Northeast Coast, is an ancient fishing village with a history of over a hundred years. Due to the absence of the North Link Railway and the bypassing of the Coastal Highway, Miao'ao has been fortunate to preserve its traditional fishing village appearance and has become one of the most important cultural heritages in the Northeast Coast. Miao'ao Fishing Port is situated on the western side of Sandiaojiao, nestled between Lailai Mountain on the right and Laolan Mountain on the left, with rabbit ear-shaped peaks in the back. Surrounded by lush green mountains on three sides, it offers a sequestered environment. One of the unique features of Miao'ao Fishing Port is the century-old stone houses. The early Pingpu people used local stone materials for construction, stacking and pushing stones together to build their homes, which protected them from wind and rain while providing insulation. They were warm in winter and cool in summer, with over a hundred stone houses at the peak of their existence. According to local cultural and historical workers, the finesse of the stone house construction reflects the owner’s financial status. The "parallel stacking" method is neater, requiring stones of similar length and thickness, resulting in an orderly and majestic appearance, usually belonging to wealthy families. In contrast, the "random stacking" method involves stones of varying sizes arranged haphazardly, common among ordinary families. Interestingly, there is also a method where stones are arranged in an interlocking manner, resembling the character for "person" (人) in Chinese, symbolizing a "good person." Miao'ao Fishing Port features a representative two-story stone house, which is said to have been built with funds raised from the owner’s rich catch over three consecutive years. Although the second floor of the stone house does not have any rooms and served primarily for drying fish and storing food, it still reflects the simple luxury of its time, despite now being in ruins.
