Maoao Fishing Port Introduction
Mao'ao, located in the northeastern coast, is an ancient fishing village with a history of over a hundred years. Due to the fact that the North Link train does not pass through this area and the coastal highway bypasses the village, Mao'ao has fortunately preserved its traditional fishing village appearance and has become the most important cultural asset in the Northeast Coast area. Mao'ao Fishing Port is located on the west side of Sandiao Cape, embraced by Lailai Mountain on the right and Laolan Mountain on the left, with a peak resembling rabbit ears in the background. Surrounded by lush green mountains on three sides, it offers an isolated environment. Another unique feature of Mao'ao Fishing Port is the stone houses that have been preserved for a century. Early on, the Pingpu people used local stone materials for construction, stacking stones using a principle of mutual pushing to build houses that protected against wind and rain while providing insulation, making them warm in winter and cool in summer. At its peak, there were over a hundred stone houses in this area. According to local historians, the craftsmanship of the stone houses reflects the wealth of the owners. The "parallel stacking" method is more uniform, requiring stones of similar lengths and thicknesses, resulting in a neat and imposing structure, typically owned by wealthy families. In contrast, the "chaotic stacking" method uses stones of various sizes and is common among ordinary families. Interestingly, there is also a type that arranges stones in a crisscross pattern, resembling the character for "person," known as "人字砌," symbolizing the "good people." Mao'ao Fishing Port features a representative two-story stone house, which is said to have been built after the owner caught an abundant harvest for three consecutive years, allowing them to gather funds for this rare luxurious stone house. However, the second floor of the stone house does not have any rooms; it is primarily used for drying fish and storing food. Although it has since collapsed, one can still sense the simplicity of its past luxury on-site.
