Matou Ancient Port Cultural Park Introduction
Madu Ancient Port Cultural Park is the most legendary place in Madou. This location is believed to be the Dragon Cave, a legendary site where emperors were said to have originated, and it has long been regarded as a feng shui treasure land by the locals. Besides the legendary stories, historically, this area was a port for the Dao Feng Inner Sea. Water Huotou is a three-forked port in the Dao Feng Inner Sea, which enjoyed geographical advantages, allowing ships to directly reach Fujian. Water Huotou Port was once a port for exporting sugar, and due to the presence of the Pingpu people, the area was abundant with Formosan sika deer, leading to large quantities of deer hides being exported. Merchant ships docked at Water Huotou to unload their goods, creating a prosperous era, making it a significant origin of wealth for Madou. At that time, besides the Pingpu people living in the area, there were also Han Chinese predominantly residing in Madou Street. When Han immigrants first arrived in Taiwan, most settled near the port, forming market clusters. Later, due to environmental changes, river channel siltation, and the westward shift of the coastline, only remnants of the wharf remain today. The relics of ancient waterways and the discovery of ship nails here conjure images of the vibrant trading scenes of the past. To further explore the stories of this place, you can visit the nearby Dao Feng Inner Sea Story Museum with its slanted appearance.
