Little Ximen Model Toilet Introduction
The Xiaoxi Gate Model Toilet was built in 1917 by Wu Chaoping, who invested in its construction after returning from abroad. Wu Chaoping (1854-1936), also known as Jinzhang or Guangping (names he commonly used in Indonesia and Singapore), hailed from Xiaoxi Gate. In 1874, during the Qing Dynasty, he went to Sumatra, Indonesia, where he collaborated with friends to operate a business called "Chengshunfu" in the glass-producing port of Tanjung Balai Asahan, engaging in local agricultural trade. He later moved to Singapore, actively participating in public welfare initiatives in Southeast Asia, establishing the Pei Shan School in Sumatra, and being involved in various activities of the Kinmen Association in Singapore, such as funding the renovation of the Wujangfujim Temple in 1919 and investing 1,000 Straits dollars during the establishment of the Kinmen Shipping Company in 1922, the largest investment by a Chinese merchant at the time. He was also conferred the title of Kapitan in Sumatra, Indonesia, and later resided in Gulangyu, Xiamen. After achieving success, Wu Chaoping returned to Xiaoxi Gate in 1900 to plan a row of three large houses with two stories. The buildings were completed in 1903, 1905, and 1915, respectively. The old latrine in the Xiaoxi Gate settlement was originally located in front of Wu Chaoping's newly built houses. Considering the sanitation conditions, he negotiated with the villagers to move the latrine to the southwestern outskirts of the village. Wu Chaoping then purchased land and rebuilt a "Model Toilet" in 1917. This model toilet featured 22 toilet pits numbered according to the original household count, each consisting of a toilet and a collection pit. The toilet pits numbered 1 and 2 belonged to the Wu family, featuring a roof for privacy, while the remaining 20 outdoor toilet pits were allocated through a lottery system, with contracts defining ownership, providing each household with one toilet pit to manage and collect water and fertilizer. The Xiaoxi Gate Model Toilet evolved from traditional latrine practices, addressing local public health and agricultural fertilizer needs, and reflects the contributions of the community's expatriates towards improving environmental sanitation and facility spaces. (Source: Kinmen County Cultural Affairs Bureau)
