Ximen Red House Toilet Introduction
The Little West Gate Model Toilet was constructed in 1917, funded by Wu Chao-ping after he returned home from overseas business. Wu Chao-ping (1854-1936), also known as Kwang-ping (a name he often used in Indonesia and Singapore), was from Little West Gate. In 1874, during the Qing Dynasty's Tongzhi era, he went to Sumatra, Indonesia, and, along with friends, co-founded a business called “Cheng Shun Fu” in the glass-producing harbor of Tanjung Balai Asahan, engaging in local product trade. He later moved to Singapore for business and actively participated in public welfare activities in the Nanyang region. In addition to establishing Pei-shan School in the Su Islands, he was also active in various activities of the Kinmen Association in Singapore, such as financing the reconstruction of the Wujiang Fuzhi Temple in 1919 and investing in the establishment of the Kinmen Shipping Company in 1922, with a significant investment of 1,000 Straits dollars, which was the largest among the overseas merchants at that time. He was also conferred the title of Kapitan in Sumatra, Indonesia, and spent his later years residing in Gulangyu, Xiamen. After achieving success in his career, Wu Chao-ping returned to Little West Gate in 1900 and planned a row of three two-story large residences, completed in 1903, 1905, and 1915 respectively. The old fecal pit of the Little West Gate settlement originally sat in front of Wu Chao-ping's newly built large house. Considering the health and hygiene of the living environment, he negotiated with the villagers to relocate the pit to the southwestern outskirts of the village. Wu Chao-ping then purchased the land and built a "model toilet" in 1917. The model toilet was equipped with 22 toilet pits numbered according to the original household count, with each toilet consisting of a toilet area and a collection pit. The toilets belonging to the Wu Chao-ping family were numbered 1 and 2, featuring roofs for privacy, while the remaining 20 open-air toilet pits were allocated by lottery, with contracts established to define ownership. Each household was assigned one toilet, allowing them to manage and collect water fertilizer independently. The Little West Gate Model Toilet evolved from traditional fecal pits, fulfilling public health and agricultural production needs, and reflecting the contributions and improvements made by local residents concerning environmental sanitation and facility space. (Source: Kinmen County Cultural Affairs Bureau)
