Gubo Island Introduction
Guboa Island is located to the northwest of Baisha and to the southwest of Jibei Island. It is a cuestas formed of basalt with a length of about 1 kilometer in both the north and south, making it the largest uninhabited island in the Penghu archipelago. The island features many porous basalt rocks, with a layer of iron-rich quartz sandstone covering the surface, creating a strong contrast; it is an anomaly among the different geological formations of the Penghu islands. On the northern plateau of the island, there is a memorial monument for shipwrecked English ships, with a sardine fishery to the east and beautiful coral reefs in the southeast waters, while the northern side is renowned for its abundant nori production. Around the Lunar New Year, the residents of Cikang Village conduct large-scale harvesting activities based on the growth of nori on Guboa Island. The Longde Temple committee collects fees based on the number of male members in each household for the right to access the island for harvesting. Given the abundant reefs in Penghu and the strong winter winds and waves, the wild nori here yields significant profits for fishermen during the cold winter season. The origin of the name Guboa Island comes from numerous legends and associations. It is said that a long time ago, there was a young girl in a village who had a boyfriend she had been in a relationship with for many years; however, her parents opposed the relationship and forced her to marry someone else. The fragile girl, to resist her parents' coercion and prove her steadfast love, ran away with her lover to an uninhabited island in the northern sea of Penghu. They took heaven and earth as witnesses and vowed by the mountains and seas to spend their lives together on that small island. It is said that when her descendants visited her, they referred to her as "Auntie." Another version indicates that the girl, in keeping her promise of love, self-exiled to the uninhabited island to live out her days in solitude. In earlier customs, those who passed away unmarried were referred to as "Auntie," which is how this uninhabited island came to be called Guboa Island. Regardless of the story, as the tale of a woman who devoted her life to love continues to be passed down through generations, the story of Auntie has become a beautiful legend of this uninhabited island!
Gubo Islet
