Mazu Islet Introduction
Guanyin Island is located to the northwest of Baisha and to the southwest of Jibei Island. It is a tableland formed of basalt, approximately 1 kilometer long from south to north, and is the largest uninhabited island in the Penghu archipelago. The island features many porous basalt formations, with a surface layer covered by iron-rich quartz sandstone, creating a striking contrast, making it an anomaly among the different geological formations in the Penghu Islands. On the northern part of the island's tableland, there is a memorial monument to a shipwreck; to the east is a fishery for flying fish, and to the southeast waters are home to beautiful coral reefs. The northern side is the most famous producing area for laver. Around the Lunar New Year, the local community of Chikan Village organizes large-scale harvesting activities depending on the growth of laver on Guanyin Island. The management committee of Longde Temple in Chikan Village collects a fee based on the number of male members in each family as a right to access the island for harvesting. Penghu has many reefs, and in winter, strong winds and large waves are common. The abundant wild laver in Penghu provides fishermen with significant income during the harsh winter months. The origin of the name "Guanyin Island" comes from various legends and associations. According to one tale, a young girl in a village long ago had a boyfriend whom she had been with for many years, but her parents opposed the relationship and forced her to marry someone else. To rebel against her parents' coercion and prove her steadfast love, the weak girl eloped with her lover to an uninhabited island in the northern sea of Penghu. The two took the heavens and earth as their witnesses and vowed to spend their lives together on that small island. It is said that whenever her descendants came to visit her, they called her "Guanyin." Another version suggests that the girl, to keep her promise of love, self-exiled to the uninhabited island to live out her days in solitude; in ancient customs, those who died unmarried were referred to as "Guanyin," and this uninhabited island also came to be known as Guanyin Island. Regardless of the story, as this tale of a lifelong commitment to love continues to be passed down, the legend of Guanyin has become a beautiful story associated with this uninhabited island.
Guanyin Island
