Houliao Shanjian Temple Introduction
The origin of the Thirty People Temple, according to the inscriptions within the temple, dates back to 1622 when the Dutch dispatched warships to invade Magong. Thirty-six residents of Hujing Island set out in small boats to resist, but were outnumbered and all perished. The villagers later discovered their remains on two beaches and buried them at the site. Consequently, the villagers built the "Nanpu Temple" to worship them, which is commonly referred to as the "Thirty People Temple." The current appearance seen today is the result of a reconstruction funded by devotees in 2017. In front of the Thirty People Temple, there is an intertidal zone, which is a great place for the public to dig for thick-shelled clams during low tide. There is also a bicycle path nearby where visitors can enjoy the ocean view and appreciate the large sculpture "Hi Mouse" created by artist Hong Yi. The name for dolphin in Taiwanese is "hai shu" (海鼠) or "hai zhu" (海豬), so the blue and white porcelain style Hi Mouse combines the imagery of dolphins and mice, depicting Penghu's characteristic attractions, flora and fauna, and historical sites, with the words “Hi” and “Mouse” inscribed on its ears. Next to the Hi Mouse, there is a circular paving stone titled "Pengpai Youqing" created by artist Huang Bo-wei, which features Penghu's unique elements such as Tianshi Chrysanthemum, cacti, and stone weirs. Additionally, a notable site in Houliao is the Shigandang at the Weiling Temple courtyard. According to legend, during the Daoguang period of the Qing Dynasty, there were malevolent spirits causing trouble in the Fengkeng area between Houliao and Tongliang. In 1842, the Emperor Baosheng worshiped at Weiling Temple and instructed the establishment of a stone tablet inscribed with the four characters "Chimei Wangliang" (魑魅魍魎) to exorcise evil spirits, making it one of the few stone tablets in Penghu with a recorded date.
