Xiao Men Cai House Introduction
Walking along the trail of Xiaomen Island, you can see the local specialties of Penghu, including the stone guardian known as Shigandang, as well as the unique agricultural cultural landscape of the Penghu archipelago – the "cai zhai," also referred to as "zhai nei" or "wei zai." This structure utilizes stone walls to provide shelter and wind protection for the crops in the fields. Most cai zhai are built using locally sourced volcanic rock, while in areas with abundant water, bamboo may also be used for windbreaks. The construction method of cai zhai is quite unique. Basalt and volcanic rock are exposed to the sun to remove impurities, with large stones serving as the foundation and smaller rocks used for filling. No cement or lime is used during the stacking process; instead, the angles of the stones interlock to create a sturdy windbreak wall. This construction method may appear unrefined, but it effectively withstands strong northeast monsoon winds. The crops grown within cai zhai during the spring and summer seasons mainly include pumpkins, Penghu cucumbers, and Penghu beans; in the fall and winter, vegetables like cabbage, tomatoes, and Chinese mustard greens are more commonly cultivated. In addition to seasonal vegetables, the primary crop cultivated is sweet potato, locally referred to as "zai mu." However, this traditional technique requires a long time to accumulate knowledge and skills, coupled with the difficulty of sourcing materials, leading to a gradual decline in craftsmanship. Nowadays, modern cai zhai are often constructed using other materials.
