Xijiyu Introduction
Xiji Island is located approximately 4.5 kilometers west of Dongji Island and is part of the "South Four Islands National Park." The island features basalt sea cliffs on its west and north sides, characterized by distinct columnar joints that extend for hundreds of meters, creating a spectacular sight. It is also designated as the "South China Sea Basalt Nature Reserve." The residents fully relocated in 1978, and it is now an uninhabited island, requiring an application to land. Although many of the houses are in ruins, the settlement structure remains clearly visible, including the ruins of the worship center, Xiji Temple, and four stone towers built to ward off evil spirits. Additionally, the basalt agricultural houses were constructed on the northern side of the village to withstand the northeast monsoon. Although the village has been deserted for a long time, the residents of Xiji, now scattered in various places, return annually during major festivals such as the Dragon Boat Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival to stay for a few days and take the next generation on a roots-seeking journey. The most well-known attraction on Xiji Island is the sea cave located on the northwestern side of the island, colloquially referred to as the "Stove Basket" by locals due to its shape resembling a cooking stove. Inside the cave, the surrounding seawater appears sapphire blue due to sunlight refraction, which has earned it the nickname "Blue Cave." The eastern and southern sides of the island have rocky coastal terrain, featuring tide pools formed by the erosion of rocks in the northeast intertidal zone that create pot holes or expand into tidal pools, making them another geological landscape worth seeing on Xiji Island.
Xijiyu
