Jibei Wusheng Temple Introduction
Jibei Island is the largest island in the northern seas of Penghu. The main settlement area is concentrated from Guanyin Temple to Wusheng Temple. Like most areas in Penghu, the early houses in Jibei were often constructed using coral stone or basalt. Coral stone is limestone formed from coral debris that accumulates on the seabed after coral death. When the salt content of the rock decreases, it can be used as a building material. During construction, iron bars are first nailed to the ground with ropes to outline the stone wall area, and then the stones are neatly stacked to complete the wall, which can be considered a characteristic of Penghu's architecture. The Wusheng Temple, located in the center of the settlement, is the oldest temple in Jibei and features a two-story structure dedicated to the main deity, Wenheng Shengdi, also known as Guan Gong or Guansheng Dijun. Nearby, Guanyin Temple also serves as a faith center for the villagers. According to legend, over a hundred years ago, a red light appeared over the eastern sea of Jibei, and the villagers discovered a golden statue of Guanyin in the area. They brought it back and initially placed it in Wusheng Temple, and later raised funds to build the current Guanyin Temple, which helped Jibei prosper further. Behind the settlement, many vegetable houses can be seen; these are buildings made of basalt or coral stone walls designed to withstand strong winds, allowing crops to grow successfully. Heading north to the coast, beautiful beaches and sandbars can be seen. In recent years, due to the accumulation of sediment carried by ocean currents, the sandbar at the northwest end of Jibei Island has been continuously growing, forming a lagoon-like landscape that is almost connected to the land, significantly increasing the area of Jibei Island!
