Jibei Wusheng Temple Introduction
Jibei Island is the largest island in the northern seas of Penghu, with settlements primarily concentrated around Guanyin Temple to Wusheng Dian. Like most areas in Penghu, early residences in Jibei often utilized tuff or basalt. Tuff is a type of limestone reef stone formed from coral that has died and accumulated on the seabed. When the salt content in the rock decreases, it can be used as a building material. During construction, iron bars would be nailed to the ground to tie rope lines, marking the outline of the stone walls, and then stones would be neatly stacked to complete the structure, which is a characteristic of Penghu's architecture. The Wusheng Dian at the center of the settlement is the oldest temple in Jibei, featuring a two-story structure that enshrines the main deity, Wenchang Wang, who is also known as Guan Gong or Guan Sheng Dijun. The nearby Guanyin Temple, alongside Wusheng Dian, serves as a center of faith for the villagers. Legend has it that over a hundred years ago, a red light appeared over the eastern sea of Jibei, leading villagers to discover a golden statue of Guanyin, which they brought back and initially enshrined in Wusheng Dian. They later raised funds to construct the present Guanyin Temple, contributing to the prosperity of Jibei. Behind the settlement, one can see many vegetable houses, which are buildings made of basalt or tuff walls that can withstand strong winds, allowing crops to grow successfully. Heading north to the coast, beautiful beaches and sandbars can be seen. In recent years, notably, due to the accumulation of sediment by ocean currents, the sandbar at the northwest tip of Jibei Island is continuously expanding, forming a lagoon-like terrain that is almost connected to the land, greatly increasing the area of Jibei Island!
