Jibei Wusheng Temple Introduction
Jibei Island is the largest island in the northern seas of Penghu, with the village community primarily concentrated around the area between Guanyin Temple and Wusheng Temple. Like most areas in Penghu, early residential buildings in Jibei often used coralline limestone or basalt. Coralline limestone is formed from coral reefs after the death of coral, which accumulate on the seabed. When the salt content of the rocks decreases, they can be used as building materials. During construction, iron rods are first nailed to the ground to tie ropes and outline the stone wall boundaries, after which the stones are neatly stacked to complete the structure, reflecting the architectural characteristics of Penghu. The Wusheng Temple, located in the center of the village, is the oldest temple in Jibei and is a two-story building dedicated to the main deity, Emperor Wenchang, who is also known as Guan Gong or Lord Guan. Nearby Guanyin Temple serves as another center of faith for the villagers. According to legend, over a hundred years ago, a red light appeared over the eastern sea of Jibei, and villagers discovered a golden statue of Guanyin, which they brought back and initially enshrined in Wusheng Temple. They later raised funds to build the current Guanyin Temple, which contributed significantly to the prosperity of Jibei. Behind the village, many agricultural buildings can be seen, constructed of basalt or coralline limestone walls to withstand strong winds, allowing crops to grow successfully. Heading north towards the coast, beautiful beaches and sandbars are visible. Notably in recent years, due to shifting currents, the sandbar at the northwest end of Jibei Island has been continuously growing, forming a lagoon that is nearly connected to the land, significantly increasing the area of Jibei Island!
