Fisherman Island Lighthouse Introduction
The Fisherman's Wharf Lighthouse is located on a high ground at the southwestern tip of Xiyu, belonging to the Waian Village of Xiyu Township. Xiyu Island has a total area of 17.8380 square kilometers and an elevation of approximately 52 meters. It stands alongside the main island of Penghu and Baisha Island, being one of the three main islands of the Penghu archipelago. Fisherman's Wharf is referred to as Xiyu, with the distinction in name stemming from the Portuguese who first labeled it "Fisherman's Island" in their nautical charts. Later, military maps by the Dutch and Japanese continued to use the translation "Fisherman's Island," while the local ancestors have historically referred to it as "Xiyu" or "Xiyu Head." Throughout the period of Qing Dynasty rule and Japanese governance, it consistently retained the name Xiyu, as Xiyu is located to the west of the main island of Penghu, which served as a recognizable landmark for seafarers from coastal Fujian and Zhejiang passing through Penghu, identifying it as "Xiyu Head." The lighthouse was originally built in 1778 as a seven-level stone tower, named "Xiyu Tower Light." In 1875, it was rebuilt in a Western architectural style and renamed the "Fisherman's Wharf Lighthouse," the form we see today. Recently, when registered as a historic site, it was renamed "Xiyu Lighthouse" following the suggestions of local residents. The lighthouse stands on a granite base, with a diameter of approximately 2.5 meters at its base. The tower body slightly recedes upwards, with a height-to-width ratio of about 1:2. Inside the tower, there is a spiral staircase made of iron plates, and the upper part features a round arched iron lamp cover and a wind vane. At 6.3 meters above the ground, there is an iron-railing working platform, with the lighthouse reaching a height of 11 meters and the light source at 60.7 meters. Adjacent to the lighthouse is a building made of stone, which consists of two levels. The roof features a gentle four-sided slope, and the eaves extend horizontally above a small entrance. The window shutters are designed in a French style, reflecting a strong European architectural influence. The Fisherman's Wharf Lighthouse is equipped with a foghorn and three iron fog cannons, established during the mid-Qing Dynasty, as well as an early stone gourd smoke stack that has been preserved. From the lighthouse area, visitors can overlook the sea and have the opportunity to witness the famous current known as "Xiliu." Among the six major currents in Penghu—"Yixiao," "Erhou," "Sanxiliu," "Sida," "Wutanmen," and "Liudongji"—the "Xiliu" current is located in the southern waters beneath the "Xiyu Lighthouse." Approximately 40 minutes before low tide (commonly known as the backflow), a series of moon arc waves appear on the surface of the sea, stretching about 100 to 200 meters, lasting for 4 to 5 hours, stopping only about 2 hours before high tide. During the autumn equinox, this sight becomes a spectacular phenomenon. The white-shaped Fisherman's Wharf Lighthouse also appears in the MTV "The Boy in the Tower" by Chen Sheng, representing the lonely memories of the boy who guards the girl, standing silently as youth gradually fades over time. Looking back, those memories are like the lyrics "just a few autumns" accompanied by the sea breeze and the lighthouse, standing firm and solitary, shining brightly in life. While visiting Penghu, it’s worth taking a brief moment to reminisce at this lighthouse, reflecting on whether there has been someone in your life you wished to guard but could only keep hidden in your memories.
Lighthouse of Fisherman Island
Yu-Wei Lighthouse
