Dongjiyu Lighthouse (Dongyin Lighthouse) Introduction
The white lighthouse of Dongyung, known as the Dongyin Lighthouse, is located at the hillside of Shiwai Mountain—on the easternmost edge of the Matsu archipelago. It is also referred to as the North Border Lighthouse. The pure white brick tower stands 13 meters tall and is filled with 18th-century European architectural style, towering over the cliffs. The construction of the Dongyung Lighthouse began due to an incident in the 27th year of Guangxu (around 1901), when the 450-foot-long steamer "SS Subu" sank after running aground near Dongyung. Although the passengers and cargo were unharmed, the shipping company suffered significant losses. The increase in import and export trade following the opening of Sandu Bay eventually led to the construction of the Dongyung Lighthouse. In 1988, it was designated as a national third-level historic site by the Council for Cultural Affairs and was upgraded to a national historic site in 2016, making it the northernmost historic site in the Taiwan-Min region. In the past, the lighthouse was located in a restricted area, and lighthouse keepers had to live there with their families. To supply food for the staff, chicken coops and pigsties were established. In the era of scarce resources, those outside the tower envied the lighthouse keepers inside, giving the area the nickname "Dongyin Villa." There are two fog cannons located at the cliff edge below the lighthouse, which have now been replaced by a foghorn for navigational assistance. The lighthouse faces the East China Sea, its white structure standing on the cliffs contrasting beautifully with the blue waters below, making it particularly captivating. Visitors can follow a winding path past low white concrete railings to find this lighthouse. Note: To reach the Dongyung Lighthouse, visitors must first park their vehicles at the parking lot at the end of the road and then follow the trail from below, passing by Leigu Stone and Taibai Tian Sheng, to reach the entrance of the lighthouse.
