North Wind God, Wind Chicken Introduction
In Greater Kinmen, people are familiar with the Wind Lion God; in Lesser Kinmen (Lieyu), there are two highly local symbols for calming the wind and warding off evil—North Wind God and Wind Chicken. Although both are folk beliefs aimed at combating natural disasters, their origins, imagery, and functions are distinct, collectively forming the unique faith landscape of Lesser Kinmen. The North Wind God, also known as the Northern King, Wind King, or Black-Faced Wind King, is a guardian deity established by the residents of Lesser Kinmen to suppress the strong north winds of winter. The statue has a dark complexion, wears a python robe, holds a pagoda, and presents a solemn demeanor, facing north, symbolizing the calming of winds and protection of the village's boundaries. The current visible North Wind God is located along the road between the west of Lieyu and Houzai Village, making it one of the most representative local deities of Lesser Kinmen. The Wind Chicken comes from a long-standing legend. It is said that Lesser Kinmen once suffered from recurring droughts, plagues, and wind disasters, causing great hardship for the people. One day, a divine chicken with a red crown and white feathers flew from afar, reviving the land where it walked. To express gratitude for its miraculous deeds, the residents began to place clay sculptures of the Wind Chicken at the edges of their villages or on rooftops as symbols for calming winds, driving away evil, and preventing ants. Today, in settlements such as Huangcuo, Xifang, Nantang, and Dongkeng, there are still sculptures of Wind Chickens standing on rooftops or at village entrances, representing a unique cultural landscape of the Lieyu region.
