About Kinmen

 

History

   The history of Kinmen can date back to Tang dynasty when Superintendent Chen Yuan led a large number of residents to this island. Immigration kept moving and the number of residents kept increasing. Since education is highly emphasized, during Ming and Qing dynasties, a number of residents passed the highest imperial examination called Jinshi and became high-ranking officials. To the end of Ming Dynasty, Zheng Chenggung once used this island as a base to train his troops for recovering Taiwan from the control of the Dutch. In 1949, the army of Kuomintang government retreated from mainland China to this island and won a number of decisive battles against Communist China, such as the Guningtou Battle, the 93 battle, and the 823 Artillery Battle. Since then, Kinmen has been renown as a strong fortress for anti-communism.

 

Geography

    Situated inside Xiamen harbor and surrounded by coasts four sides, Kinmen is composed of main Kinmen, lesser Kinmen and small islands, such as Dadan and Erdan, covering an area of 150.45 sq. km. The distance from mainland China at the closest point is only about 2,310 meters, so traditionally there has been close connection between Kinmen and Fujian province. Mt. Taiwu, rising to 253 meters, is the highest peak of this island, from which visitors can enjoy a bird’s eye view of amazing fields and coasts of the island’s southern and northern parts.

    The only natural resources of Kinmen are granite and clay. The climate is subtropical, the soil is primarily sand and red earth, and the rainfall is low, averaging approximately 1049.4 mm annually, so crops are limited to drought-enduring ones like sorghum, barley, peanuts and sweet potatoes.

 

Climate

    Rainfall in Kinmen is very low, mostly concentrating between April and September. Typhoons sometimes hit the island in July and August. Easterlies start in October and lasts for about 8 months. The average temperature varies from 13°C to 29°C, and the typical weather is windy and sunny.

 

Tourism

    Since the lift of Battlefield Administration Affairs in 1992, developing Kinmen as a site for tourism has been one of the main endeavors of Kinmen County Government. The attractions of tourism in Kinmen lie in its rich cultural assets, southern Fujian-style and exotic south-eastern Asian buildings, beautiful barley and sorghum fields, clean white sand beaches, unique bird resources, and rich war relics. Visitors who come here can enjoy natural beauty, easy tempo of life, friendly atmosphere, and historical assets such as ancestral residence, honorific arches, magnificent tombs, solemn shrines, and splendid temples.

In terms of traffic, bus routes circulate all over the villages in Kinmen. Visitors can easily reach any scenic spot by taking tourist bus, which is cheap and accompanied by a Chinese tourist guide. Tourists can also rent a car and get to any place they want by using a map. The implementation of the “mini-three links” also helps to promote the development of tourism industry in this island as tourists who visit Kinmen can easily go to Xiamen by ferry and visit any scenic spot in Fujian province.

   

Traffic

    Many people enjoy backpacking in Kinmen as they can freely enjoy what they desire to and experience homestay in a southern Fujian-style swallow-tailed building. The four main routes on this island are Cross- Island East, West, South, and North Road, which can easily lead visitors to any place they want. Tourists can first get a map of Kinmen from tourist information desk after arriving at Kinmen Airport. The map clearly shows this island’s route system and scenic spots. Also, tourists can rent a car or motorcycle at the airport and start their trip there. Bicycles are free and provided in many scenic spots and many bicycle routes have been established, so please spend half a day enjoying leisurely bike riding on this island. Visitors can go to Xiamen or lesser Kinmen by ferry from Shuitou Port.

 

Local Specialties

    The following are among Kinmen’s best-known specialty items:

1.    Tribute candy: It is a blend of ground peanuts and maltose. Tribute candy made here is famous and delicious because it is produced from a smaller, rounder and more flavorful peanut grown on this island.

2.    Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor: The main raw materials for making Kaoliang Liquor are sorghum and barley. The high quality and rich flavor have made Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor become increasingly popular in recent years and produced large revenues for the county government. Kinmen Kaoliang Factory provides different types of Kaoliang, including 38%, 54%, 58% liquor volume, and some others made by Chinese herbal materials. It is worth tasting some Kaoliang when you are traveling in Kinmen. But don’t drink and drive.

 

3.    Kinmen Knife: This kind of knife is made from artillery bomb shells fired from communist China between 1958 and 1978, especially the 823 Artillery Battle in 1958 when about 470,000 bombs were fired at Kinmen. Blacksmiths here used the remains of artillery shells to make different types of sharp knife, and tourists often purchase them as souvenirs or for culinary use.

The former three items are commonly called “Three Treasures of Kinmen”.

4.    Thin Noodles: Kinmen’s windy, sunny weather and pure water make thin noodles produced here taste crisp and flavorful. Kinmen thin noodles are often cooked with locally gathered stone oysters. The noodles can also be cooked first, taken out of water, and then served with minced pork or Kinmen made sauce.

5.    Ceramics: Kinmen is rich in fine clay and thus famous for ceramics. Kinmen Ceramics Factory is the only “official kiln” of R.O.C. and reproduces fine antique and art objects.

6.    Yitiaogen Medicinal Herbs: The water quality, soil and weather are suitable for growing Yitiaogen. Products from Yitiaogen are said to help smooth the flow of Qi and blood and soothe the pain from aching muscles.

 

Local Snacks

   If you visit Kinmen, do not forget to taste the following snacks.

1.    Oyster Omelet: This snack is one of tourists’ favorites in Kinmen. It is delicious because the oysters gathered here are smaller and sweet.

2.    Beef Jerkey: Cattle farms in Kinmen are increasing, and the beef produced are lean and chewy, suitable for making tasty beef jerkey. Kinmen beef jerkey with Kaoliang Liquor is an unforgettable taste.

3.    Sandworms: Sandworms are a unique seafood in Kinmen and can help, according to research, to cure cancer. Fried sandworms are chewy, crispy and tasty. You can enjoy it in most seafood restaurants in Kinmen.

4.    Cantonese Congee: Cantonese congee here is unique as rice is boiled for a long time until it becomes almost soup and then cooked again by blending pork liver, meat ball, fried fish ball, and some vegetables. Kinmen’s Cantonese congee is delicious when served with fried bread sticks.

5.    Fujian-style Clay Oven Roll: It is a kind of clay oven baked bread with sesame on top and stuffing inside, mainly sugar or minced pork. Fried bread sticks and clay oven rolls are popular foods for breakfast in Kinmen.

 

Duty-free Shopping

   To the end of trip in Kinmen, you must not forget to go duty-free shopping, which started at the end of 2010 and more shops have since opened. The duty-free products include cigarettes, liquor, watches, jewelry and cosmetics.

 

Theme Tour

   Tourists who go backpacking can focus on theme tour. The following themes are recommended and tourists can choose any theme they want, depending on how many days they are staying in Kinmen.

1.    A Journey Through War Relics: Since 1949, Kinmen has played the role of significant military fortress, safeguarding against the invasion from communist China. Many battles have happened here since then, including the Guningtou Battle, the Battle of Dadan and Erdan, the 93 Battle, the 823 Artillery Battle, and the 617 Battle. Walking through the battlefield relics, tourists might feel the heart-shaking sound of bombing and the approaching steps of marching troops. This journey might remind you to cherish freedom and peace. The following itinerary on war relics might take you nearly a day:

A.    Guningtou Battle Museum: In October 1949, communist China army landed on Kinmen and bloodshed with the Kuomintang army for about 3 days around the area of Guningtou (northwestern Kinmen) and the Kuomintang army finally won the battle. This victory was important as it ensured the later security and prosperity of Taiwan region. Pictures of high-ranking officers on the war, war operation documents, war trophies, weapons and 12 paintings describing the battle are displayed in the museum. Besides, there is a 13-minute documentary animation in the audiovisual room to bring visitors back to the battle.

B.    823 Artillery Battle Museum: This battle took place on August 23, 1958. More than 470,000 bombs fell in just about 40 days and most of the buildings were ruined. Photographs, documents, relics of the deceased, statistics of loss and bombs, and models are displayed in the museum. The vivid audiovisual effects inside let tourists sense the horrible moments of the battle. Exhibited outside the museum are fighter jets, firearms and tanks at the time.

C.    Jhaishan Tunnel: Jhaishan is a mountain, located in Guguang Village, south- west of Kinmen. After the end of the August 23 Artillery War, military tension continued across the strait and getting sufficient military supply from Taiwan became very difficult as it would suffer artillery bombing from China, so building such a tunnel to ensure the safe arrival of military provision vessels in the wharf was in an urgent need. The tunnel was completed in 1961and presented in “U” shape, with the depth of 2m in water tunnel, and could allow at least 12 supply vessels to dock. The width of the tunnel is 6m and the total length 300m. Visiting this tunnel will make you feel amazed at the extreme hardship and marvelous craftsmanship of the tunnel construction.

D.    Cyonglin Tunnel: This tunnel is in Cyonglin Village which is located in the center of Kinmen. It was completed in 1976, with the width of 80cm and length of 790m and depth of 7m below the ground, aiming to provide a defense and safety system for the army and residents when artillery bombing happened. Outside the tunnel, you can see the traditional southern Fujian-style settlements and one of the most famous spirit lion statues in Kinmen.

E.     Mashan Observation Post and Broadcast Station: Located at the northern tip of Kinmen, Mashan is the closest point to Jyau, Fujian Province, only 1,800m in distance at low tide. The observation post, equipped with high magnified telescopes, aimed to monitor the opposite mainland. Visitors can see the buildings, trees, seashores, residents or animals on the opposite islands in clear weather or through telescopes installed in the tunnel. The broadcast station was established during cross-strait tension times, with a purpose to broadcast toward mainland China the democracy, freedom, and prosperity of Taiwan.

If you pay a visit to Lesser Kinmen, the war relics you can see include Hujingtou Battle Museum, Sihwei Tunnel, The Victory Gate and the Victory Memorial of August 23 Artillery Battle.

 

2.    A Trip to the Unique Architecture and Spirit Lion Statues in Kinmen:   

The traditional architecture of Kinmen can be categorized into 3 types: the southern Fujian-style houses, western-style houses, and ancestral shrines. The first type is characterized with its swallow-tailed ridges, saddleback roofs and gabled walls, together with marvelous engravings on the walls. Typically, there would be main chambers under the swallow- tailed ridges and wing rooms at both sides of the main chambers.Calligraphy and engravings in these houses displayed not only artistic beauty but also emphasis on blessing, respect to ancestors and and fengshui (a Chinese system of geomancy to improve life).

The second type integrates the tradition of Fujian Province and architecture of Southeast Asian countries. Western-style houses were built by overseas Kinmenese who made fortune in southeast Asian countries and typically have two stories. Worshipping ancestors is highly emphasized in Kinmen, so each village has its own ancestral shrine. Many of the shrines have a history of more than one hundred years. Therefore, if you are interested in architecture, you must not miss this theme.

Spirit lion statues (Fongshihye) commonly face the wind gap of each village, with the purpose to stop the wind, protect the residents from the harm of demon spirits and bring blessings for people. Fongshihye is mostly made from stone, only a few of which are from clay or cement. Each village has its own Fongshihye and the size, gesture and ornaments are different. However, the common characteristic is that Fongshihye always looks mischievous but cute and friendly, with an open mouth and smiling look.

 

A.    Southern Fujian-style houses: Visit to a number of settlements will let you feel the beauty of such architecture, including Cyonglin Settlement, Shueitou Settlement, Shanhou Settlement, Jhushan Settlement, and Oucuo Settlement. For more detailed information, please refer to http://www.kinmen.gov.tw/Layout/sub_D/AllInOne_en_Show.aspx?path=7219&guid=c56226e8-ac8f-4441-97ed-a14a92ecbc4f&lang=en-us

B.    Western-style houses: The popular houses of this type include Mofan Street, Shueitou Western Houses Group, Bishan Western House Group, Houpu Western House Group, and Chen Ching-lan Western House. More detailed information can be found at http://www.kinmen.gov.tw/Layout/sub_D/AllInOne_en_Show.aspx?path=7222&guid=20e388d6-91b2-47c1-8201-2deb133e28ea&lang=en-us

C.    Ancestral shrines: The famous ancestral shrines are the Tsai Family Ancestral Shrine in Cyonglin, the Hung Family Ancestral Shrine in Houfong Port, the Chen Family Ancestral Shrine in Houpu , the Wang Family Ancestral Shrine in Shanhou, the Six Families Ancestral Shrine in Dongkeng, Lieyu, and the Chang Family Ancestral Shrine in Cingyu. Please refer to the following website for more details: http://www.kinmen.gov.tw/Layout/sub_D/AllInOne_en_Show.aspx?path=7221&guid=cad2f115-773f-4a4d-9657-728b2338d622&lang=en-us

 

3.    Enjoy the natural beauty in Kinmen: Although the area of Kinmen is not large and its natural resources are limited, visitors paying a visit to this island cannot miss its natural beauty. This contains lush green trees, clean white beaches, granite mountains, unpolluted magnificent sorghum and barely fields, and birdwatching sites. The following spots will give you wonderful memories of Kinmen’s natural beauty.

A.    Sun Yat-sen Memorial Forest: The forest belongs to Kinmen National Park and near Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Factory. Walking or cycling in the forest, tourists can enjoy forest serenity, fresh air, and lush green (Bikes are free in the forest). Also displayed in the square of this forest are fighter jets, radar, tanks and other military equipment.

B.    Taiwu Mountain: It is the highest peak of Kinmen, composed of granites. Standing on its top, tourists can not only feel the comfort of breeze and lush green but also the beautiful seashores and fantastic sorghum and barely fiends of Kinmen. At the entrance of the mountain lies the Taiwu Mountain Cemetery which is mainly for the soldiers who died in Guningtou Battle and 823 Artillery Battle.

C.    Birdwatching Areas: Each year around November large varieties of migrating birds, such as loons, cormorants, heron, and other species, will move to Kinmen for food and wetlands. They will spend their winter months here until April. If you are interested in  birdwatching, please refer to http://www.kmnp.gov.tw/en/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=56&Itemid=78  or

http://www.kinmen.gov.tw/Layout/sub_D/NodeTree.aspx?path=7227

D.    Unpolluted White Beaches: Kinmen is surrounded by the sea on four sides and the beaches are beautiful and unpolluted. Visiting the beaches is a great fun. You can build sand castles with friends, dig clams out of the sand, ride a horse on the beach, take a walk, or just sit on the beach and enjoy the beautiful scenery of the sea. Everything looks so wonderful and calm when you are with the beach. For more details on Kinmen’s beaches, please refer to http://www.kinmen.gov.tw/Layout/sub_D/AllInOne_en_Show.aspx?path=7220&guid=6196bc29-95ff-4548-84dd-b2bd4694d872&lang=en-us

 

4.    Experience Carefree Cycling in Kinmen: Cycling in Kinmen is a real enjoyment, especially in the early morning or in the sunset, between April and October. Riders do not have to worry about traffic jam or air pollution; everything is green and colorful along the roads and surprise might happen to you any moment. Free bikes are provided in many scenic spots, and you can easily borrow a bike you want by showing your ID card. Cycling along the bike trail, the open fields, or the traditional settlements is a delightful memory to many visitors.

 

Itinerary Trip Not Based on Themes

 If you go backpacking and your trip is not based on theme, you may refer to the following website which provides suggested itinerary for different day trips.

http://www.kinmen.gov.tw/Layout/sub_D/AllInOne_en_Show.aspx?path=7263&guid=14fb49c6-cf6a-47a1-b11b-4fa5c852cb71&lang=en-us

 

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