Matsu National Scenic Area
Matsu Culture Four Seasons Tour
Beigan Township
Nankan Township
Dongyin Township
Chukuang Township
Guide Book: Matsu Fridge by the Seashore
About Matsu
Ca-Liu
Matsu is the only country in Taiwan using the Fuzhou dialect as the main language. In this dialect, “ca-liu” means play. When you visit Matsu, you get to see lots slogans of “Matsu ca-liu” promoting tourism!
Architecture
Most of the traditional buildings in Matsu are constructed of granite. Since the structures of houses are upright and foursquare and look like stamps, the houses are referred to as “one stamp” buildings. Due to the presence of unruly pirates during the early stages of settlement on Matsu, windows in the houses are normally high and small; with the roof tiles only secured by placing stones on the top without bonding with cement, the houses are also referred to as breathing houses. When you visit Matsu, the stone houses are a beauty not to be missed!
Fire-Sealing Walls
Fire-sealing walls with exaggerated eaves and curved breaths that make the wall look like burning fire are one of the main features for traditional buildings and temples in Matsu. It is said that such a unique structure can prevent the horizontal spread of fires, which keeps neighbors safe from accident and minimizes the range of fire. The special appearance of such walling also is an important feature of Matsu!
Rocks on Rooftops
The stone houses of traditional residence in Matsu, always many stones placed above the roof tiles to secure them, are very plain and cute. Moreover, this method of not sealing up the roof tiles with mortar is one of the ingenious thoughts of the ancestors. The houses are both well-ventilated and convenient for repairing. A tile can be replaced by merely taking away the stone if it is broken.
Jiguang Pie (Matsu Bagel or Matsu Hamburger)
It was said that the Jiguang pie was invented by General Chi Jijuang during the Ming Dynasty. During army marching, there was often a shortage of time for cooking, so General Chi came up with the idea of allowing soldiers to string up the pies and hang the pies in front of their chests as the prepared food for marching.
Recreational Fishing
The Matsu Island Chain mainly consists for granite and due to wave erosion, lots of steep coastal rocks have formed; hence many excellent fishing spots exist and many fishermen praise this place as a godsend ground for sea fishing! For “Beigan”, the best fishing spot is located near Daaoshan and Nigushan, where the heavyweight Spinibarbus Hollandi Oshima and Black Porgy are usually obtained.
Reference:Matsu National Scenic Area Administration
Chinbe Village
Potential World Heritage Sites in Taiwan - Matsu Battlefield Culture
Matsu Archipelago is located at the west side of the Taiwan Strait, right in the mouth of Minjiang, and is composed of 36 islands. The hard and tough granite found on the islands is a gift from nature, the number of hills and zigzagging rocky coast are the basic terrain in Matsu. The unique settlement pattern of Matsu today is the result of activities of prehistoric man during the Neolithic age 6,000 years ago, Minyue refugees during the Han Dynasty, and immigrants from the coast of Fujian Province and Quanzhou during the Qing Dynasty, who built stone houses along the mountain. Matsu became a military base during the Chinese civil war, and the land was engraved with countless tunnels, bunkers, war posters, and batteries; the density of tunnels in Matsu is unmatched anywhere in the world.
Beihai Tunnel
Reference::Council for Cultural Affairs
