Due to the presence of numerous hidden reefs around Mudouyu, shipwrecks were once frequent in this area. To improve maritime safety, the Japanese government constructed a lighthouse in 1899 (Meiji 32), which was completed and officially commissioned in 1902 (Meiji 35). For over a century, this lighthouse has guided vessels through the perilous waters of the Penghu archipelago.Apart from the lighthouse staff, the island has no other residents. Standing at 40 meters tall, the Mudouyu Lighthouse—with its striking black-and-white stripes—rises majestically above the dark brown basalt reefs, projecting a commanding presence.The lighthouse is the tallest cast-iron lighthouse in both Taiwan and the broader Far East. Uniquely, it was designed to channel rainwater collected from the roofs of the lighthouse and its dormitories directly into an internal reservoir, making it the only lighthouse in Taiwan with a water intake system located inside the tower itself. The island has no external power grid; instead, three generators supply electricity for the lighthouse’s operations.
Mudouyu Lighthouse was selected as one of the Top Ten Historic Buildings of Penghu County in the 2001 (Year 90 of the Republic of China) historic architecture voting campaign.

Source: Penghu National Scenic Area Administration Court and Penghu County Government Tourism Department