Penghu Caiyuan is located southeast of Magong, with Caiyuan Village nestled in a naturally sheltered bay. This semi-enclosed sea zone is protected from typhoons and unaffected by the northeast monsoon winds. Surrounded by pristine waters, free from artificial pollution sources, it provides an ideal environment for aquaculture. In 1920, the Japanese used Caiyuan Fish Harbor and the surrounding Shuanggangzi waters to cultivate pearls.
Oyster farming began in 1970, initially as an experimental venture in shallow intertidal zones. After the county government launched a coastal oyster farming promotion project in 1973, they adopted the Japanese shallow-sea farming method, setting up bamboo racks to suspend oyster seedlings. Over time, through technical exchanges and accumulated experience, a deep-sea long-line farming method was developed. The deep-sea long-line farming method has allowed oysters to grow rapidly, resulting in plump, delicious oyster meat. The market response has been excellent, with supply unable to meet the demand. This has led many local residents to engage in oyster farming, providing them with additional income through processing side businesses, creating a thriving atmosphere in Caiyuan Village. 
  
In 2015, the Ministry of Culture launched the "Youth Village Cultural Action Plan(青年村落文化行動計畫)." Huang Shuting, a volunteer from the Caiyuan community, participated with her "Penghu Caiyuan Oyster Shell Art Community" project and won the award in the micro-industry category(微型產業類), becoming the only recipient in all of Penghu. Adopting a concept of recycling, Huang used discarded oyster shells as the primary material to create installation art. This solution helped address the accumulation of oyster shells that had previously troubled the residents of Caiyuan Village. The oyster shells were transformed into beautiful and captivating works of art, forming large public art installations in the shape of various animals. These creations, which were once considered waste, became stunning pieces of art. These creative large-scale oyster shell installations are located next to the activity center in the Caiyuan community. After being cleaned, dried, and painted, they were assembled into zodiac animal figures. Currently, there are four zodiac animals: the dragon, tiger, rooster and ox, all proudly standing in various corners of the Caiyuan Recreational Area(菜園遊憩園區). In addition to the zodiac animals, there is also a wall made of oyster shells, which, when the breeze blows, creates a beautiful sound as the shells gently collide with each other. Besides the large animal art installations like "Golden Rooster Heralding the Dawn(金雞破曉)" and "Tiger Roaring in the Wind(虎虎生風)," the Caiyuan community's "local mothers' class" also promotes the creation of small art pieces using oyster shells. Oyster shells are used to decorate walls and pavilions, and paintings made from oyster shells depict scenes of local farming life, showcasing the community's agricultural heritage. Through this project, oysters are not only a delicious dish but also a model of thorough waste recycling. Oyster shells now embellish every corner of the street, creating a unique feature of the Caiyuan community. 
Recommended Duration of Visit: 1 hour

Source: Penghu Travel