The Yuwengdao Lighthouse is a national monument of Taiwan. Located on the western tip of Wai'an Village, Xiyu Township, at Yiziwei Cape, the lighthouse overlooks the Western Boundary Current or western waters of the Penghu Six Major Currents. For centuries, the lighthouse has served as a crucial navigational landmark for ships traveling between Taiwan and Xiamen.
In the 43rd year of the Qianlong era of the Qing Dynasty (1778), Chiang Yuanshu, magistrate of Taiwan Prefecture and Hsieh Weichi, vice magistrate of Penghu, sought to provide a crucial navigational aid for vessels sailing westward from Xiamen. Recognizing the strategic prominence of Xiyu as a maritime landmark, they oversaw the construction of the Xiyu Lighthouse at this site, marking the first lighthouse ever built in Taiwan and Penghu. In the inscription on the surviving Xiyu Lighthouse Commemorative Stele(創建西嶼燈塔碑記), which states: "Penghu lies between Taiwan and Xiamen, and Xiyu stands as a vital stronghold. When winds shift unpredictably, both official and commercial vessels alike rely on Xiyu for guidance and refuge. "This passage underscores the significance of the Xiyu Lighthouse. According to the stele inscription, the original structure of the Xiyu Lighthouse was meticulously constructed upon the foundation of an ancient coastal fortification. Its base spanned five zhang (approximately 16.5 meters), supporting a seven-tiered pagoda-like tower, with each tier measuring seven feet in height. Built from finely hewn stone, the structure embodied both simplicity and enduring strength, designed to withstand the passage of time. Atop the tower, an ever-burning beacon was installed to provide continuous illumination…. Adjacent to the lighthouse, a shrine dedicated to Mazu, the Heavenly Empress, was erected. Each evening at dusk, the shrine's caretaker would ascend the tower to ignite the beacon. Buffeted by relentless storms and typhoons over the years, the Xiyu Lighthouse sustained repeated damage. In the third year of the Daoguang era of the Qing Dynasty (1823), Chiang Yung, Vice Magistrate of Penghu and Admiral Chen Yuanjung of the Penghu Naval Forces secured funding to undertake its restoration. However, the oil lamp atop the tower emitted a feeble glow, falling far short of international lighthouse illumination standards. In response, the United Kingdom, the United States, Japan and France pressed the Qing government to construct a modern lighthouse. In the 12th year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1873), the Chinese Maritime Customs Service dispatched officials to Xiyu to acquire land for the project. Plans were soon set in motion to rebuild the lighthouse along with its auxiliary facilities. In the 13th year of the Tongzhi era of the Qing Dynasty (1874), the Chinese Maritime Customs Service commissioned engineer David M. Henderson from the United Kingdom to design a Western-style lighthouse. The Xiyu Lighthouse was reconstructed with a cylindrical cast-iron tower, painted white. Above the entrance, a triangular pediment bore a raised English inscription: "DAVID M. HENDERSON 1874." Construction began on July 11 in the 1st year of the Guangxu era of the Qing Dynasty (1875) and was completed in November of the same year. The lighthouse was officially lit on November 18, with foreign specialists stationed on-site for its operation. Today, near the western perimeter wall, a cross-shaped tombstone inscribed "Nelly O'Driscoll" marking the resting place of a British lighthouse keeper's daughter from that period. Upon completion and illumination, the lighthouse was formally named the Yuwengdao Lighthouse.
The newly built structure stood 11 meters tall, with a light elevation of 67.7 meters. To enhance maritime safety during foggy conditions, three fog cannons were installed southwest of the lighthouse, emitting warning blasts for passing ships. During the Japanese colonial period, the lighthouse continued to operate using Qing-era equipment. Additionally, a louvered meteorological observation device was installed. In the 30th year of the Meiji era of Japan (1897), the Japanese military laid an undersea telephone cable between Magong and Yuwengdao Lighthouse, marking the earliest wired telephone system in Taiwan and Penghu. In the final stages of World War II, between July 5 and August 7 in the 20th year of the Showa era of Japan (1945), the lighthouse was bombed by U.S. forces. Fortunately, it sustained only minor damage and remained operational. In 1966, Yuwengdao Lighthouse was upgraded with a fourth-order rotating Fresnel lens electric lamp, increasing its luminous intensity to 180,000 candelas, with a range of 25.1 nautical miles. In 1981, two electric fog horns were installed to further enhance navigation safety in low-visibility conditions.
Recommended Duration of Visit: 2 hours

Source: National Cultural Heritage Network