Kinmen: A military battle ground turned idyllic tourist destination

As the taxi drives past the gentle country side dotted with beautiful cottages, the red tiled roof creating a lively contrast with the verdant green, I marvel at the thought that less than fifty years ago, it was the venue of a fierce battle that took place between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait — the ROC (Taiwan) and PRC (China).

Beginning on Aug. 23, 1958, the tiny settlement was exposed to heavy shelling from the mainland for days at a time in a futile attempt to subdue the ROC. In 1949, Chiang Kai-shek’s army invaded the island to avoid forceful subjugation to Mao’s Army.

The local administration could not face the Chiang onslaught; the 60,000 troops that came with Chiang supposedly had an overpowering effect on the entire island.

Realizing its strategic importance in maintaining the independent status of the ROC, Chiang afterwards consolidated and strengthened his position in Kinmen.

Martial law was declared, restricting travel to and from Kinmen, making it almost inaccessible, even to Taiwanese. From a tourist’s point of view that is not something to be advocated, but it did elevate Kinmen from a sleepy fishing hamlet to a strong army outpost that has survived repeated assaults from the PRC quite successfully.

Martial law ended in 1992, and travel restrictions were lifted. Kinmen re-emerged as a tourist hot spot in 2000. But, even today, there is still a strong military presence in Kinmen, and it’s hard not to notice the clean and crisp orderliness that’s characteristic of a military town. The Jinmen National Park, covering 38 sq km, is the first national park in Taiwan aimed at preserving the local history and culture.

From the Mashan Observation center (馬山觀測站) within the park, it’s a thrilling experience looking at the haze-covered mountains across the 2 miles stretch, trying to visualize the other side. If the spectacular backdrop lures you to forget the animosity between the neighbors then there’s the August 23 Artillery War Museum (八二三砲戰), built as a tribute to those brave soldiers of Taiwan who sacrificed their lives to save the motherland, to remind you of that traumatic past.

However, what I found visually fascinating and mentally refreshing are the beautifully preserved houses with intricate carvings that speaks of the island’s rich cultural heritage. Kinmen, which means Golden Gate in Chinese, has a history older than Taiwan proper. The remnant of a protective wall that was built in 1380s to protect Kinmen from pirates and marauders supports the claim.

The best place to view the old traditional houses is the Kinmen Cultural Village, where there are about 28 such houses: wonderfully preserved two story residences in three-winged Fujian Province style, dating back to the Qing dynasty.

The most remarkable one is the residence of an imperial official featuring intricate woodwork, beautiful wall hangings and colorful paintings. This place is often used to showcase various artistic performances and cultural functions. The houses in the Shuitou (水頭) region follow Ming architectural pattern, a definite feast for the eyes after the monotonous display of gray megaliths all over Taiwan.

1|2|Next Page>>

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email