Lieyu Township is the only off-shore island among the five townships in Kinmen County. Connected to Kinmen only by ferries, Lieyu Township still maintains its original life style and natural sceneries, and important features are its geological and cultural qualities.
Legend has is that Lieyu and Kinmen were originally connected together by a few meters of land. Seeing how inconvenient it was for ships to get docked, a deity said, “the peninsula should be separated to given an opening to the ships.” No sooner said than done, the island of Lieyu separated from Kinmen and became the island as we know it today.
“Little Kinmen” is a more recent term. Compared to Kinmen (which is known as Hou-pu to the elderly), Lieyu is smaller in size and is thus known as “Little Kinmen.”
Lieyu has a variety of sceneries such as the 823 Cannon War Monument, War History Museum, Bada Tower, the General’s Fort, the Temple of Chaste Maiden, the coastal boulevard, white sand beaches, and magnificent coastal lines. Local delicacies include taro, bamboo leaf-wrapped candy, and sea foods. The pure agricultural villages and traditional Fuchien buildings also show this off-shore island’s unique charisma.