The history of Kinmen can be traced back to the Chin dynasty,when some righteous Chinese people fled from the uprising of the five northern non-Chinese nomadic tribes to Wuchou (now known asKinmen). Kinmen has been influenced by the mainland culture for 1600years and developing its own unique and diverse cultural features. Theprecious and diverse historic buildings, such as the Wentai Pagoda,the Feng Lian Shan Horse-Herding Official Shrine, the Tsite Temple,the Chiu Liang-kung’s Mother Honorific Arch, the Tomb of ChiuLiang-kung, the Tsai Family Shrine, the Chou Residence of Pupian, the Quemoy Troops Headquarters, etc., have embodied a variety of architectural styles at different times. During the Chinese civil war,fierce cross-strait battles (the Battle of Kuningtou, the Quemoy Crisis,etc.) shocking the world led to the destruction of a lot of historic buildings. However, God saw Kinmen through these battles, and still many valuable houses, temples, shrines, churches, or western houses in Kinmen have been preserved. They are not only living memories to Kinmen islanders but also the essence of history and the root of culture.
These historic buildings are worthy of being promoted, recognized, and valued.
Historic buildings are those which have survived natural disasters (such as earthquakes, typhoons, floods, or weathering) or manmade calamities (such as war, fire, improper use, or willful damage).
Structures that are of historic significance and embody the architectural features of a specific period, such as temples, civilian houses, palaces,gates, walls, arches, forts, or ruins, can be viewed as “historic buildings.
” Accordingly, there are 8 national historic sites and 25 countydesignated ones all over Kinmen. These historic sites are the best of their kind nationwide in terms of characteristics and qualities and regarded as valuable assets by the Kinmen people. However, their cultural beauty deserves national attention and is worth a visit.
In order to make these historic sites accessible and known to the public, the Kinmen County Cultural Center has had this leaflet edited and published. The leaflet is categorized into five townships, and the historical sites are subcategorized according to architectural forms, such as arches, temples, houses, stone tablets, government offices, etc
With color photos and adequate explanations, the leaflet is aimed at contributing to better communication between the historic sites and their visitors.
Preface
Hsi-Lung Lee
Kinmen County Cultural Center