Eluanbi Lighthouse is a
lighthouse located on
Cape Eluanbi
Cape Eluanbi or Oluanpi, also known by other names, is the southernmost point on the island of Taiwan. It is located in within the Hengchun Township in Pingtung County.
Names
''Éluánbí'' is the pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pr ...
, the southernmost point of
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
, which separates Taiwan's
South Bay from
Banana Bay and the
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait is a -wide strait separating the island of Taiwan and continental Asia. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide.
The Taiwan Strait is itself a ...
and the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by the shores of South China (hence the name), in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan and northwestern Phi ...
from the
Philippine Sea. It is near
Eluan Village in the township of
Hengchun
Hengchun Township is a township located on the southern tip of the Hengchun Peninsula in Pingtung County, Taiwan. It is the southernmost township in Taiwan. Hengchun is also the only urban township in the southern part of Pingtung County. Hengch ...
in
Pingtung County,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. The lighthouse is open to the public all year around.
Names
The lighthouse is named after nearby
Cape Eluanbi
Cape Eluanbi or Oluanpi, also known by other names, is the southernmost point on the island of Taiwan. It is located in within the Hengchun Township in Pingtung County.
Names
''Éluánbí'' is the pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pr ...
, the southernmost point on
Formosa or
Taiwan Island
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is an island country located in East Asia. The main island of Taiwan, formerly known in the Western political circles, press and literature as Formosa, makes up 99% of the land area of the territori ...
. The name also appears as Eluan and ; as Oluenpi
[.] and from its
Wade-Giles romanization
Romanization or romanisation, in linguistics, is the conversion of text from a different writing system to the Roman (Latin) script, or a system for doing so. Methods of romanization include transliteration, for representing written text, a ...
; and as Garanbi or Garambi from its
Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
pronunciation.
Eluanbi Lighthouse is also known as "The Light of
East Asia
East Asia is the eastern region of Asia, which is defined in both Geography, geographical and culture, ethno-cultural terms. The modern State (polity), states of East Asia include China, Japan, Mongolia, North Korea, South Korea, and Taiwan. ...
" because its light is the most
intense
''Intense'' is the fifth studio album by Dutch DJ and record producer Armin van Buuren. It was released on 3 May 2013 by Armada Music.
The first song announced to be on the album is " Waiting for the Night", featuring the singer Fiora, which ...
of those on Taiwan.
History
Qing Empire
Shipwrecks were common around
Cape Eluanbi
Cape Eluanbi or Oluanpi, also known by other names, is the southernmost point on the island of Taiwan. It is located in within the Hengchun Township in Pingtung County.
Names
''Éluánbí'' is the pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pr ...
in the early modern era owing to the nearby
Qixingyan reefs and strong currents. The hostile
native
Native may refer to:
People
* Jus soli, citizenship by right of birth
* Indigenous peoples, peoples with a set of specific rights based on their historical ties to a particular territory
** Native Americans (disambiguation)
In arts and entert ...
reactions to these accidents rose to the level of international incidents in the case of the
''Rover'' and a
Ryukyu convoy, which prompted invasions from the
United States
The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...
and
Japan in
1867
Events
January–March
* January 1 – The Covington–Cincinnati Suspension Bridge opens between Cincinnati, Ohio, and Covington, Kentucky, in the United States, becoming the longest single-span bridge in the world. It was renamed a ...
and
1874. In the latter case, the
Qing Dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-spea ...
explicitly disavowed responsibility for native-held areas on Taiwan Island, creating a
power vacuum
In political science and political history, the term power vacuum, also known as a power void, is an analogy between a physical vacuum to the political condition "when someone in a place of power, has lost control of something and no one has repla ...
that threatened Japanese or European
colonization of the region. Following the advice of
Charles Le Gendre
Charles William or Guillaum Joseph Émile Le Gendre (August 26, 1830– September 1, 1899) was a French-born American officer and diplomat who served as advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Empire of Japan from 1872 to 1875 and as adv ...
, the American
consul
Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throu ...
at
Xiamen
Xiamen ( , ; ), also known as Amoy (, from Hokkien pronunciation ), is a sub-provincial city in southeastern Fujian, People's Republic of China, beside the Taiwan Strait. It is divided into six districts: Huli, Siming, Jimei, Tong'an ...
(then known as "Amoy"), the
Viceroy of Liangjiang
The Viceroy of Liangjiang or Viceroy of the Two Jiangs, fully referred to in Chinese as the Governor-General of the Two Yangtze Provinces and Surrounding Areas Overseeing Military Affairs, Provisions and Funds, Manager of Waterways, Director of ...
,
Shen Baozhen
Shen Baozhen (1820–1879), formerly romanized , was an official during the Qing dynasty.
Biography
Born in Minhou in Fujian province, he obtained the highest degree in the imperial examinations in 1847 and was soon appointed to the Hanlin ...
, began constructing coastal defenses to improve the situation.
[
Construction of the Eluanbi Lighthouse fell under the purview of the ]British
British may refer to:
Peoples, culture, and language
* British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies.
** Britishness, the British identity and common culture
* British English, ...
diplomat Robert Hart, inspector general of the Imperial Maritime Customs Service. He sent agents to purchase the southern cape from the leaders of the ''Guīzǎijiǎo'') in 1875.
Construction began in 1881. Although Shen largely favored French officers like Prosper Giquel
Prosper Marie Giquel (20 November 1835 – 19 February 1886) was a French naval officer who played an important role in the modernization of 19th century China. His Chinese name was 日意格 ().
Career
Prosper Giquel first arrived in China in ...
,[ Hart placed construction of the Eluanbi works under the English engineer John Reginald Harding] and architect W. F. Spindey. Wang Fulu ''Wáng Fúlù'') oversaw the project and the 500 soldiers sent to protect it.[ Native opposition from the Paiwan and other local indigenous tribes was severe and sustained.][ The structure was the only armed lighthouse on the island, surrounded by a fosse provided with ]caponier
A caponier is a type of defensive structure in a fortification. Fire from this point could cover the ditch beyond the curtain wall to deter any attempt to storm the wall. The word originates from the French ', meaning "chicken coop" (a ''capon'' ...
s and barbed-wire fencing.[ It was riddled with gunports to allow its garrison to repel assaults. Work was finished in early 1883 and the tower began operation on 1April.] The total cost was 71,248 Mexican dollar
The Spanish dollar, also known as the piece of eight ( es, Real de a ocho, , , or ), is a silver coin of approximately diameter worth eight Spanish reales. It was minted in the Spanish Empire following a monetary reform in 1497 with content ...
s,[.] more than 200,000 silver
Silver is a chemical element with the symbol Ag (from the Latin ', derived from the Proto-Indo-European ''h₂erǵ'': "shiny" or "white") and atomic number 47. A soft, white, lustrous transition metal, it exhibits the highest electrical ...
s.[ £5,881 were used for the tower and fort; £3,223 for the light and its housing.][ A great deal of the rest was used for dynamiting the coral around a nearby creek and constructing a ]concrete
Concrete is a composite material composed of fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with a fluid cement (cement paste) that hardens (cures) over time. Concrete is the second-most-used substance in the world after water, and is the most wid ...
jetty
A jetty is a structure that projects from land out into water. A jetty may serve as a breakwater, as a walkway, or both; or, in pairs, as a means of constricting a channel. The term derives from the French word ', "thrown", signifying some ...
for landing personnel and supplies; the jetty had proved necessary because of the difficult landing at Eluanbi's beaches owing to their heavy swells.[
George Taylor assisted with construction after its first year and served as its first lightkeeper until 1889. He maintained close relations with the Paiwan and even became proficient in their language, but was also protected by 16 Chinese soldiers under a ]German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
officer. Their arsenal included two 18-pounder cannons, two Gatling guns, and a Cohon mortar;[ and they maintained food and water provisions capable of lasting a three-month siege. The station also kept a team of laborers and kitchen staff on site.
The first tower was high and ]cast iron
Cast iron is a class of iron– carbon alloys with a carbon content more than 2%. Its usefulness derives from its relatively low melting temperature. The alloy constituents affect its color when fractured: white cast iron has carbide impur ...
. It was in diameter
In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints lie on the circle. It can also be defined as the longest chord of the circle. Both definitions are also valid fo ...
at the base and at the top.[ The lantern included revolving steel shutters to protect the glass from attack, and its gallery included gunports for rifles and one of the fort's Gatling guns.][ The foreign staff had spacious brick bungalows whose rooms were connected by ]bulletproof
Bulletproofing is the process of making an object capable of stopping a bullet or similar high velocity projectiles (e.g. shrapnel). The term bullet resistance is often preferred because few, if any, practical materials provide complete protecti ...
corridors to the fort; they stayed in quarters inside the tower during assaults.[ The Chinese staff lived in the fort at all times and maintained its kitchen, armory, storerooms, and underground cisterns.][
The garrison was later reduced to eight men.][
]
Imperial Japan
During the First Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War (25 July 1894 – 17 April 1895) was a conflict between China and Japan primarily over influence in Korea. After more than six months of unbroken successes by Japanese land and naval forces and the loss of the ...
, the lighthouse was severely damaged by attack and then from sabotage by its retreating Qing garrison. After the Treaty of Shimonoseki
The , also known as the Treaty of Maguan () in China and in the period before and during World War II in Japan, was a treaty signed at the , Shimonoseki, Japan on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing China, ending the Firs ...
gave Japan control of the island, colonial officials first repaired the lighthouse in 1898 and then installed a stronger light in 1910.[
During ]World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
, the lighthouse was again seriously damaged by American
American(s) may refer to:
* American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America"
** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America
** American ancestry, pe ...
bombing.
Republic of China
The lighthouse was rebuilt by the Republic of China in 1947.[. ] It was refurbished with a powerful Fresnel lens in 1962. The surrounding Eluanbi Park opened to the public on 25 December 1982 and the lighthouse itself welcomed regular visitors ten years later.
On the memorial to Eluanbi Lighthouse as one of the 8 Views of Taiwan, the Chinese
Chinese can refer to:
* Something related to China
* Chinese people, people of Chinese nationality, citizenship, and/or ethnicity
**''Zhonghua minzu'', the supra-ethnic concept of the Chinese nation
** List of ethnic groups in China, people of ...
"Eluanbi" is sculpted into the surface in Wang Xizhi
Wang Xizhi (; ; 303 AD361 AD) was a Chinese calligrapher, politician, general and writer during the Jin dynasty. He was best known for his mastery of Chinese calligraphy. Wang is sometimes regarded as the greatest Chinese calligrapher in Chines ...
's calligraphic style.
Transportation
The lighthouse is accessible from Provincial Highway 26.
Gallery
File:Taiwan scene 1934 02.jpg , Eluanbi c.1934
File:Eluanbi Lighthouse of Japanese stamp 6sen.JPG , Eluanbi on a 1939 Japanese
Japanese may refer to:
* Something from or related to Japan, an island country in East Asia
* Japanese language, spoken mainly in Japan
* Japanese people, the ethnic group that identifies with Japan through ancestry or culture
** Japanese diaspor ...
stamp
File:鵝鑾鼻燈塔 屏東縣 歷史建築燈塔 Venation 1.JPG , Side view (2010)
File:Eluanbi Sunrise WEI, WAN-CHEN.jpg , Sunrise on Cape Eluanbi
Cape Eluanbi or Oluanpi, also known by other names, is the southernmost point on the island of Taiwan. It is located in within the Hengchun Township in Pingtung County.
Names
''Éluánbí'' is the pinyin romanization of the Mandarin pr ...
(2016)
File:鵝鑾鼻燈塔之附屬建築物 ─ 崗哨.jpg , The view from Eluanbi (2017)
File:Eluanbi Lighthouse Kenting National Park-ID9286.jpg , Sunset at Eluanbi (2017)
See also
* List of lighthouses in Taiwan
This is a list of lighthouses and lightvessels in Taiwan.
Northern Taiwan
* Pengjia Lighthouse () (Pengjia Islet, Keelung)
* Keelung Island Lighthouse () ( Keelung Islet, Keelung)
* Keelung Lighthouse () (Keelung Harbor, Keelung)
* Ciouzish ...
References
Citations
Bibliography
* .
* .
* .
* .
* .
*
* .
*
* .
External links
Eluanbi Lighthouse-Directorate General of Customs(Taiwan)
{{authority control
1883 establishments in China
Lighthouses completed in 1883
Lighthouses in Pingtung County