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There are traces of human
habitation dating back 5,000-6,000 years, as evidenced from excavations
of gravesites at Fuguodun, Jinguei Hill(ª÷Àt¤s) and Pubien, etc. From historical
records people began coming here from China's central plains over
1600 years ago to escape war and disasters and to clear the land
for cultivation. This long history, combined with strong local interest
in culture, has created a rich cultural heritage. Most of the early
inhabitants came from the Zhangzhou and Quanzhou areas of Fujian
Province. The architectural style of the dwellings and local customs
follow in the old traditions. Forty years of military control have
slowed the pace of Kinmen's urbanization, enabling its historical
heritage to be preserved.
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National Park possesses a rich culture and history, expressed
in historical sites and traditional architecture. Inside the
park are 11 registered historical monuments. Traditional villages
and architecture are the richest cultural assets of Kinmen National
Park. The seven representative traditional settlements of Oucuo,
Jhushan, Shueitou, Cyonglin, Shanhou, Nanshan and Beishan have
mostly retained their southern Fujian architecture in the Zhangzhou
and Quanzhou styles. Among such buildings, the materials, decorations
and layout reveal the local style and artistic vitality. In
addition, there are many so-called ¡§Western-style¡¨ houses, which
are the combination of Western and Chinese architecture. These
houses, built by local merchants who traded overseas in the
late 19th and early 20th centuries, add to the diversity of
Kinmen's architecture.
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Architecture
For more than 40 years, due to reasons of military security, construction
has been forbidden within 500 meters of the coast. In addition,
buildings cannot be more than 3 stories in height. Urbanization
has been slow, thus most of the traditional architecture has been
preserved, creating a unique cultural landscape.
Most of Kinmen's traditional civilian residences are in the Quanzhou
or Zhangzhou style brought over from Fujian Province. Some were
built with Western-style architecture introduced by the early merchants,
and some were built with a mixture of styles. Residents of Kinmen
placed great importance on ancestral shrines. Most of Kinmen's traditional
settlements were built radiating out from a centrally located ancestral
shrine. In addition, each settlement has numerous ¡§spirit lion¡¨
statues to scare away evil spirits. And, these statues have become
unique landmarks. Below is an introduction to the traditional settlements
located within Kinmen National Park.
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