Niujiao Village

Niujiao Village is located on the north east coast of Nangan Island (南竿島) and was a very prosperous fishing village in its time. When fishermen used to look back at their home from the sea, the shape of the Fuel Tank Tunnel (油庫坑道) next to the village looked like an ox horn, giving the village its name. Since the Qing dynasty, it has been a rich place for fishing. Many immigrants from the south east coast of China moved here, and it developed alongside the fishing industry. It is notable that many of the houses in Niujiao Village are made of granite. When the Republic of China army settled here, many officers took residence here, including the former Matsu Administrative Office, which later moved away. Unfortunately, the decline of the fishing industry has meant Niujiao Village has gradually been forgotten.

However, Niujiao Village is not ready to be forgotten entirely! In recent years, many local residents have begun to revive the village, even beginning a village preservation campaign. One focus has been to convert unused places into bars, restaurants and Bed & Breakfasts. They have also begun renovating many of the most special buildings to exploit their value for tourism. For example, the Niufengjing Temple (牛峰境), which has fire-sealing gable walls, and the solemn Wulinggong Temple (五靈公廟), have both been refurbished. Take note of Yuliao Shuzhai (漁寮書齋) and Grandma’s Store (依嫲的店), which are village institutions where you can find local flavors. Nowadays, Niujiao Village has become a place that deserves a wander through every alley. This is a lovely village full of surprises.