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 The lighthouse is an important means for guiding
marine traffic, military surveillance, and weather
reporting. The Ching Dynasty government imported
ready-made lighthouses from England and France.
The manufacturers pre-forged the body of the the
lighthouses and lights in advance, then shipped
all parts of lighthouses to designated location
and assembled all parts together in a way similar
to boat-manufacturing. The construction of Bai-sa-jia
lighthouse started in 1899. It took three years
to complete. It was made of the Japanese double-deck
vibration-proof bricks, instead of the conventional
forged iron parts. The whole body of the lighthouse
consists of red bricks. A rock-made frame that
fixes the top of iron-made tower supports the
upper portion of the lighthouse. The lights, mirrors,
and hammering instruments were imported from France
together with a clock made by Shanghai Machine
Bureau. Bai-sa-jia lighthouse is a 37-meter tall
white lighthouse. This lighthouse still stands
tall on the seashore of Guan-yin Shiang after
numerous earthquakes. The Allied nations' fighters
attacked this lighthouse during World War II,
but it wasn't destroyed. The
lighthouse is still shinning brightly on the Taiwan
Strait.
When you look at the fence and moat surrounding
the lighthouse, you can sense the feeling of a
fortress in wartime. Although the office and dormitory
were changed, the lighthouse itself is still in
good shape. The sundial built in the Meiji period
still exists in the garden. |
