On the west side of Mount Wangye is Xiaocuochang Village, a beautiful hamlet backed by mountains and facing the sea. This small piece of heaven is blessed with abundant tourism resources and plenty of interesting places of culture such as the Tianhou Temple (Temple of Mazu the Sea Goddess), Dragon King Temple, etc. The villagers are mainly fishermen and farmers, while some also depend on shipping and tourists for income. 

In the history of Xiacuochang Village, there have been incomparably powerful "Qianjin Li" (village Hercules), twice-ranked Jinshi (top-scorers in the Chinese Imperial Exams), and 18 bachelors. The "Eighteen Bachelors' Stone" in the East China Sea Wonderland Scenic Spot tells the story of the eighteen bachelors in Xiacuochang Village. "Our village is still an old revolutionary base village and an anti-Japanese aggression of the Dafu People's Self-Defense Regiment," said one of the villagers, Zheng Houbin. Xiaocuochang Village is no short of the tales of heroic deeds and the scholarly spirit of its forefathers.

At the entrance, a massive granite tablet engraved with the village's name stands in all its glory. The natural gradient and texture of the rock reflect the village's fine pastoral resources and natural scenery. Last year, Zheng Houbin and the community builder Zheng Shengzhong learned that the villagers intend to set up a village sign. However, due to the feeble economy and weak village planning, and with most villagers depending solely on fishing, many were struggling financially. To this end, the two decided to change the status and explore a new development path.

"Setting up the village sign is the first step. We also set up three walls to arrange the scenic spots and culture of the village on them so tourists can learn our history," Zheng Houbin said.

Zheng Shengzhong introduced that the newly constructed village square will be named "Cross-Straits Historical and Cultural Squares." The village square serves two main functions: a training base for tour guides and souvenir salespeople.

"The village's Shi Wanchun Memorial Hall of the Scholars is a good IP and trademark of the village. We plan to promote Xiaocuchang's scholar spirits through cultural and creative works. By actively contacting some excellent souvenir manufacturers in Taiwan to design the characteristic resources of the village into gifts, we can also generate income for the village," Zheng Shengzhong said.

Later on, a fishing and farming culture square will be built behind the Cross-Straits Historical and Cultural Squares. Currently, fishery-related pictures, materials, and fishing gear are being collected. Additionally, a campsite by the field is along the pipeline. 

Spotted a mistake or want to add something? All rights reserved. Do not reproduce our content without permission–you can contact us directly on our Facebook messenger or Twitter mailbox. Follow @pingtanchina (Facebook/Twitter)