Qimei Lighthouse, Maritime beacon in Penghu County, Taiwan
Qimei Lighthouse is a white cylindrical tower standing on an island in the Taiwan Strait next to a single-story keeper's residence surrounded by a balcony. The whole structure sits as a functional beacon designed to serve maritime traffic in these waters.
The lighthouse was completed in 1939 as the final beacon construction project undertaken during Japan's administration of Taiwan. Its completion marks the end of lighthouse-building work in that period.
The lighthouse sits on Qimei Island, which takes its name from seven women of the Ming dynasty who refused capture by pirates and chose to end their lives instead. This story remains deeply connected to how local people think about the island today.
The tower sends out two white flashes every 10 seconds and can be seen across the Taiwan Strait for up to 11.3 nautical miles. Visitors should be ready for windy conditions since the island is exposed to open water.
The lighthouse switched from acetylene gas to electrical power in 1964, a shift that greatly improved how it operated. This change made the beacon work more dependably for ships passing through the strait.
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