Gap Rock Lighthouse, Historical lighthouse in Wenwei Zhou, China.

Gap Rock Lighthouse stands on an island in the South China Sea and serves as a navigation aid for ships. The structure sends out a light signal every six seconds and is now powered by solar energy.

In 1886 Hong Kong proposed three schemes for a lighthouse at Gap Rock; the Qing instead had Kowloon customs pay $7,500 plus $750 a year for Hong Kong to build and maintain it, while the island stayed under Qing control. Hong Kong contractors built it in 1889 for about $90,000, and the foundation stone was laid on 1 September 1890 by Francis Fleming; the light opened in 1892. In October 1893 a typhoon wrecked the lantern and swept away its crane.

The lighthouse symbolizes British-Chinese cooperation in maritime infrastructure projects of the late 19th century. The structure shows how different cultures worked together to improve shipping safety in this region.

The island has no pier, so landing is difficult and depends on calm seas; winds of force four to five blow for most of the year. Plan around settled weather and expect to transfer from boat to rock without a dock.

The original lantern was not permanent and had to be replaced after a storm just a few years after completion. This vulnerability shows the harsh conditions that maritime structures face in this region.