The Fuguijiao or Cape Fugui Lighthouse is a lighthouse on Cape Fugui near Laomei Village (老梅, Lǎoméi Lǐ) in Shimen District, New Taipei City, Taiwan.

Fuguijiao Lighthouse
Map
LocationLaomei Village
Shimen District
New Taipei City
Taiwan
Coordinates25°17′55″N 121°32′12″E / 25.298536°N 121.536665°E / 25.298536; 121.536665
Tower
Constructed1949
Constructionreinforced concrete tower
Height14.3 m (47 ft)[1]
Shapeoctagonal tower with balcony and lantern on a one-story keeper’s house[2]
Markingswhite and black-band tower,[2] white lantern, black lantern dome
OperatorMaritime and Port Bureau[1]
Fog signalone 3s. blast every 30s.[2][1]
Light
First lit1962
Focal height31.4 m (103 ft)[1]
Range26.8 nmi (49.6 km; 30.8 mi)[1]
CharacteristicFl (2) W 15s.[2][1]
Fuguijiao Lighthouse
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese富貴燈塔
Simplified Chinese富贵灯塔
PostalFukwei Chiao Lighthouse
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinFùguìjiǎo Dēngtǎ
Wade–GilesFu-k’uei-chiao Têng-t’a
Southern Min
Hokkien POJHù-kùi-kak Teng-thah
Japanese name
Kanji富貴灯台
Hiraganaふうきかくとうだい
Transcriptions
RomanizationFūkikaku Tōdai

Name

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The lighthouse is named after nearby Cape Fugui, the northernmost point of Taiwan. Its Japanese name was Fūki Kaku. Its Chinese name (derived from a Hokkien transcription of the Dutch word hoek, meaning "hook" or "cape")[3] is also romanized Cape Fukwei[2] for the Chinese Postal Map, Fu-kuei Chiao using simplified Wade-Giles,[2] and Fugueijiao from Tongyong Pinyin. It was also sometimes known in English as the Hoek Lighthouse.[4]

History

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A structure was first erected on the rocks at Cape Fugui in 1896[5][6] or 1897[1][7] by the occupying Japanese. It was a terminus for undersea cables[8] from the Japanese islands and its construction materials all came from there.[7] It was ruined during World War II but its remains were used by China's Nationalist government for the erection of a 30 m (98 ft)[6] octagonal iron lighthouse[1] in 1949.[5] The foghorn was particularly needful, owing to poor visibility in the area during the fall and winter months.[1]

The lighthouse's current 14.3 m (47 ft) concrete black-and-white octagonal tower was raised in 1962.[1][8] The height was greatly reduced to improve the reception of the nearby air force radar station.[6]

Taiwan's Customs traditionally welcomed visitors to the lighthouse once a year on Tax Day as an open house gesture.[4] After the enthusiastic public response to opening Eluanbi Lighthouse to more general tourism, Taiwan's Maritime and Port Bureau decided to open Fuguijiao to regular visitors in 2015.[9] The first tourists were allowed onto the grounds on September 5, making it the 11th Taiwanese lighthouse opened to the general public.[6] It remains inaccessible on weekdays because of the radar station.[5] The tower itself remains closed to the public.[2]

Transportation

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The lighthouse is located about 2 km (1.2 mi) north of Laomei Village,[2] off Provincial Highway 2.

See also

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References

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Citations

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j MPB (2016), "Fukwei Chiao Lighthouse".
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h Rowlett, Russ. "Lighthouses of Taiwan: Northern". The Lighthouse Directory. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  3. ^ Caltonhill, Mark (4 May 2012), "富貴角 Fuguei Cape, New Taipei City", From Takow to Kaohsiung, Blogspot.
  4. ^ a b "12 Lighthouses in Taiwan to Open to Public on June 30", Want China Times, 7 June 2012, archived from the original on 27 February 2012, retrieved 19 February 2015.
  5. ^ a b c NTC (2019), "Fugui Cape".
  6. ^ a b c d MPB (2016), "Maritime and Port Bureau Facilitates the Fugueijiao Lighthouse".
  7. ^ a b NTC (2019), "Fugui Cape Lighthouse".
  8. ^ a b "Taiwan's Century-Old Fugueijiao Lighthouse Opened to Public", Want China Times, 31 August 2015, archived from the original on 27 February 2012, retrieved 19 February 2015.
  9. ^ Wang Shu-fen; et al. (21 February 2015), "Taiwan to Open Two More Lighthouses to Visitors", Focus Taiwan.

Bibliography

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  • Official site, Taipei: Maritime and Port Bureau of the Ministry of Transportation and Communication, 2016.
  • Official site, New Taipei City: Tourism and Travel Department, 2019.