Penghu used to be called by the names of "Pinghu," "Pengying," "Penghai," "Hsiying" and "Dauyi." It was included in China's territory since the Yuan Dynasty. The island's ancestors came from the mainland and followed the customs of their original hometown. Though a long time has passed since then, the simple folk customs remain and traces of ancient ways of life can still be found.

*Ritual of ancestor worshiping

This ritual is held to propagate the traditional ethics and culture, promote ethnic identity and filial piety and reflect on the benevolence of our ancestors. It is a demonstration of the Chinese thinking of worshiping ancestors.

*Ancient wedding

This kind of wedding combines the ancient customs with local colors and customs. First of all, the matchmaker sends the wedding proposal to the would-be bride's household. Then the two families hold an engagement ritual. The bridegroom's family then decides on the wedding date to pick up the bride at her house. After the wedding is ritual is completed, the newly married couple is then sent into their bedroom to rest for the day. The ritual is solemn and dignified. On one hand, it lets visitors experience the traditional culture of our country. On the other hand, it elevates the standard of cultural life of the county's residents.

*Dragon boat competition

This is the highlight of the activities held on the May 5 of the Lunar calendar--the Dragon Boat Festival. The festival originated from a patriotic story rich in ethnic identity. The significance of this activity is not only in remembering an ancient patriot, but also in the entertainment and sportsmanship it brings. It is an excellent activity to foster team spirits.

*Ritual to welcome the God

This ritual is held to pray for peace and good weather in one's homeland. It originated from a local religious belief. Burning an imperial boat to send off the god is an all-important religious and folk activity. Fishermen believe that burning the heaps of worshiping paper money and the imperial boat with them to dust will bring them shiploads of fish.

*Turtle offering in exchange of wishes

The preparation of altars for god worshiping and turtle offering in exchange of wishes are two major folk activities. The turtle offering on January 15 of the Lunar calendar-the so-called Little New Year through Taiwan-is particularly important. On that day, all households in the county put up the official lanterns, and thousands of turtle offerings can be found in temples throughout the county. These "turtles" are made of rice, golden rice, noodles, bread, rice cake and money in the shape of turtles. Some live turtles join in the parade of turtle offerings together with god palanquins, folk art groups and traditional band. All together, they make a traditional and wonderful culture show.

In addition to ancient rituals of a long time ago, the origins of some folk customs are also very interesting and often told by local residents. Not to mention that these folk customs are closely related to the daily life of residents in Penghu and worth further investigation and appreciation.

*Houses of corals

When you first hear the term, you probably think that these houses of corals are worth a fortune. In fact, they are only old houses constructed by coral stones. The so-called coral stone is coral limestone. Local residents call it coral stone. It is fossils of coral reefs from an early age. Coral stones are not only cheap and readily available, they are also very strong and last for a long time. Besides, coral stones and basalt rocks are also piled up around fields to protect crops against the wind, forming the so-called "beehive field"

*Veiled ladies

Most residents in Penghu work in the fishing industry. Owing to a prosperous fishing industry, most males are fishermen. Therefore, work in the fields fall on the shoulders of women. Due to dry weather and strong sandy winds, hats are not enough to protect against the scorching sun and sandy wind. Therefore, most women cover their entire face with a piece of cloth, revealing only their eyes. The difficulty in telling what they really look like adds a mysterious air to the ordinary fields. People call these women by the graceful name of "veiled ladies," which become one of the special people's features in Penghu.

*The stone tablet to drive away evil spirits

In the folk beliefs of Taiwanese people, disasters like typhoons, epidemic and floods are caused by activities of the evil spirits. To fight against these evil spirits, people must rely on the power of their guardians and send for monks to drive away evil spirits with their power. One of the methods is to build a stone tablet. ¡@ ¡@

Stone tablets that stand tall and shunned by all evil spirits originated from the Tao religion in China. The tallest mountain in the East-Taishan-is said to be full of gods' spirits and regarded as the almighty mountain god. It can suppress any evil spirits, however powerful, which will never be able to rebel against and escape from the god. This thinking was later transformed into a god that suppresses evil spirits. The stone table is one of the proofs that Penghu carries on the tradition of Taiwan.

*Flying eaves of ancient temples

Given the long coastline of Penghu, most local residents rely on the sea for their livelihood and thus face formidable challenges from the sea. Local residents often build stone towers several meters high, sometimes with cement, near the shore. Tourists are often puzzled by these towers. In fact, these represent the guardians of fishermen in Penghu, with functions similar to those of a stone tablet. The purpose is to suppress the wind and waves, drive away evil spirits and bring favorable climate to their hometown. Throughout Taiwan, these stone towers are found only in Penghu and full of local colors.

*Traditional fishing

Surrounded by the ocean, Penghu is blessed with an abundance of seafood. In addition to facing high risks at sea, fishermen also enjoy unique interests in their life at sea.¡@ ¡@

Summer is the season for catching squids. After night falls, sparkles of lights decorate the sprawling ocean surface. These lights are from fishing boats used to attract squids to their nets. An overview from afar of the sparkling lights offers a beautiful sight. During the season for seaweed harvest, you can also see groups of people busy in collecting a season's harvest between the rocks on the seashore.¡@ ¡@

Besides, during low tides at night, groups of fishermen also wade the waters to catch octopus, crabs, fish and shells, which is also a unique scene of Penghu. C ¡@ ¡@

Penghu is characterized by such activities of local colors and local business activities as fish harpooning in the tidal areas, fishing in stone enclosed areas and netting fish in shallow waters. Tourists can pay only a small amount of money to participate in these unique local business activities. Fishermen provide tourists with the equipment and technical know-how, while tourists enjoy themselves in the process of catching fish, dividing up the fish and cooking the fish. They fully experience the lifestyle of fishermen trying to make a living out of the ocean. It is an unforgettable experience. Fish harpooning in tidal areas in Dachang and Shakang, fishing in stone enclosed areas in Chimei and Shefu and netting fish in shallow water in Sheli are all excellent choices of traditional fishing activities. Give it a try if you are interested in any of these activities. You are bound to go away with your hands full of unexpected catch.