On October 15, 1971, the Executive Yuan approved changing the name of the township from Baiquan Township (Paichuan, White Dogs; 白犬鄉) to Juguang Township (Chukuang; 莒光鄉). They also approved changing the name of Xiquan Island (Hsichuan; 西犬島) to Xiju Island (Hsiju; 西莒島) and Dongquan Island (Tungchuan; 東犬島) to Dongju Island (Tungchu; 東莒島).[7][8] The islands were renamed based on a quote of a speech by Chiang Kai-shek, "forget not that you're in Ju" (毋忘在莒; Wú wàng zài Jǔ; Ù uông câi Gṳ̄). It refers to the City of Ju, where the king of Qi prepared a counterattack that retook his country from the State of Yan. This is an analogy of Matsu and Taiwan generally as bases of the Republic of China (ROC) to regenerate itself and one day recover mainland China from the Chinese Communist Party.[citation needed]
Dongju and Xiju Islands were previously named Dongquan (Tung-ch'üan Tao[9]/Tung-ch'uan Tao[6]東犬; Dĕ̤ng-kēng) and Xiquan (Hsi-ch'üan Tao[9]/Hsi-ch'uan Tao[6]西犬; Să̤-kēng) Islands, meaning "Eastern Dog" and "Western Dog" respectively. They have also been called the White Dogs[10] (Paichuan, Baiquan) or White Dog Islands (白犬島; Băh-kēng-dō̤) or Baiken Islands (白肯島). The name Baiquan (白犬) has been connected with the homophonous name Baiquan (白畎).[3]: 29
History
On May 15, 1617, sixty-nine wokou were captured alive in the area.[11]
In September 1953, the Changlo County (長樂縣) government was established on the islands.[14]
Western Enterprises (西方公司), a CIA front organization, had a communications base on Xiquan (Hsichuan).[15]
After a series of combat readiness tests carried out by MAAG were completed on April 15, 1955, the overall Chinese Nationalist defense preparations for the Matsu Islands were rated as satisfactory. One of the weaknesses noted was "the seriously understrength regiment garrisoning the Paichuan (White Dog) Islands group".[16]
In July 1956, the islands were transferred to Lienchiang County. The islands were divided into two townships: Xiquan and Dongquan.[17]
On August 19, 1958, President Chiang Kai-shek visited Xiju Island (then Xiquan) and spoke to the soldiers there.[3]: 465, 488 [13]
In September 1960, the two townships were united into one, Paichuan (Baiquan) township.[18]
On October 15, 1971, the Executive Yuan approved changing the name of the township from Baiquan Township (Paichuan, White Dogs; 白犬鄉) to Juguang Township (Chukuang; 莒光鄉). They also approved changing the name of Xiquan Island (Hsichuan; 西犬島) to Xiju Island (Hsiju; 西莒島) and Dongquan Island (Tungchuan; 東犬島) to Dongju Island (Tungchu; 東莒島).[7][8]
On December 30, 1977, the 6-ton fishing boat Kuanghua 16638 was slammed by a communist vessel near the Liuchuan reefs (劉泉礁) off the coast of Chukuang.[19]
On September 21, 1979, and on May 3, 1980, President Chiang Ching-kuo visited the township.[20]
On June 18, 1993, President Lee Teng-hui visited the Dongju Elementary School.[3]: 480 [21]
On June 24, 2001, Typhoon Chebi caused 3,000,000 yuan of damage on the islands.[3]: 486
In the 2018 election, Mayor Hsieh Chun-Lan (謝春欗) was re-elected mayor, defeating her opponent Chen Shun-Shou (陳順壽) by over a hundred votes. Hsieh called for rebuilding the former township office as a resort, beautification of the township, and creation of a vibrant sight-seeing economy.[22]
In 2020, undersea communications cables between Nangan and Juguang were damaged by sand dredgers from mainland China on five occasions, disrupting phone and internet services.[23]
Geography
Dongju (labeled as TUNG-CH'ÜAN-TAO 東犬島) and Xiju (HSI-CH'ÜAN TAO (TUNG-SHA TAO) 西犬島) (1954)
Dongju (Tong Chu[24]), the southernmost of the Matsu Islands, is 2.63 km2 and Sijyu 2.36 km2. Islets includes like Yongliu (永留嶼 Yongliu) near Dongju. Dongju is shaped like a dagger, while Xiju a triangle, so seemingly bigger on maps. Some cliffs of Dongjyu is severely corroded by wind, creating a strangely aesthetic appearance. Other islands include Linaoyu (林坳嶼) also known as Lintouyu (林頭嶼),[25] Xiniuyu (犀牛嶼), Dayu (大嶼), Xiaoyu (小嶼), and Sheshan (蛇山).[26][27] The northernmost and easternmost points of Juguang Township are on Dayu, the westernmost point is on Sheshan, and the southernmost point is on Linaoyu.[1][3]: 49 Linaoyu is also the southernmost point of the Matsu Islands.[28]
Juguang is across from Meihua Town (梅花镇), Changle District, Fuzhou, Fujian, China (PRC).[29]
Politics and government
Administrative divisions
Xiju IslandDongju Island
Administratively the islands are part of the Lienchiang County. Neither Dongju nor Xiju has an island-wide administrative level.[30] The islands are divided into five rural villages:[31]
Hsueh Chih-Lien (薛繼廉) (1964-1967), former mayor of Nangan
Li Kuei-Li (李貴立) (1967-1970), later mayor of Beigan
Chen I-Peng (陳一鵬) (1970-1973), mayor during the change of the name of the township and islands,[8] former mayor of Beigan and later mayor of Nangan (Matsu)
The township is powered up by Xiju Power Plant located in Xiju Island and Dongju Power Plant located in Dongju Island. Due to the changes in electricity needs, both islands were interconnected by submarine power cable since 2000.[34]
Water supply
Ledao'ao Reservoir
Previously, water supply had been scarce in Xiju Island despite having water wells drilled around the island by the residents. Later the military built a dam and formed the Ledao'ao Reservoir for the water needs of residents, defense and irrigation.[35]
Tourism
Juguang Visitor Center
The 19.5-metre (54-step) Dongquan Lighthouse on northern Dongjyu, made during the late Qing dynasty with granite. The guiding light is in the shape of a clam and can reach 16.7 nautical miles (30.9 km). Dongju Lighthouse is a second-level national historic building. In front of the lighthouse, there used to be four mist-cannon for signaling, but has now been removed and placed in Matsu Folk Culture Museum.
The 42-characterDapu Inscription, in Dapu Seaport of Dongju, was made during the Wanli era of the Ming dynasty, concerning the capture of pirates alive. Remembering-the-Past Pavilion (懷古亭 Huaigu Ting) was constructed in 1966 sheltering the stone.
In the sea south of the Sijyu, there is Snake Mountain (蛇山). The main island has a small Green-sail Seaport (青帆港), two water reservoirs and a middle-elementary school, but are not major tourist attractions.[36]
There is one accessible seaport on Xiju, and two on Dongju. Juguang can be reached by ferry from Fuao Harbor in Nangan or by helicopter which only operates during the winter and priority on which is given to local residents.
Education
There are two public elementary and junior high schools in Juguang: Lienchiang County Jingheng Junior High & Elementary School (連江縣敬恆國民中小學) is on Xiju,[37] while Lienchiang County Jinguang Township Dong Jyu Junior High & Elementary School (連江縣莒光鄉東莒國民中小學) is on Dongju.[38]
National Matsu Senior High School [zh] (國立馬祖高級中學), operated by the national government, is located in Nangan.[39]
^ ab莒光鄉誌 【地理篇】第一章 境域 第一節 地理位置 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 16 September 2016. 莒光鄉最東、最北為大嶼，最西為蛇山，最南為林坳嶼，列島陸域總面積5.26平方公里，佔全縣總面積的17.77％，海岸線長度為25.84公里，依其周邊陸棚及近岸海域約34.5平方公里，佔全縣海域面積15.61％，合計本鄉海陸總面積約39.71平方公里。
^截至106年6月底 馬祖總人口數12716人. Matsu Daily (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 14 July 2016. Retrieved 16 September 2019. 莒光鄉：287戶，1595人，較103年1438人增加157人；男性966人，女性629人。
^ abcdefg林金炎, ed. (2006). 莒光鄉志 [The Biography of Jyuguang Township] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). ISBN986-00-5026-0.
^1.7-鄉鎮市區戶口數 [Population for Township and District]. Ministry of the Interior (in Chinese (Taiwan) and English). August 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020. 莒光鄉 Jyuguang Township 4.7000 312 1,499 919 580 158.45 4.80 319
^ abcDaniel Ellsberg (February 1963). "DRAFT NOTES ON OFFSHORE ISLANDS". p. 24. Retrieved 26 August 2019 – via Internet Archive. For US purposes we have defined the OSI to include Kinmen, and Little Kinmen and the 5 larger islands of the Matsu area (Kao-teng Tao, Peikan Tang, Ma-tsu shan, Hsi-ch'uan Tao, Tung-ch'uan Tao).
^ ab莒光鄉誌 【政事篇】第一章 建置沿革 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2019.
^ abcd莒光鄉誌 第八節 莒光鄉公所（民國60.10.15~） (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 7 October 2020. Retrieved 17 September 2019. 民國六十年十月十五日，經行政院核定「白犬鄉」改為「莒光鄉」、「西犬島」改為「西莒島」、「東犬島」改為「東莒島」，鄉長乃是陳一鵬先生擔任。這項更名是內政部十月十五日(60)臺內地字437880號函核定頒布，而馬祖防衛部奉國防部十月廿二日(60)靈祉字第2899號轉內政部的核定文。
^莒光鄉誌 第六節 西方公司 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 18 September 2019. 西莒島上的西方公司聯絡站，全盛時駐有十七、八人之多，常駐的美國人先後有蒙哥馬利（Philip T. Montgomery）、柯遇可（Michael D. Coe）、詹姆士（Campbell R. James）等。
^葉書宏 (25 November 2018). 莒光鄉決戰 謝春欗連任成功. China Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 17 September 2019. 僅有莒光鄉形成2搶1局面，最後由現任鄉長謝春欗以百餘票領先，連任成功，而謝春欗勝選關鍵在於家族動員及旅台鄉親。{...}莒光鄉現任鄉長謝春欗將爭取連任，另外還有鄉代會祕書陳順壽登記，形成2搶1局面。謝是東莒人，夫家又是西莒大家族，連任呼聲不低，成功擊敗對手。 謝春欗指出，未來要推動莒光鄉公所舊址重建為山海一家海館，進行街巷風貌改善，成為食、住、購、旅合而為一的綜合商場，活絡整體觀光經濟發展。
^Patrick E. Tyler (18 March 1996). "China Warns U.S. to Keep Away From Taiwan Strait". New York Times. Retrieved 16 January 2020. "We are leaving for Taiwan to escape disaster," said a schoolgirl from the island of Tong Chu, near Matsu and just 10 nautical miles away from the area of the Chinese war games. Taiwan television stations carried film of the mini-evacuation, but also noted that a number of residents were choosing to stay in their homes.
