Qiaozi Village

Qiaozi Village is a traditional fishing settlement at the northernmost tip of Beigan Island; official household registration counts about 494 people in 150 households (Lienchiang County, December 2025), though tourism sources and local accounts commonly describe only around seven households and fewer than a hundred people actually living there. The village has 8 temples enshrining close to 188 deity statues — the highest temple density in Matsu — earning it the nickname 'Temple Village,' where 'gods outnumber people.'

Qiaozi Village's official household registration (Lienchiang County, December 2025) lists 494 people in 150 households — but this is administrative registration, consistent with the well-known gap in Matsu between registered and actually resident population. Tourism materials and local reports commonly describe only around seven households and fewer than a hundred people actually living there, though this resident-population figure has no official statistical backing and is treated as unconfirmed. The village has 8 temples — the highest density in Matsu — enshrining deities including Baima Zunwang, Mazu, Xuantian Shangdi, and Lord Zhou of Shanxi Lingtai; the commonly cited total of about 188 statues appears in multiple reports but lacks an official census figure and is likewise unconfirmed.

Highlights of Qiaozi Village

During the Qing dynasty and early Republic of China period, Qiaozi was one of Beigan's most important fishing settlements, supporting a population of several hundred at its peak through fishing. As fish stocks declined and younger residents moved away, the village gradually emptied. Most surviving structures are granite stone houses built around World War II, with thick walls and Minyue-style swallow-tail ridge or hip-and-gable rooflines. Though some buildings have fallen into disrepair, their structural exteriors remain largely intact.

The settlement houses the "Qiaozi Fishing Village Historical Museum," which displays traditional fishing tools, everyday utensils, and records of past fishing practices — a good starting point for understanding Matsu's fishing culture. Eight temples are scattered throughout the village; modest in scale yet each with its own presiding deity, they reflect the diverse folk religious traditions brought by Minyue immigrants to Matsu. Wandering through the village, incense smoke and ruins coexist in a uniquely atmospheric stillness.

How to Make the Most of Your Visit

Practical Information

Source: Lienchiang County Government Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Matsu National Scenic Area Administration. Photos pending Dio's on-site shots.