Xiyu West Fort

Xiyu West Fort was a battery constructed by Liu Mingchuan during the Qing Dynasty. In 1885, with the outbreak of the Sino-French War, French General Courbet led the Far East Fleet to attack Taiwan and Penghu, resulting in the fall of Penghu. After the Sino-French Peace Treaty, Liu Mingchuan planned Taiwan's defenses, petitioning the emperor to establish a Commander-in-Chief in Penghu and strengthen Penghu's defenses. At that time, a fort was constructed on the highland between Waian and Neian in Xiyu, equipped with four new Armstrong breech-loading cannons. The following year, Xiyu East Fort was added on the Neian highland. Xiyu West Fort was massive in scale, and its construction was extremely arduous, completed in the 15th year of Emperor Guangxu's reign (1889).