Tomb of the Seven Beauties

It is said that during the Ming Dynasty, a group of pirates landed on the southern coast of Cimei (Seven Beauties Island). At that time, all the men on the island were out fishing, leaving only the elderly, weak, women, and children. Seven women were busy farming on a nearby mountain (one account says they were washing clothes by a well) when they unfortunately encountered a pirate invasion. Rather than suffer humiliation, they chose to drown themselves together in a well. Afterward, the villagers filled the well with earth, and later seven luxuriant fragrant catalpa trees grew from it. In 1949 (Year 38 of the Republic of China), Magistrate Liu Yan-fu and General He Zhi-hao came to pay their respects. Deeply moved, General He composed a song for the Seven Beauties, which was carved onto a rock. The song goes: 'Oh, Seven Beauties, with jade-like purity, Embracing virtue, resisting invaders, choosing death, Their heroic souls forever reside in solitary fragrant trees, Spring eternal above the well, blooming with countless branches.' The valiant deeds of the Seven Beauties were subsequently commemorated and the site expanded into the 'Garden of Chastity of the Seven Beauties'. Each year, countless tourists visit to admire the site and pay their respects.