Kinmen -- From Battlefield to Tourist Destination

Written by Cheng Yuan-ching and translated by Robert Taylor, the article was originally published by Taiwan's Sinorama magazine in May 1994. The article begins with an introduction of a couple of scenic spots that serve as a reminder of Kinmen's military past. There are even stories of local villagers hearing strange sounds of army maneuvers -- soldiers marching and yelling -- deep at night, which are supposedly from the spirits of those fallen on the island's battlefields. Even today, traces of the battlefield can be found here and there, such as minefields and anti-paratroop stakes. Meanwhile, there are also 21 listed historical monuments scattered all over Kinmen. Ancient relics, old houses and the famous "wind lions" are all important symbols of the island's folk culture. The article ends with a special introduction of Kinmen's Kaoliang -- the "King of Liquors".

The article begins with the following paragraphs:

"Looking back to those far-off years, the great victory at Kuningtou in 1949 was crucial in protecting the security of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu. During the 'August 23rd Artillery Bombardment' which followed nine years later in 1958, Kinmen was hit by a total of more than 470,000 artillery shells in the space of 44 days, a world record."

"Today, military rule has been replaced by civilian rule, and a succession of events from the lifting of martial law and the island's opening to tourism, to popular elections for the post of county chief, all show that Kinmen is witnessing great changes. But outsiders may not be aware of the marks from the past which the new face of Kinmen Island still bears..."