After the Sino-French War, a wall and moat were constructed in 1887 in response to Penghu’s defense needs. Known as Magong Old Wall, the structure originally encompassed a city area of 2.63 kilometers, with 750 battlements and a height of roughly six meters. There are six gates: Chaoyang Gate on the east; Daxi Gate on the west; Yingxun Gate on the south; Gongchen Gate on the north; Jixu Gate, a smaller southern gate, and the portal you’re looking at, Shuncheng Gate, formerly the “Little West Gate.” Today, it is the only fully preserved gatehouse. About 800.35 meters of the old city wall still stand.

Shuncheng Gate’s tower was built in a single-ridged gable and roof form. Because the first commander-in-chief, Wu Hongluo, served under the Huai Army system, the architecture is reminiscent of the Huizhou style. Winds are strong in Penghu, so most towers have only one story. If you look up, you’ll notice that the eaves extending outward are shorter and smoother than usual, and the shape is flat and sturdy. The wall body consists of igneous rock quarried in Penghu, with coral stone battlements on top and a layer of decorative bricks in between. The surface is plastered with oyster-shell ash for protection. What’s special are the solid rectangular short walls on the battlements, which ordinarily would have square holes in the center for observation and shooting.

Next, you can take a stroll down Lovers’ Lane, which leads to Duxing Village Cultural Park and the bronze statues at Grandma’s Bay. Gaze off into the distance, and you’ll see the beautiful scenery of Magong Harbor, with boats sailing in and out. Except for the sound of waves breaking on the shoreline, all is quiet––enjoy the tranquil, soothing landscape!