When you come to Jibei Port, is your attention drawn to two unusual structures? The large ‘bell bowl’ and ‘wooden fish’ on the east and west sides of the port are not ordinary constructions –– they are ‘shigandang’, talismans erected to protect Jibei from evil spirits.

Penghu’s shigandang are similar to Kinmen’s Wind Lion Gods. Both are unique symbols of the islanders’ beliefs. The sea surrounds Penghu. The harsh winter and northeast monsoon last for half a year, and the soil is poor and unsuitable for farming. Plagues and diseases were once rampant, and early pioneers believed evil spirits were to blame. 

Thus, Penghu’s shigandang culture arose to attract prosperity and ward off adversity. Shigandang may take the form of pagodas, stone tablets or written charms, and it has been set up around villages, seaside hills, T-shaped intersections (an undesirable fengshui configuration) and elsewhere. They reflect the Penghu residents’ spiritual beliefs and are a unique feature of local culture.

The two shigandang structures at Jibei Port are said to be Guanyin’s manifestations. The Buddhist deity came to village elders in a dream, instructing them to install shigandang to protect residents and ensure their well-being.

Therefore, they placed a giant yellow “bell bowl” on the east side of the port at a spot called “Dragon Horse” and a red wooden fish sculpture on the west side. An inscription was added to each shigandang installation respectively: "the eastern dragon towers over rivers and mountains” and “the western sea clouds soar with the sun and moon,” to symbolize the spirit of the Jibei residents. The constructions also correspond to the Guanyin Temple’s "morning bell” and "twilight drum" as important cultural assets at Jibei.