Huazhai Settlement in Wangan Township, Penghu County, has drawn renewed attention in recent years through preservation efforts and cultural education programs. In one corner of the settlement, a fish stove that lay dormant for decades has begun smoking again; once a production facility used to process the catch, it now serves as a key cultural site for understanding fishing-village life in Penghu. The Island Attachment Cultural Studio—a literal rendering of the Chinese name, not an official English title—run by Tseng Yi-Ling, offers hands-on demonstrations and guided explanations of the fish stove's role in Huazhai's history. These experiences are putting this once-overlooked fishing tradition back in the spotlight.

Fishing once thrived in Penghu, but before refrigeration became widespread, preserving the catch was no easy task. Residents built fish stoves along the coast to turn their catch—including round herring (tshàu-bah-im in Hokkien, Etrumeus micropus), a commercial fish common along the coasts of Penghu and Taiwan—into dried fish. Most of the work fell to women; the role of fish cook, which demanded extensive experience, was the best-paid position in the whole process. Once the catch was purchased at harbor auction, workers rinsed off the coarse salt and arranged the fish neatly on woven bamboo trays called phi-á. The fish cook then took charge, carefully managing the heat as the fish simmered. Workers then shipped the sun-dried fish to Magong City or Tainan City. As fishing vessels improved and refrigeration became more widespread, traditional fish stoves gradually declined through the 1980s. What remains is an important historical legacy—a testament to the labor and everyday ingenuity of Penghu's fishing villages.

Fish Stoves, Revived: A Force for Regional Regeneration

Fish stoves produce both dried fish and salted fish, both important to traditional Penghu cuisine. Examples include salted fish fried rice, made by chopping the fish and stir-frying it with rice, and a homestyle salted fish soup simmered with vegetables—common flavors on fishing-village tables. Once sun-dried, round herring can be grilled or pan-fried and eaten as is; its bold, salty flavor pairs well with rice porridge.

In recent years, as the Huazhai Settlement preservation project has progressed, the fish stove has found new life. Tseng Yi-Ling pursued graduate studies in cultural heritage preservation specifically to do something for her hometown, then returned to Wangan after graduating. When a team from National Yunlin University of Science and Technology carried out a preservation project in Huazhai, she helped restore the Tseng family fish stove left by her ancestors. That work led her to begin using the fish stove for cultural education and guided tours. Once the economic backbone of the fishing village, the fish stove now serves as a vehicle for cultural education and regional revitalization. As its smoke rises once again, it keeps Huazhai's historical memory connected to new generations.

☛ 　Huazhai Settlement in Wangan has been selected as one of the Ministry of Culture's inaugural 100 Culture Bases.