Nestled on the hillsides of Beigan, Matsu, Qinbi Village faces the sea with rows of East Fujian-style stone houses built in terraced tiers. Thirty-six years of military restriction (1956-1992) kept large-scale development at bay, preserving the settlement's traditional character almost entirely intact. Walking its lanes today, visitors encounter granite walls and winding alleyways that still bear the traces of a working fishing village—a vital window into Matsu's culture.

When the Sea Was So Thick with Fish, a Man Who Fell Overboard Wouldn't Sink

Qinbi's identity is inseparable from the sea. The fishing grounds off Matsu, situated near the Min River estuary, drew an extraordinary diversity of species through the convergence of ocean currents. Chen Wei Chun, chairman of the Qinbi Community Development Association, recalls that fishermen once caught yellow croaker in winter and jellyfish in summer, with dozens of other species—fourfinger threadfin and cutlassfish among them—filling out the seasons. Yellow croaker was the prized catch above all. Boats of ten to twenty tonnes needed only a single net to come home full. Chen recalls his father's words: "Fishing was dangerous, but he was never truly afraid. If you fell into the sea, you wouldn't sink—five meters down, the sea was so thick with fish they could hold you up." Decades of overfishing have since devastated wild yellow croaker populations, and prices have surged accordingly. Today, a kilogram of wild-caught yellow croaker fetches anywhere from several thousand to tens of thousands of NT dollars at source.

These catches remain central to the local table. Yellow croaker is prized for its tender, lightly fatty flesh—best brought out by steaming, which preserves its delicate texture, though it is also prepared braised or pan-fried. Some of the catch is made into fish balls, most often served in soup. Dried squid and cuttlefish, cured in the sun and grilled over charcoal, develop a deep, smoky aroma and are typically eaten alongside simple staples—a reflection of the fishing village's unfussy, direct approach to food. From catch to processing to table, Qinbi's food culture speaks to the island's long reliance on the sea and its accumulated wisdom in making the most of it.

As marine resources have dwindled, Qinbi has gradually shifted toward cultural preservation and tourism. In recent years, the spring and summer appearance of "blue tears"—a phenomenon in which sea sparkle (Noctiluca scintillans), when struck by waves or disturbed by movement, releases brief flashes of pale blue bioluminescent light—has become a major draw for visitors. Local residents note that in the days of abundant fish, the sea sparkle was consumed before it could mature; now, no longer eaten, it drifts across the water's surface in shimmering constellations—a quiet marker of how much the marine ecosystem has changed.

Faith, too, runs deep in the life of the village. Fishermen have long sought divine protection, and the deities enshrined here reflect that need. Qinbi's Mazu Temple (Tianhou Temple) is home to a rare Frog God belief, centered on the Iron Armor Marshal—a deity whose legend holds that he delights in theatrical performance. According to local tradition, his enthusiasm once moved residents to form a Peking opera troupe in his honor, a singular cultural tradition that blends religious devotion with performing arts. From fishing settlement to cultural site, Qinbi continues to carry its history forward—through stone architecture and living memory, through food and faith alike.

☛ 　Qinbi Village has been selected as one of the Ministry of Culture's inaugural 100 Culture Bases.