The photograph was taken  at Matsu’s Nangan Jieshou Aokou Park. Through the camera, one can observe the park’s stone carved scenery and admire the cultural landscape of Matsu.

Matsu is situated northwest of Taiwan in the Taiwan Strait and is administered by the Lienchiang County. It is divided into four townships; Nangan Township, Beigan Township, Dongyin Township and Juguang Township. The islands include Nangan, Beigan, Dongju, Xiju, Dongyin, Liangdao, Gaodeng, Daqiu, Xiaoqiu and many other uninhabited islets. These islands produce a land formation that is narrow from east to west and long from north to south. The total area is approximately 29.52 square kilometers. Nangan Island is the largest of the islands and is also the political, economic, cultural and education center of Matsu. The distance between Nangan Island and the Minjiang River estuary of Fujian is only 54 nautical miles. Hence, it has been described as a string of pearls that the heavens scattered at the mouth of Minjiang River.

Ten thousand years ago, the lower section of Matsu was connected to mainland China. However, the end of the Ice Age resulted in an approximate 120-meter sea level increase. The Matsu Island chain and mainland China were then divided by the sea. A majority of the islands in the Matsu chain are composed of granite. Millions of years of wave erosion and weathering have resulted in a diverse geological landscape. This includes the precipitous cliff faces and sea trenches, as well as the clearly defined layers of joints, sea arches, sea stacks and sea caves that are prominent in the Matsu area.

Matsu’s uniqueness originates from its grand rocky shores, precipitous cliffs and beautiful beaches, such as Beigan’s Tanghoudao Beach (which is reputable for its ‘sugar-sand’ beach), Wusha Beach and Banli Beach, and Juguang’s Fuzheng Beach and Kunqiu Beach.The extraordinary coastal and rocky scenery of Xiju Caipuao and the crystal-clear waters of Xiyin Qingshuiao are good examples of gravel beaches in Matsu.

The road areas of Matsu are generally hilly, with limited plains. The uneven and winding roads are a common characteristic across all the major islands of Matsu. When the fog season arrives, the misty clouds makes the scenery hazy and blurred, making it seem like a fantasy world. 

Approval for use of the information above has been obtained from the Matsu National Scenic Area Administration.

http://www.matsu-nsa.gov.tw/