Wind Lion Gods preserve Kinmen's history and folk culture

Taipei, Jan. 29 (CNA) For those visiting Kinmen during the Lunar New Year holiday, Taiwan's Tourism Bureau recommends exploring the Wind Lion Gods, the guardians embody the memories and history of the outlying county and serve as a symbolic part of Kinmen's cultural landscape.

According to the Kinmen County Tourism Department website, Wind Lion Gods, or "Wind Lion Masters" (風獅爺) in Chinese, are stone lions originally brought to Kinmen from Quanzhou and Zhangzhou in China to protect the group of islands from evil spirits, bad luck and natural disasters, including monsoon winds which are particularly fierce during the winter months.

There are around 100 stone lions dotted around Kinmen, located only 10 kilometers east of the Chinese city of Xiamen, with some painted bright colors and others with fierce expressions. The "females" are often decorated with pom-poms or ribbons.

Over time, the lion sculptures have become deeply entwined with local legends, Chang Che-jui (張哲叡), a representative of the local travel company Whoyo Travel, told CNA.

Chang explained that the lions are believed to possess special abilities, such as discovering lost items, catching thieves, and protecting the islands from intruders.

The Anqi Wind Lion God, the tallest among the lions at 3.78 meters, is painted in green, red, blue, and yellow, and stands guard over the sea frontier. According to the county tourism department, legend says it once successfully fended off invading pirates.

The department also explained that local people often make cloaks and bring offerings for the wind lions to say "thank you" for their good deeds.

However, Chang said the lions' powers were not always so revered.

A lion statue in the Guningtou region shows visible cracks on its ears and teeth, even after being restored to repair damage caused by nearby residents.

It is believed that the lion's open mouth, facing the Lincuo neighborhood, emitted negative energy and disrupted the area's Feng Shui -- a Chinese geomantic practice that involves arranging buildings, objects, and spaces to achieve balance and harmony.

For those in the county, Chang recommended that visitors check out a chubby yellow wind lion in Jinning Township's Huxia Village that he found particularly cute.

In Lieyu, which lies west of Kinmen's main island, the "Wind Chickens" are similarly revered, Chang said.

The Kinmen County Tourism Department said that the stone chickens perched atop residents' roofs and at village entrances have the power to control the wind and protect locals from evil spirits.

Kinmen is also renowned for its military legacy as a frontline against the Chinese Communist Party, given its proximity to China, the department said.

As well as tanks and forts on display, history can be seen in residential villages, from tunnels people took shelter in to holes in the walls of houses, the department added.