Qixiang Garden

Qixiang Garden

Qixiang Garden is located at the southern end of Nantai Islet on Dachangshan Island. A circular wall and a pink gatehouse outline the irregular shape of the garden along the hill. In the center of the garden stands a towering white marble statue of the Goddess of the Sea.

Stepping through the gatehouse, a path paved with pebbles and cement winds its way forward. On the cliff edge, two light purple glazed tile pavilions with upturned eaves and flying rafters stand proudly, shining with splendor and brilliance. Opposite the pavilions, within high stone railings on an elevated platform, the sacred statue of the Goddess of the Sea holds up a red lantern and stands firmly, her expression serene and solemn. Her deep eyes gaze into the distant horizon, while the red lantern resting beside her cheek radiates an auspicious glow.

The legend of the Goddess of the Sea casts a grand halo over the archipelago. Before liberation, when fishermen’s fates were often at the mercy of nature, they sought divine protection for themselves and their loved ones. The custom of releasing sea lanterns on the birthday of the Goddess of the Sea, the 13th day of the first lunar month, has been preserved to this day. On this day, every household celebrates as if it were Chinese New Year. People craft various boat-shaped lanterns using colorful paper, placing candles or bulbs inside. The lantern covers are inscribed with phrases such as “abundant catch” and “bumper harvest,” and decorated with images of koi leaping over the dragon gate and other auspicious motifs symbolizing good fortune, including landscapes and animals. The fishermen pour their devotion and admiration into these small lanterns. When night falls, fishermen gather on the beach and release their lanterns together into the vast ocean waves, offering them to the Goddess of the Sea, who is revered as highly as the bodhisattva. Firecrackers boom and fireworks light up the sky, making the scene of releasing sea lanterns magnificent and spectacular. On the sea surface, the tiny lights resemble stars reflected in the water, drifting away with the wind and gradually fading into the horizon between sea and sky. People firmly believe that the Goddess’s divine power extends across the vast seas and skies, keeping their loved ones’ boats safely within her reach.

Why do locals have this custom? Legend has it that long ago, a father and son who were fishermen got lost at sea and drifted aimlessly for days and nights. Just as they were about to lose hope, they suddenly spotted a red lantern in the distance. They steered their boat toward the light, which always maintained a certain distance ahead, guiding them all the way to the shore and allowing them to return home. Since then, the story of the Goddess of the Sea guiding distressed fishing boats has spread far and wide. Every year on her birthday, fishermen and their families compete to release lanterns into the sea, praying for her protection and safe passage.