Take a walk back in time as you wander down the oldest street in Magong and stroll along the winding lanes and alleys of the surrounding area. The district around Central Street was built in the Qing and Ming Dynasties and today features various historic buildings and monuments including the famous Shigong Shrine and Shuixian Temple. You might also come across Four-Eyed Well.
Four-Eyed Well
Four-Eyed Well is situated at the north-end of Jhongyang Street in Magong, locally known as the 'Upper Street'. It is not certain when the Four-Eyed Well was dug, but it is likely to have been constructed in the Yuan Dynasty, when a growing population moved into to 'Upper Street' area.
The Four-Eyed Well is about three metres deep and two metres in diameter. There is a stone slate near the well and four circular openings to retrieve water, these openings gave the well its name.
Apparently in the past, the Four-Eyed Well remained running even during draughts, providing clear and cool water to the townsfolk. However, since the establishment of modern water systems, the well is now used for washing only.
Also in this network of streets is an diverse spread of early 20th-Century homes featuring Western and Fujian elements. Most of the buildings are of a longish shape. In times gone by, families would live at one end of a house and do business at the other end.
History of the area
During the Japanese occupation, business usually conducted amongst the central streets expanded into a larger commercial area nicknamed 'The Seven Streets and One Market'.
After the Japanese occupation ended in 1945, the streets of Magong were re-planned and new commercial districts were built. As a result, the area around Central Street is not the only business district in town.
