Briefing of Tour

3. Establishment and Renovation

The construction of Dong-YongLight House started in Guang Xu 28, and was completed after two years time. The Light House was ready for operation in May 18 Guang Xu 30.

Dong-Yong Light House was one of the modern Western style Light Houses. The operation of the Light House also took customs work to a climax. The construction was under the supervision of Robert Hart, the director of Dirctorate General Customs, and was constructed under the responsibility of John Ropinald of Directorate General of Construction.

The evolution of technology and fuel (from vegetable oil to kerosene) made Dong-Yong Light House the first Light House that adopted incandescent bulb with screen shield. The light power of the bulb was equivalent to 360, 000 lit candle light. Under ideal weather condition, the light could be seen almost 30 nautical miles away. The light overlapped with the light of Dungchun Light House on Dunglui, whose light range was 16.77 nautical miles.

According to document, the Light House is made up of lighhouse body, Light House light, and Light House tower. It is three-floor high, measured at 46.5 feet, which is equivalent to 14.2 meters. Though the Light House itself is not very tall, the location of the light reaches 97.8 meter above sea level (it is measure from the level of high tide to the center of the light) because of its geographical conditions. Dong-Yong Light House is the fourth tallest lighthous in Taiwan (the tallest is Lanyui Light House; the second place is Pengjiayui Light House, measured at 145.5 meter; the third one is Shandiaojia Light House, measured at 100.6 meters ).

The ground and the tower ground are paved with fan-shaped granite. The tower ground is paved into a circle with 16 granites, which are 26 cm thick. The Light House body is constructed with bricks, the diameter of the tower is about 5.6 meters; the wall is one meter thick. The Light House light is constructed with iron. It is about 4.15 meters tall and 6.2 meters in diameter. The light base is composed of 16 transparent arched galss shields for the light to be sent afar. Owning to the fact that back of the Light House is blocked by mountain, so three panels are locked. The exact angle of the turning light base is between 60 to 270 degrees, which is one of the differences of other Light Houses.

Since its construction in Guang Xu 30 (1904), Dong-Yong Light House was renovated in 1913, 1946, and 1955.

However, because of the hitting of Typhoo Alice in September 1966, the Light House was severely damaged. The transparent glass shield and central lens of the reflection mirror unit were damaged, which led to improper function of light. As a result, in november, the tower platform was installed with a lamp unit of 5 th class light bulb. (A single axis rotating lamp base was installed in the center, the lamp platform was placed on a specially made mercury plate to be able to install rotating mirror unit. The design of the mirror unit was classified according to the length of diameter measured from lense to the center of light. The international community and the Department of Maritime Affairs of Directorate General of Customs classify the bulb in seven standards, which are quality bulb, premium bulb, second-class to 6 th class bulb.) The bulb flashed three consective times every 15 seconds, and the range could reach 11 nautical miles. Later, the Light House was supended because of military concerns, and wasn't reopened until June 1989.

In 1988, another two extra fog siren units were installed. One of the units was installed below Dong-Yong Light House (on the old fog canon, where originally was the gunpower warehouse), while the other was installed in Chungchu Port. During the fog season, the units would assist the insufficiency of lights. The sound of the siren could reach as far as 3-10 nautical miles.

In March 1989, the authorities asked Dong-Yin Commanding Headquarters to set up an Administration Room and renovated the surrounding areas. In March 1 st , 2001, the Light House was renovated according to the Ordinance of Heritage Maintenance. The renovation lasted for two years, and the Light House was kept until what we see today.

Enterance of Dong-Yong Light House

The walking path surround by mountain cliff

Spirited watchwords~Qi-Zhuang-Shan-He

Min Custom∼Dong-Yong Light House

Sky-viewing the scene of cliff!

Passing by working boat!!