Kinmen

Kinmen is a group of islands that serves as a county of Taiwan.

It is located in the Taiwan Strait at the southeastern coast of the People's Republic of China. The islands sit just east of Xiamen, a city in Fujian, across Xiamen Bay.

Kinmen is also situated west of the closest shoreline of the main island of Taiwan. The county includes one major island, several surrounding islets, and the remote Wuqiu Township to the northeast.

Because of its location, Kinmen is a vital part of the political landscape in the region.

The name Kinmen means "golden gate."

The name was first recorded in 1387 during the Ming dynasty. At that time, the Hongwu Emperor appointed Zhou Dexing to manage the islands and protect them from pirates. Before it was called Kinmen, the islands were known as Wuzhou.

Humans have inhabited this area for a very long time, between 5,800 and 8,000 years. During the reign of Emperor Yuan in 317 CE, families fled south and settled there. Later, during the Tang dynasty, more people arrived and changed the name to Kinmen.

History shows that Kinmen has been a strategic base for many leaders.

During the Ming dynasty, a leader named Koxinga used the islands to build a navy. He cut down many trees to build his ships. This caused massive deforestation and led to soil erosion on the islands. Later, the Prince of Lu fled to Kinmen in 1651 to resist the Manchu Qing dynasty. The Qing dynasty eventually took control of the area in 1663. Throughout the 20th century, the islands saw many changes in administration and control.

The islands faced significant conflict during the Second Sino-Japanese War. In 1937, the Empire of Japan captured Kinmen.

Japanese forces blockaded the island and landed in October of that year. They intended to use Kinmen as a position to attack the nearby city of Xiamen. During the Japanese occupation, the local government went into exile in Dadeng. Life was difficult for the residents due to poor harvests and forced labor. The islands eventually returned to the control of the Republic of China (ROC) after World War II ended in 1945.

Kinmen became a center of global attention during the mid-20th century.

After the People's Republic of China was established in 1949, both the Nationalists and the Communists claimed the islands. In 1958, the People's Liberation Army heavily bombarded Kinmen during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. This event was so significant that it became part of American political discussions. During the 1960 U.S. presidential election, candidates Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy debated whether the United States should protect these islands. Kennedy argued they were strategically indefensible, while Nixon believed they should be held on principle.

There are several ways to write the name of these islands in English.

The name "Quemoy" is a common English transcription. It may have come from a Spanish or Portuguese version of the local Hokkien pronunciation. This name was used frequently during the news coverage of the Taiwan Strait crises. Other systems include the Wade-Giles romanization, which spells it "Chin-men." The spelling "Kinmen" is a postal romanization based on the Southern Mandarin dialect. This system was adopted by the Chinese Imperial Post under the leadership of Robert Hart.

Today, Kinmen is transitioning from a military zone to a place of tourism and business.

For many years, the islands were under strict military administration. Travel restrictions between Kinmen and the main island of Taiwan were not lifted until 1994. In 2001, a direct ferry route to Xiamen was opened as part of the "Three Links."

This has led to an economic boom, as many businessmen use Kinmen to access markets in mainland China. The islands now host many visitors who arrive by plane or ferry to explore the local history and culture.