QUEMOY ISLAND China Communists vintage original photo

A vintage original 6 1/4x9 inch photo of children on Quemoy Island from 1958

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Kinmen (traditional Chinese: 金門; Hanyu Pinyin: Jīnmén; Tongyong Pinyin: Jinmén; Wade-Giles: Chin-men; POJ: Kim-mn̂g; also romanized Quemoy from Southern Min (in early Spanish romanization); literally "Golden Door" or "Golden Gate"), located at [show location on an interactive map] 24.44° N 118.33° E, is a small archipelago of several islands administered by the Republic of China (ROC) government: Greater Quemoy (大金門), Lesser Quemoy (小金門), and some islets. Administratively, it is Kinmen County of Fujian (Fuchien) Province, Republic of China. The county is claimed as part of Fujian's Quanzhou Prefecture by the People's Republic of China. Some islands of other counties, such as Wuciou, were transferred to the jurisdiction of Kinmen County by the ROC government following its retreat to Taiwan. Matsu is the other set of islands on the Fujian coast controlled by the ROC.

Many of the inhabitants speak the Southern Min language (Min Nan). Due to their previous political isolation, most residents will say they speak "Kinmenese", as opposed to "Taiwanese" as it is commonly called in Taiwan, though the differences are arbitrary and the two dialects are mutually intelligible. Quemoy is geographically very near Xiamen (also known as Amoy).

 History
The calligraphy of former President Chiang Kai-shek etched on a stone in Kinmen reads, "Forget not that you're in Jǔ" - an allusion to the Warring States Period when the State of Qi, cornered into the City of Ju by the State of Yan, successfully counterattacked and retook its territory; this is intended as an analogy to the situation between the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China. Other slogans alluding to "retaking the mainland" can still be found in Kinmen.
The calligraphy of former President Chiang Kai-shek etched on a stone in Kinmen reads, "Forget not that you're in Jǔ" - an allusion to the Warring States Period when the State of Qi, cornered into the City of Ju by the State of Yan, successfully counterattacked and retook its territory; this is intended as an analogy to the situation between the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China. Other slogans alluding to "retaking the mainland" can still be found in Kinmen.

As part of Fujian, Kinmen was not colonized by Japan, as the island of Taiwan and the Pescadores were.

The island was the site of extensive shelling between PRC and ROC forces in the 1950s and 1960s and was a major issue in the 1960 United States Presidential Election between Kennedy and Nixon. In the 1950s, the United States threatened to use nuclear weapons against the PRC, if it attacked the island. See List of battles over Quemoy.

The island was a military preserve until the mid-1990s when it was returned to civilian government and travel to and from Taiwan was allowed. However, it is still recognized as a national park. Because of its military situation, development on Quemoy was extremely limited and it is now a popular weekend tourist destination for Taiwanese and is known for its quiet villages, old-style architecture, and beaches. Due to extensive shelling campaigns between the PRC and ROC, Kinmen is famous for its Artillery Shell Knives. Local artisans would collect the vast amounts of exploded ordnance and make high-quality knives which are still sought after by chefs and connoisseurs. Kinmen is also home of the locally famous KinMen GaoLiang liquor, a tequila-like liquor which is highly appreciated by the Taiwanese.

Direct travel between mainland China and Kinmen was opened in 2002, and there has been extensive tourism development on the island in anticipation of mainland tourists. Direct travel was suspended in 2003 as a result of the SARS outbreak, but has since resumed. Many Taiwanese businesspeople use this link to enter the Mainland as it is seen as cheaper and easier than entering through Hong Kong. The island has thus experienced a sort of real estate boom as businesspeople relocate to the island for easy access to the vast markets of the People's Republic of China.

 Politics

The island consistently votes for the pan-blue coalition. Until the early 1990s, proponents of Taiwan independence argued that they would consider handing Quemoy over to the PRC in any negotiated settlement.[citation needed] Residents of Quemoy have broadly opposed such measures, fearing the consequences of the PRC government's policies on their standard of living and political freedom.[citation needed]

 Townships
Chincheng is the county seat of Kinmen.
Chincheng is the county seat of Kinmen.
Subdivision of Kinmen County into townships
Subdivision of Kinmen County into townships

Kinmen County is subdivided into six townships:
Name     Hanzi     Hanyu Pinyin     Wade-Giles     Tongyong Pinyin     English meaning
Chincheng Township     金城鎮     Jīnchéng     Chin-ch'eng     Jīnchéng     Golden City
Jinsha Township     金沙鎮     Jīnshā     Chin-sha     Jinsha     Golden Sand
Jinhu Township     金湖鎮     Jīnhú     Chin-hu     Jinhú     Golden Lake
Jinning Township     金寧鄉     Jīnníng     Chin-ning     Jinníng     Golden Tranquility
Lieyu Township     烈嶼鄉     Lièyǔ     Lie-yü     Lièyǔ     Heroic Islets
Wuchiu Township     烏坵鄉     Wūqiū     Wu-ch'iu     Wuciou     Black Mound

All those townships on Greater Quemoy Island start their names with Jin ("gold"). Lieyu Township encompasses the entire Lesser Quemoy Island, and is closest to Xiamen. Wuciou Township comprises Greater Ciou Islet (大坵) and Lesser Ciou Islet (小坵).

Jincheng and Jinsha are the largest of the six counties. Altogether, there are 37 Quemoy villages, three of which – all in Jhen (鎮, Zhen) – are Li-villages (里); the rest are Cun-villages (村).

See also: Political divisions of the Republic of China

 See also
    This article contains Chinese text.
Without proper rendering support, you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of Chinese characters.

    * Matsu Islands
    * Political divisions of the Republic of China
    * Township (Taiwan)
    * List of cities in the Republic of China (Taiwan)
    * Republic of China

The mainland Chinese city of Xiamen is within shelling distance of the small island of Quemoy (or Kinmen). As one of the front line islands between the Republic of China and the People's Republic of China, ROC-occupied Quemoy has seen many battles and tensions between the two throughout the Cold War. It was generally understood by both the ROC and the PRC that if Quemoy fell to the PRC, Taiwan itself would follow.

The phrase "Quemoy and Matsu" became part of U.S. politics in the 1960 Presidential election. During the debates, both candidates, Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy pledged to use U.S. force if necessary to protect the Republic of China from invasion from the mainland, the People's Republic of China, which the U.S. did not at that time recognize as a legitimate government. Vice-President Nixon charged that Senator Kennedy would not use U.S. force to protect Taiwan's forward positions, Quemoy and Matsu.

List of battles over Quemoy:

    * Battle of Kuningtou (1949)
    * First Taiwan Strait Crisis (1954-1955)
    * Second Taiwan Strait Crisis (1958)

After the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis ended in stalemate, both sides settled upon a routine of bombarding each other every other day with shells containing propaganda leaflets. ROC troops on Quemoy continued constructing tunnels, bunkers, and other underground facilities. Commandos (often known as 水鬼, or "water ghosts" by ROC troops) were sent by both sides to conduct sabotage or attack lone sentries. The bombardment finally ended in 1979 with the establishment of formal diplomatic ties between the United States and the PRC.

Quemoy, Kinmen, or Chinmen (金門, pinyin Jīnm�n, local: Kim1 Mng5) (pop. 43,000) is a small archipelago of several islands administered by the Republic of China (ROC) on Taiwan: Greater Quemoy (大金門), Lesser Quemoy (小金門), and some islets. Administratively, it is in the Kinmen County of Fujian Province. The county is claimed as part of Fujian's Quanzhou Prefecture by the People's Republic of China. Matsu is the other set of islands on the Fujian coast controlled by the ROC.

Many of the inhabitants speak the Southern Min language. Quemoy is geographically very near Xiamen.

"Quemoy"/"Kim1 Mng5", meaning "Golden Door" or "Golden Gate", is in the Min language, "Kinmen" an archaic Mandarin Romanization. (The modern Mandarin transcription is "Chin-men" (Wade-Giles) or "Jinmen" (Pinyin).)


History

The island was the site of extensive shelling between PRC and ROC forces in the 1950s and 1960s and was a major issue in the 1960 United States Presidential Election between Kennedy and Nixon. In the 1950s, the United States threatened to use nuclear weapons against the PRC, if it attacked the island. See Quemoy Battles.

The island was a military preserve until the mid-1990s when it was returned to civilian government and travel to and from Taiwan was allowed. Because of its military situation, development on Quemoy was extremely limited and it is now a popular weekend tourist destination for Taiwanese and is known for its quiet villages and beaches. Direct travel between the Mainland China and Quemoy was opened in 2002, and there has been extensive tourism development on the island in anticipation of Mainland tourists. However, direct travel was suspended in 2003 as a result of the SARS outbreak.

Politics

The island consistently votes for the pan-blue coalition. Until the early 1990s, proponents of Taiwan independence argued that they would consider handing Quemoy to the PRC in any negotiated settlement. This did not sit well with residents, and the Democratic Progressive Party has sharply backed away from that position to the extent that it added Quemoy and the other small islands to its party flag which contains a map of Taiwan.

Townships

Kinmen County is subdivided into six townships:


Hanzi     Tongyong     Wade-Giles     Hanyu Pinyin     English meanings
金城鎮    Jincheng     Chin-ch'eng     Jīnch�ng     Golden City
金沙鎮    Jinsha     Chin-sha     Jīnshā     Golden Sand
金湖鎮    Jinhu     Chin-hu     Jīnh�     Golden Lake
金寧鄉    Jinning     Chin-ning     Jīnn�ng     Golden Tranquility
烈嶼鄉    Lieyu     Lie-y�     Li�yǔ     Heroic Islets
烏坵鄉    Wuciou     Wu-ch'iu     Wūqiū     Black Mound


All those townships on Greater Quemoy Island start their names with Jin ("gold"). Lieyu Township encompasses the entire Lesser Quemoy Island, and is closest to Xiamen. Wuciou Township is comprised of Greater Ciou Islet (大坵) and Lesser Ciou Islet (小坵).

Jincheng and Jinsha are the largest of the six counties. Altogether, there are 37 Quemoy villages, Three of which -- all in Jhen (鎮, Zhen) -- are Li-village (里), the rest are Cun-villages (村).