Archaeological evidence of prehistoric cultures dating back 4500 years before present was found in Nangang Village in 1983.[13]:312,314 There were residents on the island during the Ming dynasty.[13]:312
The island came under Qing control in 1683 after the Battle of Penghu. In the early Qing, the island was known as "South Island" (南嶼)[14] and "Southern Big Island" (南大嶼).[1] The residents of the island were moved to nearby Wang-an and the island was declared permanently off-limits for human habitation.[13]:312 The oldest temple on the island was established in 1706.[13]:312 By the end of the Qing period, the island was generally referred to as "Big Island" (大嶼).[1][15] The island was ceded to Japan in 1895.[13]:312
Japan took control of the area during the Pescadores Campaign (1895). During Japanese rule, the island was a She (社) under Mōan (望安庄; now Wangan) called Ō-shima (大嶼).[1] The Qimei Lighthouse was constructed in 1939, the final lighthouse built in Taiwan during Japanese rule.[16] In 1944, the area was administered as Taisho Village (大嶼庄), Mōan Subprefecture (望安支廳), Hōko Prefecture.[1]
The handover of Taiwan to the Republic of China occurred in 1945. Ta Hsü Township (Dayu; 大嶼鄉) was established on December 11, 1945.[1] The island and township were renamed "Chimei/Cimei/Qimei" in 1949 to commemorate a legend (七美人塚) from the Ming dynasty, in which seven women committed suicide when pirates raided the island.[13]:212[11]The name also connotes seven beautiful things as the island's tourist attractions: the scenery, the seawater, local products, people's hearts, the geology, the architecture, and the history.[citation needed]
In 1966, President Chiang Kai-shek conducted an inspection of the island.[13]:313
On April 20, 2002, President Chen Shui-bian visited the island and delivered remarks on healthcare services in the area.[17]
On October 24, 2019, at around 8 AM, two sand smuggling ships from China with a total crew of twenty-eight were apprehended in the waters southwest of the township.[18][19][20][21]
Geography
Map of Cimei (labeled as Ō-SHIMA (Daisho-tō)) and surrounding areas (1944)Map including Cimei (labeled as TA HSÜ (Ō-SHIMA) 大嶼) (1950)Map including Cimei (labeled as CHIMEI) (NIMA; comp. 1974, rev. 2000)
Cimei is 6.99km2 in area with a coastline of 14.4 kilometers and a population of about 3,909 people. Composed mostly of basalt formations, the island is the fifth largest island in the Penghu Archipelago.
歷史沿革. 澎湖縣七美鄉公所 [Cimei Township Hall, Penghu County] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 16 June 2016. Retrieved 26 October 2019. 七美鄉因位於澎湖群島的最南端，清朝初期稱為「南嶼」或「南大嶼」，但因一般人認為其面積在澎湖群島以南的離島中是最大的，所以在清末民初又回復稱為「大嶼」。日據時代「大嶼」是「望安庄」管轄下的一「社」，至民國卅三年八月才由「望安庄」分出，成為「大嶼庄」，民國卅四年十二月十一 日改為「大嶼鄉」，到民國卅八年，當時劉燕夫縣長（澎湖第四任縣長）為感念七美人貞烈節操及動人的事蹟，乃邀集地方仕紳研商更改地名，並呈報予省府奉准更名，原「大嶼鄉」於是改名為「七美鄉」作為永久誌念，以迄於今，目前鄉內轄下有東湖、西湖、中和、平和、海豐和南港等六村。
地理位置. Cimei Township Hall, Penghu County 澎湖縣七美鄉公所 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 14 November 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2019. 七美島位置為東經119度 40分，北緯23度16分，距離馬公約29海浬（36公里 ）東距台南約 48海浬，南下高雄約58海浬。全島總面積約6.99平方公里，周圍長度14.40公里 ，乃一塊切割之方山島嶼，面積為澎湖群島第五大島。
"PENGHU From island to island"(PDF). Penghu County Government. 2010s. p.2. Retrieved 27 October 2019. Cimei Island 七美人塚{...}Jheng Yi Cave Tan Zih Port Cimei Airport Nioumuping Jhongjheng Park Fenchazih Cimei Township Hall Cimei Township Cimei Visitor Information Center Cimei Lighthouse
"Chimei Introduction". 澎湖縣七美鄉公所 [Cimei Township Hall, Penghu County]. Retrieved 27 October 2019. As Cimei is located at the southernmost tip of the Penghu islands, it was known during the early Qing Dynasty as "Nanyu" (South Island) or "Nandayu" (Large South Island).{...}Jhonghe Village, Cimei Township, Penghu County, Taiwan(R.O.C.)
"Village Profiles"(PDF). Cimei Township Hall Penghu County. Retrieved 26 October 2019. VILLAGE PROFILES CIMEI TOWNSHIP Donghu Village Shihu Village Pinghe Village Jhonghe Village Haifong Village Nangang Village
"Location and Jurisdiction". 臺灣澎湖地方檢察署 [Taiwan Penghu District Prosecutors Office]. 17 May 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019. The Penghu District Prosecutors Office is located in Magong, Penghu. The area of our jurisdiction includes six administrative districts. They are Magong City, Husi Township, Baisha Township, Siyu Township, Wangan Township, and Cimei Township, totaling 126.86 square kilometers with a population of around 92,250.
Liu Yu-chin; Sherry Hsiao (23 October 2018). "Hujing Island eyes revival of tourism with cat focus". Taipei Times. Retrieved 26 October 2019. Hujing is an 18-minute boat ride from Magong City (馬公), seat of Penghu County. It used to be a popular tourist destination, but has gradually faded into the background with the rise in popularity of Cimei Island (七美).
Hsiao-Ming Chang; Chin-Lung Chou; Cheng-Lung Wu (29 June 2017). "DESTINATION TOURISM INFORMATIONSOURCES, TRIP QUALITY AND BEHAVIORAL INTENTION FOR ISLAND TOURISTS". International Journal of Information Technology and Business Management: 34. Retrieved 27 October 2019– via ResearchGate. In the administrative area, including: Magong City, Siyu, Baisha, Husi, Wangan, and Cimei Townships, in the prefecture as well as among National Scenic Area and Marine National Park.{...}Cimei
1.7-鄉鎮市區戶口數[Population for Township and District]. Ministry of the Interior. August 2020. Retrieved 21 September 2020. 七美鄉 Cimei Township 6.9868 1,420 3,879 1,988 1,891 105.13 2.73 555
Robert Kelly; Joshua Samuel Brown, eds. (March 2011). Taiwan. Lonely Planet (8ed.). Singapore. p.301. ISBN9781741790436. CHIMEI七美鄉 Chimei (Qīměi) means 'Seven Beauties' and refers to a legend (a somewhat common one in Chinese culture) involving seven women who, in the Ming dynasty, threw themselves into a well rather than lose their chastity to Japanese pirates.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
"Qimei Island". Tourism Bureau, Republic of China (Taiwan). 18 March 2019. Retrieved 27 October 2019. Qimei is the southernmost island in the Penghu archipelago. There is a moving story behind the name of the island, which means Seven Beauties.
七美嶼燈塔. 交通部航港部 [Maritime and Port Bureau] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Archived from the original on 1 September 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019. 西元1939年完工之七美嶼燈塔，位於澎湖縣七美嶼南角崖頂，又稱「南滬燈塔」，是日本人在台灣興建的最後一座燈塔。
總統至澎湖望安鄉及七美鄉視察醫療及後送業務情況. 中華民國總統府 [Office of the President Republic of China (Taiwan)] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 20 April 2002. Retrieved 27 October 2019. 隨後，總統也前往七美鄉衛生所聽取，相關簡報及視察醫療設施。
2陸船盜澎湖海砂量破萬噸 28人全收押. 經濟日報 Economic Daily News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 26 October 2019. Archived from the original on 5 December 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019. 澎湖地檢署指出，「豐溢9969」康姓船長等9人、「長鑫36」陸姓船長等19人，24日上午8時左右，涉嫌在澎湖縣七美鄉西南側「臺灣淺堆」抽取海砂，並將盜抽的海沙放置在運砂船上。
陸抽砂船澎湖盜採海砂 2船28人法院裁押. 中央通訊社Central News Agency (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 26 October 2019. Retrieved 26 October 2019. 海巡署與澎湖縣政府聯手在台灣淺堆查扣大陸「豐溢9969」抽砂船、「長鑫36」運砂船盜採海砂，包括康姓與陸姓船長等28人，經檢方聲押，澎湖地院在昨天深夜裁定全數羈押並禁止接見通信。{...}台灣淺堆一般俗稱「南淺」，位於澎湖海域西南側，在澎湖七美嶼西南方30浬外，
陳鴻偉 (26 October 2019). 大陸船偷抽澎湖海砂 海巡攔截逮28人. China Times (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 26 October 2019. 海巡署指出，位在澎湖七美鄉西南的「臺灣灘」海域，是中華民國專屬經濟海域，富含天然資源，是土魠魚、小卷等經濟魚類重要繁殖水域，大陸籍漁船偷抽海砂，將造成海底砂石及地形異動，嚴重破壞海洋環境及自然生態。 大陸籍「豐 o 號」抽砂船及「長 o 號」運砂船，24日上午8時出現在該海域抽砂，我方海巡艦艇當場攔截，將兩船28人全數逮捕，漁船也扣回至隊部，全案並依中華民國專屬經濟海域及大陸礁層法第 18 條送辦，移送後因有再犯之虞，船長船員全部遭到羈押。
"Chinese detained over dredging near Penghu". Taipei Times. 28 October 2019. Retrieved 3 November 2019. The dredging was discovered on Thursday in shallow coastal waters known as the Taiwan Bank during a joint patrol by the coast guard and the Penghu County Government.{...}The area where the dredging was discovered is about 30 nautical miles (55.5km) southwest of Cimei Township (七美) and is the habitat and breeding ground for many species vital to Penghu's fishing industry.
"Precinct". Penghu County Government. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 26 October 2019. The names of 6 villages in Qimei Township Sihu, Donghu, Jhonghe, Pinghe, Nangang and Haifong.
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Penghu
