Located at the north of Magong City (North Latitude 23’36’’), Baisha Township according to the Penghu County Tourism Development Plan belongs to “Baisha System of Taiwan Island Area” and “North Sea System of North Sea Area.” Baisha Township connects to Huxi Township and Magong City via Zhongcheng Bridge at its southeastern border and connects to Xiyu Township at its western side with Penghu Great Bridge.
 

        Surrounded by sea, Baisha has abundant ocean resources with seven inhabited islands and 21 uninhabited islands accounting for more than 40% of 65 islands in Penghu County. Baisha Island is a township and political and cultural center. Baisha Island is flat with the above mean sea level less than 20 meters and its topology gets more flattened from south to north.
 

        The south tip of the Island is Zhongtunyu, a square basalt mountain at the height of 10 to 15 meters. The mountain looks like a stone pier at the central of Penghu Island and Baisha Island and is named Zhongtun (the middle stone pier). Then there comes the highest point of Lookout Mountain in Houliou (35 meters above sea lePvel) followed by Daqiding Mountain in Tongliang 3 kilometers in the west (31 meters above sea level).
 

        The whole island, except for mountains, is flat. Xitongliang and Dongqitou are surrounded by bays on two sides. Alluvial sand accumulates around coastal areas of Chikan and Houliao. With shining coral rag under the sun as well as the winding white belt around the coast, the island is named Baisha Island.
 

History
 

        Located at the northern tip of Penghu Island, Baisha Island was named “Beishanyu” (Dingshan) in earlier years governing Baisha Island, Zhongtunyu, Niaoyu, Yuanbeiyu, Dacangyu, Mudouyu, and Jibeiyu on seven inhabited islands and 21 uninhabited ones. It used to the headquarters of white gravel and sand production. Although now the production became history, the Island is still named “Baisha.” Most residents on the Island are offspring of settlers coming from Quanzhou, Zhangzhou, and Kinmen during the Ming and Qing Dynasties. They arrived on the Island for shelter during storms (the original name of Houliou) and used their free to cultivate the land. Settlements were gradually formed.
 

        Since the official administration of the Yuan Dynasty, Baisha has been governed by Penghu. The establishment of “Ao” for political governance started in the Qing Dynasty. After several transformations and political reforms, different names were used for political governance at different times. Please see below:

• (1) The 23rd Year of Kangxi in the Qing Dynasty:The Qing Government set up Inspection Agency in Penghu to govern local political affairs with affiliated agencies of “Ao” which supervises “She.” In Penghu, there were “Watongao,” “Chikanao,” and “Jhenhaiao.”

• (2) The 5th Year of Yunzhan in the Qing Dynasty: Penghu was upgraded into a Police Headquarters and a General Judge was nominated while Baisha Area was divided into five “Aos” “Watongao,” “Tongliaoao,” “Chikanao,” “Jhenhaiao,” and “Jibeiao” to respectively govern “Watonggangshe,” “Houliaoshe,” “Gangweishe,” “Chengcianshe,” “Zhongtun;” “Tongliangshe,” “Changanzishe,” “Dachangshe;” “Dachikanshe,” “Niaoyushe;” “Zhanghaishe,” “Qitoushe,” “Gangzishe,” “Xiaochikanshe;” and “Jibeishe.”

• (3) Japanese Colonial Period: The “Ao-She” system was continuously adopted. In October of the 22nd Year of Quangxi Emperor, the Japanese Colonial Government combined five Aos of Baisha into “Dingshan Ao.” In the following year, the “Ao” Affairs Agency was changed into the “Ban” Affairs Agency and Dingshan were renamed as “Dachikan.” In July of the 24th Year of Guangxun Emperor, the administrative structure was re-adjusted and the “Ban” Affairs Agency” was changed into “Police Agency” governed by Penghu Agency. Three years later, in November of the 27th Year of Guangxu Emperor, the Police Agency was removed and an Affiliated Agency was set up while Dachikan Police Agency was changed into Dachikan Affiliated Agency. Between 1913 and 1917, Dachikan Affiliated Agency was abolished and three Districts, Watong, Chika, and Zhanhai, were set up directly governed by Penghu Agency. Under Districts, there were Shes affiliated in layers with Bao and Jia. Each District had its own Bao-Jia Office. It wasn’t until September 1920, that the local official system in Taiwan was reformed. Penghu Agency was changed into a County which governed affiliated villages. In 1926, Penghu again was restored as an Agency but the village system and district division remained until Taiwan was retroceded.

• (4)After Taiwan’s Retrocession: The Personnel System of Taiwan Province during that time enacted the “Organization Rules of County Governments of Taiwan Province” to set up districts under county but due to limited space of Penghu, there was only Wangan District governing Wangan and Dayu. Under District, there were townships and Dingshan Village was changed into Baisha Township. The Bao-Jia System was abolished and communities were set up as the basic unit.

• (5) After Implementation of Local Autonomy in 1950: Combined communities became independent and have been governed by Administrative Community Agencies directly supervised by their Township Offices.