Pingtan Island | Houyan Island

| Houyan Island. A small island facing Taiwan across the sea, it is only 68 nautical miles, equivalent to 126 kilometers, from Hsinchu Nanliao Fishing Port in Taiwan. Named Houyan Island, Pingtan has built a monument on Houyan Mountain that is 3 meters tall and 5 meters wide, marking the closest point of mainland China to Taiwan Island. The monument is inscribed with the vermilion characters 'The shortest distance between mainland China and Taiwan Island is 68 nautical miles, China·Pingtan', and it is carved with a map showing the locations of both sides of the strait. Standing by the sea, constantly battered by wind and waves, the island is full of rugged rocks and sparse vegetation, a typical representative of Pingtan Island where 'only rocks grow, not grass'. Across the entire Houyan Island, wherever you look, there are rocks. And these rocks are all unique, each with its own characteristics. Some are deep red with very smooth surfaces; others are dark grey with strange shapes; the most common are the large blocks of light yellow rocks, many of which are covered with green plants that have grown tenaciously. The scattered large rocks, the fishing boats moored here, and the faint smoke from distant homes all set against this tranquil bay, as if there is a soul-stirring charm to it.