﻿ Of grottoes and graves - Taipei Times Sun, Jul 18, 2004 - Page
18　News List  Of grottoes and graves   A small population and an
interesting history make Hsiao Liuchiu a great get-away.   Few
of Taiwan's tourist destinations have the natural assets of
Hsiao Liuchiu, (小琉球) a gem of an island that lies just a
20-minute boat ride south of Kaohsiung. Even fewer suffer the
unique problem that prevents the residents here from developing
their tourism infrastructure: On Hsiao Liuchiu, the dead have
more say than the living.  A quick ride around the island
reveals why: nearly every plot of "undeveloped" land has been
taken up by graves. What's more, the nicer the plot -- with,
say, a postcard view of the setting sun -- the more graves there
are.  Liuchiu, as residents call it, is just 6.8km2 with a
population of some 13,000 residing in eight villages. With just
10 surnames between them, they are keenly aware of just whose
graves occupy their backyards. Most residents live on the
northern side of the island near the