Lukang Town

Lukang Town

Lukang Town is located on the northern bank of the Lukang River, about 12 kilometers from the county seat of Changhua and 2–3 kilometers from the sea. It borders the Taiwan Strait to the west, and faces Xiushui Township, Fuxing Township, Xianxi Township, and Hemei Town to the east, south, and north respectively. Covering an area of 39.46 square kilometers, it has a population of 85,000. One theory suggests that the town got its name during the Dutch era, when it was a major port exporting large quantities of deer hides.

Legend has it that Lukang is the dragon head of Changhua County’s dragon vein. Coincidentally, historians refer to the period from the 23rd year of Emperor Kangxi’s reign in the Qing Dynasty (when Taiwan was established as a prefecture), until the 20th year of Emperor Daoguang’s reign when the five treaty ports were opened to trade — a span of over 150 years — as Taiwan’s cultural “Lukang Period.” Viewed this way, Lukang truly lives up to its reputation as a dragon land. This auspicious ground began to prosper after the Qing court opened trade between Fujian’s Hanjiang and Lukang in the 49th year of Emperor Qianlong’s reign. Zhuang Yanyu, a specialist in Lukang’s folk culture, points out that the Qianlong and Jiaqing eras marked the golden age of Lukang. The dense concentration of temples and historic sites today stands as testament to the town’s former economic and social vibrancy, as well as its brilliant cultural achievements. In terms of its harbor and street layout, Lukang retains the charm of Quanzhou on the mainland China, earning it the reputation of being “as bustling as a miniature Quanzhou.”