Lukang, Changhua

Lukang 鹿港鎮 Lugang
Urban township
Lukang Township
Country	Republic of China
County	Changhua County
Government
• Type	Urban township
• Mayor	Huang Zhen-yan (DPP)
Population (February 2015)
• Total	86,112
Website	www.lukang.gov.tw

Lukang Longshan Temple

Mazu Temple

Lukang (Chinese: 鹿港; pinyin: Lùgǎng; Wade–Giles: Lu-kang; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Lo̍k-káng; literally: "deer harbour") is an urban township in northwestern Changhua County, Taiwan. The township is on the west coast of Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait. The township's name came from the port's trade of deerskins during the Dutch colonial period. Lukang was an important sea port in the 18th century and 19th century. It was the most populous city in central Taiwan until the early 20th century. In March 2012, it was named one of the Top 10 Small Tourist Towns by the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan.

Names

The township's name came from the port's trade of deerskins during the Dutch colonial period. Its old Taiwanese name was Lo̍k-á-káng (鹿仔港) and its shortened version is seen in English texts and maps as variants such as "Lok-kang", "Lokang", and "Lo-kiang".

In 2011, the Ministry of Interior decided to keep the historical Wade-Giles spelling (Lukang), and abandon the change to the Pinyin spelling (Lugang) that had been gradually taking place since Taiwan switched to Pinyin in 2009.

History

During the Qing Dynasty, the depth of Lukang's harbour and its proximity to Fujian province on mainland China made Lukang an important trading port. During Lukang's heyday from 1785 to 1845, Lukang's population reached 20,000. Lukang was Taiwan's second largest city after current Tainan and was larger than Bangka (now a district of Taipei), then the island's third-largest city.

The subsequent silting of the harbour and the city's refusal to allow railroads to pass through the city led to losses in trade in commerce, which, in turn led to Lukang's decline relative to other cities, which were experiencing considerable urbanization and population growth. This same decline, however, averted the modernization processes that demolished historical buildings in Tainan and Taipei, leaving Lukang preserved as it was in its heyday.

During the period of Japanese rule, the city was Taiwan's fifth most populous city, with a population of 19,805 according to the December 1904 census. The Hoklo people in the area were predominantly of Xiamen and Quanzhou origin, thereby speaking the Quanzhou dialect of Hokkien. Nanguan music is highly popular in Lukang and originates from Quanzhou.

In 1920, Lukang was governed as Rokkō Town (鹿港街) under Shōka District (彰化郡) of Taichū Prefecture.

Overview

Koo's Family Old House in central Lukang (see Koo Hsien-jung)

There are still many old temples in Lukang, such as Longshan Temple and Matzu Temple. The city boasts over 200 temples dedicated to a wide variety of folk deities. The town is also the origin of the terms ē-káng (下港) and téng-káng (頂港) used respectively to refer to southern Taiwan and northern Taiwan; the literal meanings of the terms are below the harbor and above the harbor.

The Yuzhenzhai (玉珍齋) cakes are famous local specialties, as well as Lukang's Ox Tongue Cakes (牛舌餅) and oyster pancakes. It will host the 2012 Taiwan Lantern Festival, beating out six other contenders.

• Area: 39.46 km²
• Population: 86,100 people (Dec. 2014)

Administrative divisions

Dayou Village, Zhongxing Village, Luojin Village, Shunxing Village, Pulun Village, Xingong Village, Yushun Village, Tungshi Village, Guocuo Village, Yongan Village, Jingfu Village, Taixing Village, Zhangxing Village, Xinghua Village, Longshan Village, Caiyuan Village, Jiewei Village, Zhaoan Village, Haipu Village, Yangcuo Village, Caozhong Village, Tounan Village, Shanlun Village, Dingpan Village, Toulun Village, Gouqi Village, Liaocuo Village, Tungqi Village, Dingcuo Village.

Infrastructure

• Hsingneng Power Plant
• Hsingyuan Power Plant

Tourist attractions

• BRAND'S Health Museum
• Chang Bin Show-Chwan Health Mall
• Eight Wonders
• Lukang Ai Gate
• Lukang Culture Center
• Lukang Folk Arts Museum
• Lukang Kinmen Hall
• Lukang Longshan Temple
• Lukang Rimao Hang
• Lukang Tianhou Temple
• Lukang Wen Wu Temple
• No Heaven Street
• Taiwan Glass Exhibition Hall

See also

• Changhua County

External links

• Lukang Township Office (English)