Lugang

Lugang Township is located in central Taiwan's Changhua County, at the edge of the coast plain. It is one of the most important historical and cultural towns in Taiwan. The name "Lugang" means "Deer Harbor" in Chinese, for the town was a thriving harbor in the 1600s. However, today, severe silting of the sea and the Lugang River have left it some distance from the shore.

The climate in Lugang is temperate to tropical. Summers here are hot, with occasional thunderstorms. While the spring and fall have moderate temperatures, the winter is cool. From September to the following March, strong northeasterly monsoons blow in large amounts of sand and dust, forming what is known locally as the "September Winds".

The most fascinating aspect of Lugang is a number of ancient streets and lanes lined with traditional houses. The most unique of these are deep, narrow-fronted buildings that serve as stores and residences. This type of sky-lighted structure can be seen both along the Old Market Street and the Lugang Folk Arts Museum. Another significant traditional architectural style can be seen in many half-old, half-new residences with their front areas as shops. These buildings are products of the Japanese colonial occupation of Taiwan (1895-1945), when the front rooms of the buildings were dismantled because of road-widening projects. Modern arch-type facades were added later and used as shops.

Lugang is also famous for its many old temples, which are masterpieces of architecture. Local and international visitors are encouraged to carefully observe the delicate carvings and decorations on the works of art collected in these temples. All the palanquins and offering tables for the gods, as well as chairs and other furniture that transport the deities on their processions, are covered with exquisite woodcarvings. The religious images displayed in the temples are still in the traditional Chinese style.

Apart from important tourist attractions such as the Lugang Folk Arts Museum (see below), the Longshan Temple and the Tienho Temple, Lugang is famous for its good food. A local specialty is the "cow's tongue cake", which has crispy pastries outside and honey-flavored fillings inside and is best eaten hot. The cake is available from street vendors or from the numerous bakeries that line the streets. Meanwhile, in front of the Tienho Temple are many stores that offer delicious oyster omelets and oyster soup.

Local and international visitors will be interested in looking through the shops and factories, where all kinds of handicrafts are displayed. One can find statues, monuments, wood carvings, tables, paintings, embroidery and pottery. Artisans are on hand to explain how the goods are made in their traditional styles.

Lugang Folk Arts Festival

Every year, hundreds of thousands of local and international visitors come to Lugang to participate in its annual Folk Arts Festival. The four-day festival begins three days before the Dragon Boat Festival. It exhibits a variety of Chinese arts, including lantern making, top spinning, candy and dough sculpture, paper cutting and folding, oil paper umbrellas, kite making and flying, Chinese macramé, wood carving and puppet shows.

Lugang Folk Arts Museum

The Lugang Folk Arts Museum houses a fascinating collection of Ming and Ching dynasty artifacts -- vintage photos, lacquer ware, porcelain, carved stone, embroidery, musical instruments and other items. The building is an interesting blend of Asian and Western architecture.

Nine-Turns Lane and Shih Yih Hall

The Nine-Turns Lane in Lugang is also known as the Chihsheng Lane. It was built with many turns and curves to prevent the entry of bandits and avoid damage from the aforementioned "September Winds". Today, the lane has been modernized, but visitors can still feel an unusual sense of space.

At one part of the Nine-Turns Lane, an elevated corridor connects buildings on the two sides of the lane and gives access to the Shih Yih Hall, which was a meeting place for the literati in Lugang in the past. Next to the Shih Yih Hall is the Gun Tower, which was used for defending against the bandits.

Half-Side Well

In the past, only the wealthy could afford to dig a well. Out of concern for those who were less fortunate, the owner of the Half-Side Well in Lugang kept only half of it for his own use and offered the other half as a water supply for those who could not afford their own wells. Today, the well is not used at all, but it still serves as a poignant reminder of the magnanimous spirit of the people in Lugang.

Remembrance Hall

The round windows of the Remembrance Hall in Lugang are made of tiles and in patterns of calabash gourds and ancient Chinese coins, which symbolize good fortune and wealth. While these unique window designs are a feature of the Remembrance Hall, they can also be glimpsed in Lugang's many lanes and alleys.

Taiwan Folk Village

The Taiwan Folk Village in Lugang is an open-air museum that boasts a collection of traditional buildings spanning 300 years of Taiwanese history. Local and international visitors come here every year to appreciate traditional crafts such as the making of incense, paper, rice wine, soy sauce and quilts.

Wenkai Academy, Civil Shrine and Martial Temple

The Wenkai Academy in Lugang is a structure that serves the functions of temple, shrine and school. It is a combination of education and religious worship, which is rarely seen elsewhere in Taiwan. Before the establishment of a formal school system in town, the Wenkai Academy nurtured a large number of Lugang's cultural elite.

The Civil Shrine here once housed Lugang's first literary group. On its walls are displays of the works of prominent Lugang calligraphers.

The main deity in the Martial Temple is the God of War, Kuan Kung (or Guan Gung), a symbol of uprightness and bravery. Since Kuan Kung as a famous general in Chinese history was good at accounting and the management of finances as well, he is also worshipped by business people as the God of Commerce.