Rise of family

     Three buildings connected with Shi-yi Building were originally owned by Family Chen of Ching Chang Company. Thus, we first study the origin of Family Chen of Ching Chang Company. Since it was the remote past, we can only search for responses from the books:

I. Background

     Because of advantage of location, in early Qing dynasty, Lukang has been critical harbor in central Taiwan and it played significant role in development history of Taiwan. In 1784, Lukang exchanged the portals with Han Jiang Kou of Quanzhou, Fujian and the harbor was officially launched. Thus, in Lukang, commercial ships entered and the business opportunities were vigorous. “Lukang Fei Fan” was the well-known resort at the time. It also led to the special industry “guild” which means business association or association of colleagues. In the years of Jiaqing, there have been eight guilds, Guild Quan, Guild Sha, Guild Nan, Guild Gan, Guild of Oil, Guild of Sugar, Guild of Fabric and Guild of Dye. Besides cross-Strait trade, they also actively participated in local affairs, such as religious activities, social welfare and educational construction. They were local leading groups in Lukang.

     Among eight guilds, Guild Quan and Guild Sha were the most representative ones. Guild Quan and Family Lin of Ri Mao Company were the most well-known. In Guild Sha, Family Chen of Ching Chang Company was famous. Ri Mao Company was founded in the middle period of Qianlong. It originally sold salt and afterwards, they managed trading and became the leader in Guild Quan. It even guided eight guilds. However, with gradual difficulty in harbor business in Lukang, in the years of Daoguang, the business declined. In the economic depression, Ching Chang Company founded by Ko-chuan Chen replaced Ri Mao Company.

Lukang exchanges portals with Han Jiang (photo from Town History of Lukang)	Lukang Fei Fan (photo from Town History of Lukang)

II. Construction of Ching Chang Store

     The founder of “Ching Chang Store”, Ko-chuan Chen (1775-1861), had courtesy name as Tai Ching. In 1805, he arrived Taiwan by the sea when he was 30 years old. In the years of Daoguang, he founded “Ching Chang Store” in Lukang which was leading company of Lukang and Xiamen “Guild Sha”. The business was prosperous and it guided more than 100 firms in “Guild Sha”. He was the richest in the years of Daoguang and Xianfeng in Lukang. In the peak period, he owned 15 stores in Lukang and the square measure was broad, from No. 149, Zhongshan Rd. (Shi-yi Building) in the north to No. 121, Zhongshan Rd. (Yi Building) in the south. He had numerous fields and 13 and half houses for rent in Changhua County.

     Ko-chuan Chen founded Ching Chang Company. There was the legend of “little cook and big manager” in the place. It was said that one local person of Lukang founded one store and the owner inspected the store irregularly. Once at night, the owner inquired the store affairs and the chief did not know the responses. At the time, one cook responded to him fluently and was appreciated by the owner who authorized the store to the cook. In 1809, after Qian Tsai rebellion was put down, the owner never appeared. The store was thus continued by the cook Chen. In the story, the name of the store was Ching Chang Company and the little cook was Ko-chuan Chen.

Portrait of Ko-chuan Chen—No. 37 of Jinsheng Lane (provided by Yan-yu Chuang)

     Ko-chuan Chen was generous and devoted to local public welfare business. He had spent enormous money to reconciliate fighting between groups of Huang and Hsu and solved the case which had lasted for years. In the middle period of Daoguang, the palace was not restored for years. Businessmen of Guild Sha were invited to reconstruct it which was thus named Wan Shun Temple. He donated two hundred pieces as the allowance of the abbot. His position in Lukang was remarkable and he participated in donation, military reward and reconciliation of conflicts. He was one respectable figure at the time in Lukang.

III. Son of Ko-chuan Chen

     Ko-chuan Chen had 7 sons and 3 daughters. The eldest son, Chih-liu Chen (? -1871), also called Tzung-yuan Chen. As a student, he donated one thousand pieces to construct official building of Taiwan Prefecture and put down Chang-Quan battle. Thus, he was granted as Chief Secretary of the sixth rank official.

     The second son, Tsung-huang Chen (? -1868), had courtesy name as Zhi Mei. He passed the examination of the town in 1846 and was imperial candidate of Bingwu. He undertook the position as cabinet, also called “Hu Pu Zhu Shi” and was the sixth-rank official.

( Source of text: Research on Shi-yi Building, historical building of Lukang and
History of Shi-yi Building and Yi Building and Town History of Lukang: Figures )