Obstacles

I. Silting of harbor

     Smoothness of circulation of harbor is the key of businessmen’s trading. However, due to flood of Zhuoshui River, sedimentation of Lukang harbor was severe. Sediment accumulation has been recorded in 1717. In late years of Jiaqing, harbor channel was narrow and the ships encountered the difficulty to stay. Circulation of merchant ships changed to Wang Gong. In the years of Daoguang, Wang Gong harbor was silted up and circulation of merchant ships turned to Fan Zai Wa (Fangyuan Township nowadays). In 1860, after the agreement of Convention of Peking, the Qing court liberated 4 harbors, Tamsui, Keelung, Anping and Ta-kau, to trade with foreign countries. Number of merchant ships in Lukang declined. In the years of Tongzhi, Fan Zai Wa harbor was silted up and circulation of large ships was hindered. Thus, Chong Si harbor was constructed at the distance of two kilometers from Gang Si; in 1898, Zhuoshui River was flooded again and Chong Si harbor was silted up. Thus, Fulong harbor was constructed at the mouth of Yang Zai Chu River. Nevertheless, circulation of sailboats only relied on rising tide. From the harbor to Lukang street, it must depend on bamboo raft; during late Japanese Colonial Period, channel of Lukang harbor was narrow and shallow and even small boats could not anchor. Thus, the literati described Lukang as follows: “the boats no longer anchor and only sea gulls stay at the dike”.

II. Chao-chuen Tai incident

　　In March 1862, Chao-chuen Tai rose the rebellion and occupied the villages in Changhua. The rich families abandoned the fields and escaped. However, Yao Chen (the eldest son of Tsung-huang Chen) actively launched the defensive preparation, recruited the strong soldiers, prepared the weapons, constructed trenches and established Chong Gui. He invited the alliance of Ruan and Lin to resist the enemy. In July 1862, Chao-chuen Tai considered Yao Chen as difficult opponent and thus he dispatched part of the army to prevent Yao Chen from rescuing the neighboring village. Subsequently, he attacked villages of Lin and Ruan by most of the military force. The two villages were hence completely destroyed. Yao Chen resisted at all efforts by his sharp sword. Servant of Chen recruited 200 people from Ching-chuan Chen of San Chia Chun to assist with Yao Chen. In Singang, they recruited hundreds of qualified men from Ko and Yao. They cooperated with the rest of the army in villages of Ruan and Lin. At the time, four cannons arrived in Lukang and finally they fought back the army of Tai. Because of the success of the battle, Lukang and coastal villages were protected. People admired him as a person with attack and defense abilities.

     At the beginning, alliance of Lin, Chen and Ruan agreed to share the expenses of army. However, the rebellion was put down after three years and the expenses were more than 200,000 dollars. Lin and Ruan regretted it and Family Chen undertook the responsibility which affected significantly the capital of Ching Chang Store. Descendants of Family Chen described the price paid by Family Chen in the battle as “producing weapons by gold and silver”.

( Source of text: Development History of Lukang and
History of Shi-yi Building and Yi Building and Blog of Teacher Yan-yu Chuang )