Huai-Cheng Chen

     Courtesy name of Huai-cheng Chen (1877-1940) was Huai-ting. He was the grandson of Ko-chuan Chen. He was talented, enjoyed study and mastered poetry, script in small characters and temperament.

( Retaken from History of Shi-yi Building and Yi Building )

     In 1897, Huai-cheng Chen participated in “Lu Wan Poetry Society” founded by old literary people. In 1902, he and gentry poetry society friends of Taichung founded “Li Poetry Society” and was listed as one of “nine elderly founders”. In 1914, he established “Lujiang Poetry Society” with poets in Lukang. In 1921, he integrated poetry societies in Lukang with other poets as “Da Ye Poetry Society” which was external society of “Li Poetry Society”.

     Early work of Huai-cheng was mostly refined with expressive emotion. After Treaty of Shimonoseki which ceded Taiwan to Japan, the style of his work became sorrowful and he grieved the destroyed country by reserved writing. He experienced the change of governance in 1985 and had undertaken the post as street chief since 1919. In his poetry “Self-Narration at 50”, he expressed the contradiction to serve at public position by the governance of other country. He was gratified that he did not shame the ancestors. However, he was uneasy to undertake the post. It shows that the poet intended to contribute to the village and concerned about losing national integrity.

     In Literature Development History of Changhua County, he and Chiao-nan Lu, Pao-lien Ting, Mei-chiao Shih, Tai-yueh Chuang and Chia-pen Shih were considered as those “who implemented cultural resistance against Japan by organizations”. They handed down Qin Yuan Shih Cao and Collection of Chi Guang to later generations.

     Huai-cheng Chen often invited Li Poetry Society poets to hold the poetic meeting in Shi-yi Building of Lukang. Among the poems of Li Poetry Society, some described Shi-yi Building as the topic and some mentioned Shi-yi Building in the poems. They vividly depicted the banquets in Shi-yi Building, the hosts’ hospitality and the poets’ friendship.