Zhutang Township, our hometown, is located in the southwest of Changhua County, on the west of Xizhou Township and Pitou Township, on the east of Dacheng Township, on the south of Erlin, and the Zhuoshui River is the border of Zhutang Township and Yunlin County. Because Zhutang Township is still far from the Taiwan Strait and very close to the Zhuoshui River, Zhutang Township is a good place. The whole land in Zhutang Township is flooded by Dungluo River and Xiluo River, and the whole land is located on the alluvial fan of Zhuoshui River . The entire area of Zhutang Township is 42.1622 square kilometers, all of which are flats. Eighty-five percent of the villagers are farmers , which is a very typical traditional agricultural town. This land has been accumulating over the years through Zhuoshui River, so the soil is fertile, the water is abundant, and the climate is mild. The main agricultural crop in the township is rice. About 3,600 hectares of land are used for rice cultivation, which is one of the best in Taiwan. The rice quality and per unit of area here won national championship. Others such as rice noodles, eggs, mushrooms, grapes, custard apples, dragon fruit, peaches, pears, watermelons are abundant. It seems that Zhutang township is the agricultural treasure.
The farmland of Zhutang Township is densely covered
Image source: google satellite map
The origin of the toponym "Zhutang" was named after the ancestors of the area because it was filled with reed bamboos and the swamps. Another view considered Zhutang produced rich bamboos and was full of ponds; therefore, we call Zhutang "Zhutou" in early periods . From the Qing period to the Japanese era, Zhutang Township was divided into the area of "Shengeng Fort", so early people also called Zhutang "Shengeng". After the restoration of Taiwan, the administrative unit renamed the toponym into Zhutang Township Office, setting mayor and villages. In Zhuatang township there are 14 villages including Xiauxi village, Tuku village, Neixin village, Yongan village, Tientou village, Shujiau village, Xinguang village, Zhutang village, Zhulin village, Zhuyuan village, Minjing village, Wuchuang village, Changan village and Xiqian village. According to researchers, the Cantonese immigrated to Changhua two times. The Hakka were the first immigrants. During the Japanese colonial period, because the Japanese set many large farms at Erlin and Beidou and it flooded along Zhuoshui River, many immigrants came here and reclaimed the land. Hence, during the Japanese colonial period, the distribution of the Cantonese in Changhua area was deeply converged. The Cantonese account for 100% in Shengeng Fort especially at Chungkengnei village, Dingxiqian village, Xichai village, Dingluntzu village, Tukutzu village and Chunke village. But because the Cantonese got along with the Minnan people for a long time, and assimilated into them, they almost no longer spoke Hakka and became Hoklo people. Because the process of integration of diverse, Zhutang township has possessed not only Minnan traditional culture, but also many of the characteristics of Hakka culture. Many residents in their leisure time will do some activities such as making farm tools with bamboos and Hakka dyeing cloth so many local artists arise here. At the entrance to Tuku village, there are typical works of art made by local artists such as the large cattle and farm tools made of bamboos.
The Hakka immigrants at Zhutang township mainly live around the north of Zhuoshui River and most of them live at Tientou village, Xinguang village, Xiqian village, Tuku village, Neixin village, Yongan village and Changan village. The central area among 14 villages is Tuku village. The toponym “Tuku” was called “Luliao” during the Japanese colonial period. And after the restoration of Taiwan, we call it “Tuku”. About the origin of the toponym "Tuku", some people say that the early residents made warehouses by soil; the others say that the soil usually stained farmers’ pants because of the low terrain. Our school “Tuku Elementary School” is located at Tuku village. Currently there are 41 students, 12 teachers and three staff officers. Tuku Elementary School is a beautiful and simple elementary school.
- Source:
- Chang-yuan Hong (101). Affections for Zhutang-Shengeng Zhutang Changhua County: Zhutang Township Office, Changhua County
- Zhutang Township Office (108). Township Introduction . Taken from https://town.chcg.gov.tw/chutang/01local/local01.asp
- Hakka Cloud (101). The Distribution of Hakkas and Their Ethnic Characteristics in the First Half of the 20th Century . Taken from https://cloud.hakka.gov.tw/details?p=%2067300
- Edited by Si-hai Hsieh (2004), "Second Album of Local History in Erlin District, Changhua County" ( Changhua County: Erlin Community College ) , Pages 41-48.
- Zhutang Township Office, Changhua County (107). The Plan of Zhutang Urban Rezoning. Changhua County Government.
- Hakka Cloud (106). Hoklos Introduction. Taken from https://cloud.hakka.gov.tw/details?p=%206149
- Changhua County Cultural Center (2005) "The Survey of the Hakka Group in Changhua County " (Changhua: Changhua County Cultural Center)
