Lukang Salt Industry Development
According to local elders, the Hexing Police Station was originally a building related to the Lukang Salt office in the Qing Dynasty.
At that time, the Salt office was mainly responsible for dispatching salt in the central area of Taiwan
Let's learn more about the development of Lukang Salt Industry together!!
Qing Dynasty rule(1684-1894)
Lukang is a distribution center for salt in central Taiwan. At that time, no salt fields were set up, and salt was transported from the south to Lukang by boat, and then transferred to the central regions.
Therefore, the merchants who opened boat shops in Taiwan at that time all got rich from salt, such as: Rimao Hang(日茂行) lin's family in Lukang.
Rimao Hang (日茂行) was the biggest trade firm of Quan Guild(泉郊), the wealthiest merchant of Lukang during the Qing Dynasty.
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Xinzu Temple (新祖宮) was built in 1787 and is the only official Mazu temple in Taiwan.
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Japanese rule(1895-1945)
In the early days of Japanese rule, the free trade of salt was opened, and Taiwanese were encouraged to open up salt fields.
However, in 1899, it was changed to government monopoly, and salt bureaus were set up in various places to deal with the purchase and sale of salt.
The Lukang Salt Bureau borrowed the current Xinzu Temple(新祖宮) as the office , and it was not until 1907 that another land was found to build a new office.
Gu Xianrong(辜顯榮), represented the people to request the return of the temple property, and Xinzu Temple(新祖宮) was turned back into a temple until now.
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Gu Xianrong (辜顯榮 1866-1937) was born in Lukang. During the Japanese rule period, he became a wealthy businessman by guiding the Japanese army into Taipei City.
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Lukang opens up salt field
In 1900, because the Lukang harbor was silted and shallow and gradually lost its navigational profits, it declined. Merchants such as Gu Xianrong(辜顯榮) and Shi Lai(施來) successively opened up salt fields in Lukang.
Based on the current geographical location, it is probably located in the coastal area north of Jiulugang River, west of Lucao Road, and south of Yangzaicuo River.
In 1941, the government implemented a policy of unifying the salt industry and to meet the needs of the war, forcibly expropriated all private salt-making companies.
Lukang Salt Field was once the largest salt field in Taiwan. In its heyday, it was also known as the four largest salt fields in Taiwan along with Budai, Beimen and Anping.
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Republic of China period(1945-now)
The Lugang Salt Fields continued to be taken over by the government. Salt workers live hard and do not have a stable salary. Most families need to supplement their livelihoods with fishing and oyster raising.
Later, due to unfavorable factors such as natural environment, natural disasters, and high labor costs,
the area of Lugang Salt Fields gradually shrunk. Although it reluctantly continued to operate, it was always operating at a loss, so it was decided to abandon it year by year. It was completely abandoned in 1964 and changed to farmland or fish farm.
Receipt of goods purchased by Lugang Salt Office from Dehe Trading Company
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In 1954, the Changhua County Council proposed to retain the Lukang Salt Fields to maintain the supply and marketing of salt in the central region and to maintain the livelihood of the salt workers.
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Lugang Salt Field has become a historical term,
and only the relevant place names remain.
The place name related to the Lukang Salt Fields is still retained-telegraph pole
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The place name related to the Lukang Salt Fields is still retained- temple spell
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Article Source
- Wikipedia - Lukang Salt Fields
- Wikipedia - History of Taiwan's salt industry
- FB Taste Lukang."Hexing police station and dormitory area"
- FB National History Museum Taiwan Archives."Lugang Salt Bureau Office Building"
- National History Museum Taiwan Archives."The salt monopoly business unit in the early days of Taiwan's Japanese occupation - Taiwan Salt Bureau"
- National History Museum Taiwan Archives."Gu Xianrong and Lukang Xinzu Temple"
- Shiqin,Li. "The Rise and Fall of Lukang Salt Fields and the Ups and Downs of Salt Workers." Lukang Times. 09,13,2018
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