Written by Craig Ferguson / Translation by Eric Lee

From major city to small, sleepy tourist town, Lugang is situated in Changhua County, Central Taiwan, a major rice growing area. Lugang is the location for some of Taiwan’s most important temples.

The Longshan Temple is believed to be the first Buddhist temple built in Taiwan, and worships Guanyin, the Goddess of Mercy. Originally constructed in 1653, it was moved to its present location in 1786.

The Martial Temple is dedicated to Guan Gong, the God of War. Guan Gong is a symbol of righteousness, loyalty and bravery, as well as being the God of Commerce, worshiped by businessmen for his financial abilities. This temple is a popular spot for filming TV shows and movies.

The Wenkai Academy was a pioneer in developing the school system in the area. The county chief, Deng Chuan An commissioned its construction and with the support of the local trade unions in the early 19th century, purchased 300 000 books and hired scholars to teach the local students.

Tucked away in a small side street behind the Wenwu Temple is Yangciao Park. During the Qing dynasty, a local government official, Yang Gui-shen, commissioned a bridge to be built over the Fulu River. After completion, this bridge became the main passage connecting Lugang with southern Taiwan. In 1939, a flood destroyed the original bridge and a miniature replica was constructed by the government in 2001 and renamed Yangciao Park.

Leaving the Di Zang Wang temple and moving away from the tourist trail, it’s time to do a little exploring in the outskirts of town. Lugang is bounded to the south by the town of Fuxing, which is separated from Lugang by the Fulu River. The Arch Bridge across the river, on Yenhai Rd Sec 5, is quite picturesque, and the river itself is the scene for the annual Dragon Boat races.

Heading off the main streets and into the back streets leads one to Lugang’s restored “old streets” and numerous temples. The old market streets are narrow, brick lanes lined with restored buildings that now mostly house stores selling trinkets, artwork and souvenirs. Starting from the northernmost end, we have Rih Mao Hang. This building belonged to Lin Wen-rui, owner of the Rih Mao Company and influential member of Ciyuan Jiao, Lugang’s major trade union during the Qing dynasty. Lin Wen-rui was the richest person in Lugang at the time.

Continuing down the old street, we arrive at the Sinzu Temple, dating from 1788. In 1786, Lin Shuang-wen led a rebellion against the Qing court in China and subsequently occupied Taiwan. General Fu Kang-an was sent to Taiwan, tasked with wiping out the rebels. In 1787, he landed at Lugang and stated that his troops were aided by the goddess Mazu. To show thanks to Mazu, he received permission from the Emperor to build a new Mazu temple in Lugang. Originally, the only people allowed inside the Sinzu temple were government officers of the Qing dynasty. The original building was razed during war and subsequently rebuilt. The temple is now open to everyone, and houses some important historical data from the early Lugang era.

Lugang is famed for its incense manufacturing. A lot of this is small, family-owned businesses working out of their homes. Incense is very important in Daoist and Buddhist religious activities. Burning incense is a method of purifying the surroundings, making for auspicious conditions conducive to ritual. Although the use of incense is common to all religions, it was traditional Chinese religion that first developed the practice.

One of the more popular lanes in Lugang is known as Nine Turns Lane. Every year, beginning in about September, Lugang is heavily influenced by northeast winds that blow dust into the town. To counteract these winds, lanes are often designed with numerous turns to protect against damage caused by the “September winds”. The name “Nine Turns Lane” doesn’t refer to the exact number of turns, rather it references the ninth month, September, and the fact that the number nine often represents “many” in Chinese culture. This lane has recently had its name changed. It’s now called Chinsheng Lane.

And so that concludes the wanderings through Lugang. I’ll leave you with the moon rising over the Tian Ho temple. Hope you’ve enjoyed the tour.