Lukang (Lugang) History

History

Lukang translates as ‘deer harbour’, and earlier large herds of deer gathered here in the lush meadows adjacent to one of the best natural harbours on the west coast. In the 17th century the Dutch came to hunt and trade pelts (which they sold to the Japanese to make samurai armour) and venison. Trade continued into the 18th century and Lukang became one of the most thriving commercial cities and ports in Taiwan. Over the years settlers from different provinces and ethnic groups in China made their home here and, almost as a gift to the future, left a legacy of temples and buildings in varying regional styles.

In the 19th century, silt deposits began to block the harbour and in 1895 the Japanese closed it to all large ships. The city began to decline. To make matters worse, conservative elements in Lukang refused in the early 20th century to allow trains and modern highways to be built near their city. Lukang became a backwater, only to be reborn decades later when modern Taiwanese began to search for a living connection with the past.