In the 6th year of Emperor Yang’s Daye in the Sui Dynasty (610), Emperor Yang sent General Chen Leng of Huben Zhonglang and Zhang Zhenzhou, the imperial official of Chaojing, to land in Lugang and fight with the Pingpu tribe, killing their leader Huansika. La, captured the rest of the party, and from then on Han people gradually came here to trade with the aborigines.
Before the Qing Dynasty, Lukang Harbor was deep enough to berth giant ships and accommodate more than a hundred merchant ships. It was indeed a natural port. Among all the ports in Taiwan, Lukang is the closest to the mainland. The wind does not matter from north to south, and the time does not matter whether it is spring or winter. If we sail forward, we will reach Quanzhou at the eighth watch, Kaijiang at the ninth watch, and Xiamen at the twelfth watch. Therefore, Lukang Naturally, Tangshan has become the main entrance and exit for immigrants to Taiwan.
In the 19th year of Zheng Yongli in the Ming Dynasty (1666), the North Road Appeasement Department was established in today's Changhua, and the Han people began to reclaim the Changhua Plain. The first Han people who moved into Lukang were from Xinghua in Fujian Province, then from Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, and finally from Chaozhou and Zhuyi in Guangdong Province.
In the 22nd year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty (1683), Shi Lang destroyed Zheng Zheng of the Ming Dynasty, and the Qing Dynasty officially took over Taiwan. In the following year (the 23rd year of Emperor Kangxi), the Qing Dynasty adopted the suggestions of Shi Lang and others and promulgated three maritime prohibitions to restrict mainland ships. When people came to Taiwan, a naval flood garrison was set up. Later, a coastal defense officer and patrol officer were set up to inspect ships for illegally carrying prohibited items.
Despite the maritime ban, due to the shortage of rice grains in Zhiquan and Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, many smugglers smuggled themselves to Lukang, the rice distribution center, for trade. Therefore, there was still traffic between Lukang and the mainland, and immigrants smuggled in along with them. . In view of this, General Yongde of Fujian Province petitioned the Qing government in the 48th year of Qianlong's reign to establish the main entrance of Lukang, and set up a commissioner to govern according to the trade model between Xiamen and Lu'ermen. In the following year, he allowed the "Hongjiang Estuary of Jinjiang County, Quanzhou Prefecture, Fujian Province" and "Hongjiang Estuary" to be established. "Lu Tsai Port" in Changhua County, Taiwan Prefecture was officially opened. From then on, the gate of Lukang was opened wide, merchant ships gathered, the outskirts were crowded, the people's livelihood was prosperous, the city street was about three miles long, and Lu'ermen was still popular.
The sixty years from the 50th year of Qianlong to the end of Daoguang was especially the heyday of Lukang. Together with today's Tainan and Wanhua, it was known as "Yifu, Erlu, and Sanmonga" as the three major cities in Taiwan. The gateway, "Lukang Flying Sail" was a famous scenic spot at that time. The good times did not last long. In the last years of Jiaqing (about 1820), the Zhuoshui River carried a large amount of sediment, and Lukang gradually silted up and became a small port, making it difficult for merchant ships to berth. After the middle period of Jiaqing, merchant ships came and went from Wanggong Port (south of Lugang) gradually. During the Daoguang period, Wanggong Port saw siltation again, and then changed to Fanzidi (today's Fangyuan Township). During the Tongzhi period, Fanzai After digging, it became silted up; during the Guangxu period, a new port had to be built two miles west of the port, named "Chongxi Port".
After Taiwan was ceded to Japan in the 21st year of Guangxu (1895), Chongxi Port was moved to about 4 miles away from Lukang Street due to siltation, and its exit was blocked by several sandbars. In the form of the harbor, although large ships cannot enter or exit, sailing boats are still available. Due to its convenient location, it is still an important port in the central region.
In the 24th year of Guangxu (1898), Chongxi Port was blocked again due to flooding, so a new port was built downstream of Yangzicuo River on the outskirts of the town, named "Fulong Port", located on Lugang Street 6 kilometers northwest. However, sailing ships can only enter and leave Fulong Port during high tide, and then transport them to Lukang Street on bamboo rafts.
At the end of the Japanese occupation, the siltation of the sandbanks had reached a hopeless level, and even small ships could not berth in the harbor. At this time, the Sino-Japanese War broke out, and trade with the mainland was cut off. Same as the abandoned port. Although after the end of World War II, mainland sailing ships once resumed trade, it was only a short-lived phenomenon and was closed again after the Nationalist Government withdrew from Taiwan. Since then, Lukang's economy has plummeted, and many residents have been forced to go out to make a living, known as "Luqiao".
By car: It takes about 40 minutes to get from Taichung to Lukang. Take the expressway at the Changhua Interchange and go straight on County Road 142 for about 10km.