Maroc - TAIWANTODAY.TW - Taiwan Review - 01/Feb 00:00

Timeless Charm: Part One

Centuries of prosperity still enrich religious and cultural life in Lukang Nestled on the coast of central Taiwan’s Changhua County, Lukang Township offers a rare window into the island’s past. Once a busy port trading in camphor, tea and sugar during the Qing dynasty (1644-1911), the town has a rich cultural heritage, yet embraces contemporary creativity. The town’s historic temples are its most iconic landmarks. The Lukang Tianhou Temple, dedicated to the revered sea goddess, Mazu, has stood in its current location since 1725 as a potent place of worship, credited with miracles such as ending the severe drought of 1960. Nearby, the Lukang Longshan Temple showcases stunning swallowtail roofs and intricate carvings of characters and stories from Taiwan’s spiritual traditions. Other architectural treasures, such as the red-brick Remembrance Hall, built in classical Minnan style, and the Shiyilou, a gathering place for poets and writers, reflect the artistic and intellectual sophistication of the merchant class. Lukang Old Street is a vibrant artery of daily life. Its charming original wood and brick structures house historic occupations. Visitors can savor iconic local delicacies such as cow tongue pastries–named for their shape not the filling– roasted wheat flour porridge and fried oysters. Cherished skills are passed down through generations of the same families, in the same carefully-maintained buildings, including making pressed incense tablets that are carved into pendants and silk flowers for wedding ornaments. While steeped in history, Lukang is also a hub of modern creativity. Guihua Lane Artist Village is a compound of old buildings repurposed for art and leisure activities, in keeping with the spirit of the past inspiring the present. In every corner of Lukang, there is a profound sense of continuity, where traditions are preserved and also reimagined. Whether through its timeless temples, enduring crafts or dynamic food culture, the town celebrates a heritage that continues to inform its future. Lukang invites reflection—not only on Taiwan’s history but also on how the echoes of the past enrich the present.   —Liu Kun-hao   Longshan Temple’s moon gate is a distinctive architectural element symbolizing harmony and facilitates the movement of worshippers around the halls and altars. Tianhou Temple consists of three halls with various representations of the goddess, from the dark Mazu blackened by centuries of incense, to the Gold Mazu, crafted in 2002 from more than 150 kilograms of gold donated by pilgrims. The wooden octagonal caisson ceiling dates from the temple’s 1831 reconstruction and is the oldest of its type in Taiwan. A traditional porridge made from roasted wheat flour has a rich, nutty flavor and can be eaten on its own or added like a custard to other ingredients. Steamed meat buns are a perennial favorite. There is a thriving fishing industry along the Changhua County coast evidenced by seafood snacks like fresh oyster fritters. Cow tongue-shaped pastries are known for their crisp, flaky texture. Leatherworker Shih Dun-ren meticulously creates a scene from the famous Song dynasty painting “Along the River During the Qingming Festival.” Shih Jiao-yon continues a five-generation legacy of crafting elaborate figurines from dough. Wu Yi-de adds vermillion touches to a traditional lantern at his father’s shop, the Wu Dun-hou Lantern Shop. Tinsmith Chen Jhih-sheng produces intricate temple sculptures in his Lukang workshop and has been recognized as a preserver of the traditional art form by Changhua County. Fifth generation wood sculptor Li Bing-guei was designated by the Ministry of Culture in 2013 as an important preserver of chisel technique and in 2018 by the same body as an important preserver of traditional wood carving. Wu Chao-syun displays his art in the characters for Lukang; he comes from a family of accomplished calligraphers as far back as his grandfather and has a studio where he creates and teaches. Shih Li-mei demonstrates the making of floral accessories from wound silk thread and wire which were traditionally part of wedding costumes for the bride and relatives. Lukang Folk Arts Museum, built in 1914 as the residence of the Ku family, is a private museum that showcases Lukang’s cultural heritage. Guihua Lane Art Village repurposes former buildings for use as artist studios and exhibition spaces.