A trove of Qing Dynasty headstones has been unearthed at a public cemetery in Changhua County’s Lugang Township (鹿港), shedding light on the township’s early history.
The discovery was made during renovation work at the cemetery.
Cultural Affairs Bureau Director Chen Wen-pin (陳文彬), who inspected the site on Tuesday last week, said he has called a halt to the renovation and would consult with experts to identify and preserve the headstones.
Photo courtesy of Chen Shi-hsien
The township office contacted the county government immediately after it was informed about the discovery, Lugang Secretary Lin Wei-jen (林威任) said.
Many of the headstones date to 1872, when Jingyi Yuan (敬義園), a charitable organization, built a public cemetery for unclaimed dead women in the township, Changhua Cultural Heritage Society honorary president Chen Shih-hsien (陳仕賢) said.
The Japanese colonial government in the 1930s relocated the unnamed graves and the headstones from the original site to the current location, which explains their discovery, he said.
Founded by local gentry in 1777, Jingyi Yuan was one of the oldest charitable organizations in Taiwan and the eight great merchant families of old Lukang had contributed to its work, Chen said.
In addition to unnamed graves, headstones belonging to local poets and other literary figures were also found, he said, adding that the headstones have historical value due to their excellent condition.
The county government should preserve the headstones and inscriptions of the township in a collection, especially as a local history museum is being planned for the Fusin Grain Warehouse, Chen said.
FUKUOKA SITUATION: Japanese media reported that the pathogen is expected to be identified by the summer, while the CDC downplayed the idea that it was hMPV A “mysterious cold-like illness” reported in Japan’s Fukuoka Prefecture does not seem to be a new disease, but Japanese authorities have been asked about the situation, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) said yesterday. The Fukuoka Prefectural Medical Association on Wednesday told a news conference that a “mystery cold” that has become a hot topic on social media is “highly likely to be caused by some kind of viral infection,” Japan’s KBC News reported. “Many people are experiencing symptoms starting with a sore throat, followed by a runny nose, phlegm and a severe cough,” KBC News reported, citing association officials. Health authorities are
Nvidia Corp CEO Jensen Huang (黃仁勳) arrived in Taiwan yesterday ahead of upcoming AI and technology events, saying he plans to meet with clients and Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co Chairman C.C. Wei (魏哲家) during his visit. After landing at Taipei Songshan Airport, Huang posed for photos with fans and handed out Yakult drinks to reporters and supporters waiting at the scene, saying he has “a lot to do” during the trip. Asked about reports that Nvidia’s planned headquarters site in Taipei’s Beitou Shilin Technology Park could break ground on May 27, Huang said that if the company holds an event, he would
The Ministry of Finance this afternoon announced the winning numbers for the March-April uniform invoice lottery. The winning number for the NT$10 million (US$318,060) special prize is 19531471, and the winning number for the NT$2 million grand prize is 85941329. Three numbers were drawn for the NT$200,000 first prize: 07225810, 20231230 and 83518781. Those with receipts matching the last seven digits of any of the first-prize numbers will win the NT$40,000 second prize, while those matching the last six digits will win the NT$10,000 third prize. Those whose receipts match the last five digits of the first-prize numbers can claim the NT$4,000 fourth prize,
Taiwan Travelogue (臺灣漫遊錄), which earlier this week became the first Taiwanese novel to win the International Booker Prize, is to be adapted into a television series through a Taiwan-Japan coproduction, producer Chang Chen-yu (張辰漁) said yesterday. Chang, a producer at World Softest Production Film Co, wrote on Facebook that the company had been searching for projects with international appeal that retain a strong Taiwanese identity after colleagues and Japanese partners strongly recommended the novel. After reading the book, Chang said he immediately decided to pursue the screen rights. “A great story has the power to transcend time and borders, and connect countless people,”
RSS