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History and Legendary Traditions |
Longtan (龍潭), the pond of the dragon,
got
its name from a large pond at the city
center. The pond, having a surface area of 45,000 pings(148,500m2) or so, for it
used to be filled with wild water chestnut plants, was known as Ling Tan Bi (菱潭陂,
the pond with water chestnuts) during the old times. To the south of the pond, there
used to be a fountain with a white chunk of rock at the center. Legend has it that
every time when water sprang and dewdrops streamed from the chunk of rock, it rained
and even during the dry season, the pond was still full of water and would never
dry up. During a long drought, locals could always get timely rainfall by praying
beside the pond. For such efficacy, people called the pond Ling Tan Bi (靈潭陂, the
efficacious water pond). Some say a yellow dragon would spring out when winds blew
and rain fell so the pond was renamed Long Tan Bi (龍潭陂, the water pond of dragons)
and later Long Tan Jhuang (龍潭庄, the village of the pond of the dragon). Some believe
that in Taiwanese, the word ling (靈, efficacious) is pronounced similarly to long
(龍, dragon) so Lingtan (靈潭, the efficacious pond) has the alternative name Longtan
(龍潭, the pond of the dragon).
In Longtan’s history, the early exploration period lasted for about two hundred
years. The first settlement was in areas near Sankeng (三坑) along the Dahan River (大漢溪). Han immigrants continued to settle in this area by the ninth year of Cianlong
Emperor’s reign (1744 A.D.), the year when Yongfu Temple was built up. Siaoli district
official Jhih Mu-liou (知母六) gathered peasants to explore the lands near Ling Tan
Bi, which is considered the first organized exploration project in Longtan’s history.
 Two
large-scale exploration activities were led by Huang Cing-sing (黃慶興) in the thirty-seventh
year and the forty-seventh year of Cianlong Emperor’s reign, with farmers island-wide
attracted to join in. During the reign of Jiacing Emperor, explorers successfully
channeled the pond water and constructed Longtan Watercourse, which ran through
Wusulin, Huangnitang, and Bajhangli and laid the foundation for Longtan’s future
agricultural development.
Extensive exploration activities in Longtan area can be traced back to the time
when Lin Ben-yuan moved southward to Longtan after exploring Dasi. In the early
days, Longtan was lived by people from Fujian and Guangdong. Later on, as people
began to experience poverty because of the barren soil, many from Fujian then moved
out, leaving the remaining minority assimilated into Hakka culture. This is why
Longtan has become a Guangdongese Hakka community.
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The Historical Timeline of Longtan Township Administration |
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Western Date |
Time |
Period Division |
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1661.05.29
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The Jhengs’ rule in Ming Dynasty (the 15th year of the Yongli reign)
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Tiansing Hsien, Chengtian Fu
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1664.08
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The reign of Emperor Kangsi in Ching Dynasty (Kangsi 3rd year)
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Tiansing Hsien, Chengtian Fu
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1684.04.14
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The reign of Emperor Kangsi in Ching Dynasty (Kangsi 23rd year)
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Jhuluo Hsien, Taiwan Fu |
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1723.08.08
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The reign of Emperor Yungcheng in Ching Dynasty (Yungcheng 1st year)
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Danshui Prefecture, Jhuluo Hsien, Taiwan Fu
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1812.08
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The reign of Emperor Jiacing in Ching Dynasty (Jiacing 17th year)
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Taojian Fort, Danshui Prefecture, Jhuluo Hsien, Taiwan Fu
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1875.12.20
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The reign of Emperor Kuanghsu in Ching Dynasty (Kuanghsu 1st year)
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Taojian Fort, Danshuei Hsien, Taipei Fu
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1887.09.08
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The reign of Emperor Kuanghsu in Ching Dynasty (Kuanghsu 13th year) |
Taojian Fort, Danshuei Hsien, Taipei Fu, Taiwan Province |
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1895.06.28
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The reign of Emperor Kuanghsu in Ching Dynasty (the 21st year) Beginning of Japanese
Colonial period |
Taojian Fort, Taipei Hsien
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1895.08.25
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Japanese colonial period
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Taojian Fort, Da-de-kan District Office, Taipei Hsien |
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1897.06.02
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Japanese colonial period |
Jhongli Administration,Taipei Hsien |
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1898.06.28
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Japanese colonial period
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Jhongli Sub-administration, Tai-zi-yuan Administration, Taipei Hsien |
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1901.11.09
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Japanese colonial period
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Tai-zi-yuan Prefecture, Taipei Hsien |
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1909.02.01
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Japanese colonial period
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Da-de-kan Sub-administration, Tai-zi-yuan Prefecture, Taipei Hsien |
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1919
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Japanese colonial period (the 8th year of the Republic)
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Longtan Township Office was established. |
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1920.09.01
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Japanese colonial period (the 9th year of the Republic)
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Dashi District, Hsinchu Prefecture
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1925.11
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Japanese colonial period (November, the 14th year of the Republic)
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Longtan Station was established. |
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1927.12
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Japanese colonial period (December, the 16th year of the Republic)
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Longtan Post Office was established.
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1930
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Japanese colonial period (the 19th year of the Republic)
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Farmers’ Association of Longtan Township was established. |
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1933.10
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Japanese colonial period (October, the 22nd year of the Republic)
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Longtan Siaofe Market was established.
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1935.09
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Japanese colonial period (September, the 24th year of the Republic)
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Sankeng Police Station was established.
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1937.06
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Japanese colonial period (June, the 26th year of the Republic)
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Sanhe Police Station was established. |
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1938.03.05
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Japanese colonial period (March, the 27th year of the Republic)
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Gaoping Police Station was established. |
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1946.01.09
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Japanese colonial period (the 35th year of the Republic)
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Longtan Township, Dashi District, Hsinchu Hsien,
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1950.09.08
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After the Retrocession of Taiwan (the 39th year of the Republic)
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Longtan Township, Taoyuan County, Taiwan Province |
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1952.10
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After the Retrocession of Taiwan (October, the 41st year of the Republic)
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Longtan Township Public Health Office was established.
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- present
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The administrative establishment of Longtan Township was very early in the history
of Taoyuan. It indeed signifies the importance of Longtan Township in Taoyuan Area
in terms of its administrative, agricultural, and economic aspects. |
The establishing of these administrative offices could be entitled as pioneer in
the Taoyuan County History. This is also the milestone of each period of developing
history of Longtan township. Additionally, it is also expressing the importance
of developing history in Taoyuan Areas.
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