After we read the data from many books and websites, it is known that life in the Wufu street (that is, “no sky” street) as a newly developed commercial street is quite busy. In the street, inland and foreign merchants gathered and dominated the trading behaviors at the harbor, including exporting and importing products. We intended to conclusion the commercial behavior around the "No sky" street area. What we included was the commercial activities during the good times of the "No sky" street area. The following description in “The Appearance of Old Lukang”, written by Han Bao-De, can help us understand the daily life in the "No sky" street area.

 

Harbor

       During the "No sky" street area's wonder years, the commercial activities at the harbor could be divided into two categories. One is prow Hang. Its activities were located mainly near the Dayou street in Cyuanchou. Prow Hang usually owned large fleets which sailed between Taiwan and the coastline area of mainland, mostly Cyuan and Sia. At the harbor, dockworkers were busily unpacking cargos while the accountants of prow Hang are doing stocktaking. Various commercial Hangs belonged to another category. Lots of commodities piled up in the yards in the commercial Hangs as well as inside the commercial Hangs. Accountants were discussing with wholesalers about the conveyance of commodities. There were not too many customers on the main street but lots of coolies with heavy burden on their back, steps in disarray, shouting and walking towards the Wufu Street, Checheng, or Niousyutou, led by a leadman.

 

The biggest prow company's relic- Le More

Commercial companies center

 

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In the Wufu Street

         The Wufu Street, the newly built street, was full of jobbers from all places. They usually had a bearer beside them but some carried a big baggage on their back. They surveyed the commodities that their village needed along the street and when they decided, they started to negotiate the price with the storekeeper or the accountant. The outcries and the shouting of harbor bearers was everywhere in the Sanlichang Street and the jobbers’ outcries echoed around the whole street. In addition, the market between the Tienhou Temple and the Chenghuang Temple was started. The front of the Chenghuang Temple was crowded with Fishermen, who started working very early in the morning. They just returned with their harvest. They were starving and ate in a rude way. Some crewmen who were tired of the food on the boat also came to enjoy some food.

 

Chenghuang Temple

The food court in front of Chenghuang temple

 

The Shallow Harbor

       At the shallow harbor, we could see from Lioulu harbor to the upper reaches of Yandau creek. First we saw groups of smaller boats parked around the Jioukanduan, then some scattered little boats. During that time, the harbor had already silted up, most commodities must be transferred from the outport, conveyed to shallow harbor through river and then to Lukang, so better small boats all went to the outport to convey the commodities of big ships.

         All the pedestrians, wagons, and bearers went towards the Cingyun Road and then Wufu Road. The bullock-carts in the street and part of the pedestrians walked on the sand road along the river to Chewei. Most bullock-carts stayed here to have their cart cleaned or tires fixed. Of course it's possible to hear one or two old people mentioning about how much food could be conveyed in the past when cars could go directly to Checheng but now it is too crowded to get in. It is also necessary to go to that iron shop to buy a quick and sharp reaping hook. After arriving at Checheng, ding-dong sounds were heard here and there. There were various kinds of ironware hung in the store.

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Today's shallow harbor

 

  To sum up, as the commercial center of Lukang, Wufu Street effectively gathered various kinds of people in this place and maintain Lukang's reputation as the second largest city in Taiwan after the harbor lost its function.

 

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