Lukang has been the major port of central Taiwan for a long time due to its geographical superiority. Boats, sampans, and bamboo rafts were used for transportation at sea. On the other hand, ' No sky' street area, the primary transportation route of Lukang, also enjoyed numerous means of transportation for goods transportation, which highlighted the business nature of ' No sky' street area. The following are different transportation means on ' No sky' street area of Ching Dynasty and the Japanese Colonial period, which were also influenced by the restraints of natural environment.

 

Ching Dynasty

Bull Wagon

       Commonly known as bull wagon or bull cart, it is the most common transportation means in Lukang. During the reign of Kang-His, the bull wagon is one of the main transportation means of western Taiwan. A bull wagon can be divided into three parts. The endurance of a bull wagon depends on the fine quality of the wooden wheels (including the axles), the first and the most important part of a bull wagon. The second part is the chassis, and the third is the canvas, which is used for freight. A bull wagon is simple in structure and manufacturing, and to build one doesn’t take much time. Unlike Taiwan’s rivers, which travel transversely, bull wagons were usually used to travel lengthwise, and thus it became the primary overland transportation means. The origin of Nung-Hsu of Nung-Hsu in Lukang (close to He-Hsing Street and Fu-Hsing Street ) should be able to prove that the bull wagon was the common transportation means on ' No sky' street area during the Ching dynasty.

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Bull Wagon

Sedan Chair

 

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Sedan Chair and Human-Powered Cart

      Apart from the bull wagon, the sedan chair and the human-powered cart were also the two major transportation means on ' No sky' street area. The sedan chair was a high-end vehicle, which was used by rich officials and families. Others hardly used the sedan chair except for the wedding ceremony. The human-powered cart, like the bull wagon, is a cheap vehicle and a good means for freight as well. The human-powered cart is quite small, which makes it suitable for the narrow streets of Lukang. Thus, it became a popular vehicle for both business and agriculture.

 

  Japanese Colonial Period

      There were more transportation means on ' No sky' street area during the Japanese Colonial Period than during the Ching Dynasty. They received the old designs and also made some refinements. And the trend was that, with the development of Japanese colonial economics, there were vehicles powered by motors, including motorcycles and cars, on ' No sky' street area at that time.

Traditional vehicles

      The bull wagon, mostly used in the suburbs, was not a common transportation means on ' No sky' street area, even though it was a transportation means of growing popularity. As for the rickshaw, after the rubber wheels were added to it, it was used only by rich families, just like the sedan chair. As a result, the rickshaw and the sedan chair were not common at that time. But the human-powered cart, with its increasing popularity, was a common transportation means in Hsin-Hsing, Ta-You-Kou, andTsai-Shih-Tou. (these places are close to ' No sky' street area)

New vehicles

 Bicycle

      During the reign of Emperor Meiji, the bicycles imported to Taiwan enjoyed a rapid growth due to the sound development of modern roads. Therefore, they came with reasonable prices and became the most popular vehicle. What bicycles were for people was what the human-powered cart was for goods. It was the best vehicle for short-distance traveling. Conceivably, bicycles might have shown up on ' No sky' street area at that time.

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Bicycle (Near the flag)

Cars (behind the people)

Motorcycle

      The number of motorcycles was scarce compared to that of bicycles. According to the statistics of that time, there were 500 something motorcycles, at most, in Taiwan. It was so expensive that perhaps doctors were the only ones that could afford it. The first motorcycle owner in Lukang was Dr. Hsu Tu. The rest were also none but doctors. Why? Maybe it was because motorcycles greatly facilitate their practices. So it might be possible that the motorcycles raced on ' No sky' street area so as to help the knights to accomplish their holy missions.

Car

      Private-owned cars were almost nowhere to be found. Cars were owned by large factories and government sectors. Judging from the roof of ' No sky' street area, it was unlikely to drive a car there. And from the pictures we have at hands, cars are on ' No sky' street area, but that is because ' No sky' street area was unroofed.

 

        To sum up, the unique business functions of ' No sky' street area begot the diversity of transportation means, which responded to different demands for transportation means. The innovative vehicles at different times prove the prosperity of 'No sky' street area.

 

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