Litoudian is the old name for the Qing-dynasty settlement of Nantun, so called for its thriving trade in plow heads (litou) during Taiwan's early agricultural expansion; Wanhe Temple within the district was completed in 1726 and expanded by twelve founding surnames, making it one of the earliest settled communities in Taichung.
Wanhe Temple was completed on the 20th day of the ninth lunar month in the 4th year of the Yongzheng reign (1726), expanded through donations from twelve founding surnames — Zhang, Liao, Jian, Jiang, Liu, Huang, He, Lai, Yang, Dai, Chen, and Lin — living in the Nantun area. According to tradition, when the palanquin of the 'Second Mazu' could not be carried back into the temple after an 1824 procession, worshippers agreed to stage surname-sponsored opera performances instead; the Zixing Opera tradition formally began the following year (1825) and has grown from the original twelve surnames to twenty-eight today, a nearly 200-year-old custom.
What to see at Nantun Old Street
The Litoudian settlement took shape during the Qianlong reign of the Qing dynasty and was an important node in the history of central Taiwan's agricultural expansion. The prosperity brought by the plow-head trade shaped the street pattern, and the alignment of the old Qing-era lanes along Wanhe Road is still readable today. Surviving century-old buildings are mostly traditional southern Fujian-style brick shophouses; some retain cut-and-paste decorative plasterwork (jiannan) and carved wooden window frames, making them case studies in traditional Taiwanese commercial street architecture.
Wanhe Temple is dedicated to the Empress of Heaven (Mazu) and serves as the religious core of Nantun. The temple has a long founding history, and its forecourt plaza has always been the public gathering space of the settlement. The Mazu procession and the Zi-Xing Opera (Zixingxi) cultural festival held in the third and fifth lunar months respectively (exact dates vary by the lunar calendar) are the liveliest time of year on Nantun Old Street, preserving the living culture of traditional popular religion.
How to make the most of your visit
Practical information
Getting there & timing
- Take the Taichung MRT Green Line to Nantun Station, then walk about 10 to 15 minutes to the Wanhe Road old street area.
- If driving, park in nearby street parking in Nantun District. Space in front of Wanhe Temple sometimes allows brief stops.
- The old street can be visited freely throughout the day. Check Wanhe Temple's announced opening hours. Crowds are larger during festival periods.
Nearby connections
- Nantun Old Street is near Rainbow Military Dependents' Village (Caihong Juancun). Both are in Nantun District and can be connected by taxi or bicycle for a Nantun cultural half-day outing.
- Heading north by MRT brings you quickly to major attractions in central Taichung — very convenient.
Sources: contextual facts compiled from the Wikipedia entry on Litoudian. Photos to be replaced with Dio's own images.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where does the name Litoudian come from?
It comes from the plow-head (litou) manufacturing and trading that flourished here during the early agricultural development of central Taiwan in the Qing dynasty; it is the old name for the Nantun area.
When was Wanhe Temple built?
Wanhe Temple was completed in 1726, expanded through the joint funding of twelve founding surnames from the Nantun area, and remains the religious center of the district.
What is the Zixing Opera tradition?
It is a surname-sponsored opera tradition unique to Nantun, begun in 1824, in which different surname groups take turns funding performances to thank Mazu; it has grown from twelve to twenty-eight surnames over nearly 200 years.
Sources
- 萬和宮 (台中市) - 維基百科 — 建廟年份、12大姓集資
- 萬和宮字姓戲-臺灣宗教文化地圖 — 字姓戲起源與姓氏數演變