Chinese Name: 源泉社區發展協會
Established: 1994
Address: No. 1-1, Yuemei Ln., Ershui Township, Changhua County, Taiwan
Official Website: https://ycc.org.tw/ycc/index.php
Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/YuanCyuan.Country/
Did You Know That…?
Lai Chau-hsu (賴昭旭), former chairman of the Yuan Cyuan Community Development Association, received the Ministry of Culture’s Community Empowerment Innovation Award in 2024 for his contributions and dedication to community building in Ershui Township (二水鄉) in Changhua County (彰化縣).
Ershui, meaning “two waters” in Mandarin, is a township in northeastern Changhua County, named for its geographical significance as the meeting point of the Zhuoshui (濁水溪) and Qingshui (清水溪) Rivers. It is home to Ba Bao Zhen (八堡圳), one of Taiwan’s three oldest irrigation canals, which has been in operation for over three centuries. Established by the wealthy businessman Shih Shih-pang (施世榜), the canal flows from its source through Lukang (鹿港) and Erlin (二林), providing water to eight major settlements and hundreds of villages. The Yuan Cyuan Community, located at the canal’s origin, has long safeguarded the traditional knowledge of water management.
Three hundred years ago, the Zhuoshui River—the longest river in Taiwan and a natural boundary between the island’s north and south—posed significant challenges for irrigation due to its rapid currents. At that time, an elderly man surnamed Lin, riding a buffalo, taught the villagers how to craft large conical bamboo structures known as “lang-a-ko (籠仔篙).” These structures, filled with stones and placed along the riverbanks, stabilized the waters and enabled the construction of Ba Bao Zhen.
Since stones are heavy and help absorb the force of rushing water, the lang-a-ko functioned as an early version of modern tetrapods. Once the irrigation system was completed, the old man vanished. In gratitude for his guidance, Shih Shih-pang built “the Temple of Lin” in the Yuan Cyuan Community to honor him. To commemorate this historic event, the community later established an annual water marathon.
For three hundred years, the Yuan Cyuan Community has relied on farming and the production of lang-a-ko, which is considered a local bamboo weaving craft. However, as time passed, this heritage faced decline. Like many rural areas in Taiwan, the community experienced population aging as young people moved to cities in search of better opportunities.
To revitalize the village, Lai Chau-hsu invited bamboo weaving masters and rejuvenated the traditional craft by utilizing the abundant natural bamboo from the surrounding mountains. Alongside preserving traditional craftsmanship, the community explored new bamboo-based products, breathing new life into the local economy.
As the community united through these efforts, interest in local history and bamboo weaving was rekindled. The Yuan Cyuan Community Development Association also organized events such as the water marathon and the black mud field tug-of-war competition, drawing crowds and bringing joy to the village. In 2021, the Yuan Cyuan Community was awarded the Silver Prize for Best Villages in Changhua County, demonstrating how collective effort can transform a farming village and highlight its enduring vitality.
(Images from The Yuan Cyuan Community Development Association)