The base of this image of Sakyamuni Buddha claims a land area of 85 pings (3,060 sq. ft.) and is the largest of its genre in all Asia. And, just as Americans link the great Mississippi arch to the city of St. Louis, the people of the Republic of China on Taiwan identify this Buddha as the symbol of Pakuashan (Mountain of the Eight Diagrams), in Changhua County, the province's second smallest; covering 1,074.4 sq. km., an area larger only than Penghu, it straddles the waist of the island along the west coast.
Small Changhua County, nevertheless, accommodates over 1,216,600 people, the second largest population among all 16 Taiwan counties. In fact, before Taipei and Kaohsiung began to boom economically, attracting waves of Changhua's career-bent young people, this "mid-Taiwan rice bowl" was once home to the province's densest population.
Within the shadow of their benign, composed Pakuashan Buddha, the people of Changhua cherish a restrained, conservative lifestyle. Generation after generation, things seem to have gone on pleasantly, without considerable change, to modern times.
Recently, however, the quiet county has been the site for major construction activities, the largest right in the vicinity of the huge statue.
The new swimming stadium at the athletic complex.
In the foothills of Pakuashan, just to the south of the Buddha, this nation's finest multipurpose athletic facility is taking shape. The 17-hectare athletic reserve will offer a 6,000-seat covered sports auditorium, a 32,600-seat stadium, a competition swimming center of three pools—for practice, competition, and aquatic ballet, and a 3,000-seat spectators' deck.
By the end of October, a newly-completed transportation network will link downtown Changhua City to the athletic grounds, funneling athletes and spectators from across the province to the 1985 Taiwan District Games, a major sports activity to be held for the first time ever in the tiny, mid-Taiwan county.
The people of Changhua are taking advantage of the opportunity to recall for the media and the prospective tourist influx, Changhua's past glories.
The Changhua area had its share of "good old days." Before the Ming Dynasty General, Koxinga (1624-1662), recaptured Taiwan from the Dutch in 1661, the Changhua town of Lukang was a central port for mainland fishermen and traders. And during the reigns of Emperors Kanghsi (1662-1722) and Tao kuang (1821-1850) of the following Ching Dynasty, especially, the traffic between mainland China and Lukang grew ever heavier. In 1723, a formal Changhua County government was established. Mainland immigration was increasing year by year, and the new residents made the area a culture center.
The Changhua plain in central Taiwan, sheltered by the Central Mountain Range from the typhoons which howl in from the Pacific across the east coast beaches, has long boasted of its prosperous farms. On top of a double rice harvest—one sixth of the island's yearly rice yield—this county also produces bountiful fruits and vegetables.
But then, along with the "miracle" flowering of industry and commerce in the ROC's major urban areas, came the massive construction to build up Taichung Port; the star of Changhua, also in central Taiwan, began to fade incomparison.
Every Changhua County magistrate from that time on has struggled to restore Changhua's lost prestige, against a background of sharp, local political infighting.
Magistrate Huang Shih-cheng—"Like old San Francisco ... "
Changhua Magistrate Huang Shih-cheng, in an interview with the Free China Review, discussed the problems, solutions, and perspectives of this old central Taiwan county-community, now striving strenuously to reclaim a historic ascendancy:
FCR: The constant strife between the Changhua County factions known as the Lin-White group and the Chen-Red group has long been viewed as a formidable hindrance to progress within Changhua's county administration. What are the historical origins of this friction, and how can it be eased?
Huang: Since Taiwan Province's implementation of programs to institute local self-government in 1950, the Lin and Chen groups, which originated in the county's Peitou District, and the White and Red factions (Not related to standard leftist-rightist symbology—Editor), which developed in the Changhua District, have been rivals for county domain. Lin and Chen are the actual surnames of the party leaders of the former, while White and Red distinguish the campaign posters of the latter. In any case, Lin and White are now the combined Lin-White faction, and Chen and Red, the Chen-Red faction.
Their conflict is so intense in the county's coastal areas, that members may refuse to allow inter-faction marriages or business dealings.
Of course, such antagonisms are a burden to the whole county. My approach is to run a strictly non-partisan county administration. I belong to neither faction. My first priority is overall benefit to all our people and our whole county. I mediate dissension only from the standpoint of the rights and wrongs 3 of a matter, clear of any personal or party bias. Since the county government is unbiased, the administration of county affairs is thus freed from many of the obstructions inherent in the factionalism.
FCR: You are the first non-partisan Magistrate in Changhua's history. How did you defeat the party candidates at the polls? Have you had any difficulties carrying out county policies because you lack party ties?
Huang: Personal image, I suppose, was the major factor in my election victory.
Actually, I lived in Taipei for a long time, then returned to Changhua. But I remained consistently concerned about Changhua and, for ten-odd years, served as president of the Changhua Club in Taipei. I did all I could to help my townspeople in Taipei. And whenever Changhua needed funds for disaster relief or a special local project, I always helped out. People in Changhua were aware of my involvement, and this was obviously a political plus, even in my absence.
During the campaign, I presented 16 action programs in response to past defects in county administration, a series of positions that won the support of our citizens and directly resulted in my triumph at the polls. Perhaps the people's desire for a change also had something to do with the outcome.
As for a "party" problem, the Provincial and National Governments do not judge a county magistrate's policies from a political standpoint. Their concern is strictly directed to assuring that the policies are rational and beneficial to the county. Therefore, party affiliation has never been a problem in my magistracy. As a matter of fact, since the Taiwan Provincial Government grants funds to a county on the merits of the practical projects it works out, Changhua has been obtaining more grants-in-aid than most other counties.
FCR: Effective administrative innovation is one of your widely-reputed achievements. What are the concrete aspects?
Huang: There are two major areas. One has to do with our citizen's dignity-the need for government to serve them cordially, without bureaucratism. The other involves protection of the individual when he is in the way of powerful special interest groups.
Tienwei Village is famous for a cactus garden specializing in ornamental and grafted varieties.
After taking up my post, I soon found—with the county government as well as its subordinate organizations—a backlog of 2,763 pending cases, most of them involving people's grievance petitions and various applications. To clear this backlog, on January 15, 1982 I set up a "Prompt Action Center," which completed its entire mission in only two months. As a followup, the efficiency of every organization dealing with such cases was greatly enhanced, under strict supervision. Every such unit now is an actual "Prompt Action Center." The center itself was replaced at the end of 1983 by an integrated "County Government Service Counter."
To keep county government on its toes, at 8:10 every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning, I meet with all the department chiefs to hear their reports and provide timely guidance. To boost efficiency in handling official paperwork, processes have been simplified: the aver age speed of processing has been reduced from a week to the current 2.5 days.
The central and provincial governments do not have the opportunity for grassroots daily contact with the public at large. That is, or should be, a characteristic of local governments. I spent most of my nights these two years and ten months at community meetings in Changhua's 579 townships. Such face-to-face contact shortens the distance between government and people, clears away many public misconceptions about government, helps the government become more acutely aware of people's needs and dissatisfactions, and, last but not least, offers me an opportunity to directly brief the public about the directions of our society.
The response to my participation in such community meetings is reflected in capacity audiences with eager questioners—their questions are sometimes sharper than the interpellations in the County Council.
To assure clean-cut county administration, a "mopping up group" helps monitor personnel performance, and a "public works inspecting group" watches over the quality of public works. The mission of these groups, I want to stress is, actually, to prevent and deter, and not to do police detective work.
FCR: You have described administrative innovation as part of your action program for "invisible construction." What is the significance?
Huang: Actually, I place equal emphasis on "invisible" and "visible" construction. The former has to do with men's hearts. Because if men are not educated to be contributors to society via "invisible construction," the most wonderful physical facilities will only be part of the buildup for a kind of high-class human· "zoo." Therefore, besides stressing discipline for our county staffers, I also press the slogan, "Moral County."
Our Community Culture Center, for example, offers intensive cultural-educational programs and artistic performances in a kind of public-outreach effort.
In talks to the educational staffs and students at all levels of schools, I constantly emphasize the importance of ethics, of public spirit, of an active sense of right and wrong, as outlined in our traditional culture and as pertinent to modern civilization. I tell them that the distinctive end of our "invisible construction" is to make this county a model community. If I encounter any student on the streets who cannot respond "Moral County" to my quick question, I always joke that his school principal will be held responsible.
FCR: What about physical, "visual" construction? You are surely aware of the old jokes about your county-that any sleepy passenger will be quickly wakened when his vehicle hits Changhua's bumpy roads; and that even a mist turns the Changhua plain into a lake.
Huang: Financial difficulties were at the bottom of Changhua's past road and flood problems. But in recent years, funds have been made available from the central and provincial governments to support local construction projects. We have strengthened the management of all county property, meticulously calculated and reduced standing expenditures, and even raised extra funds among our own people. Changhua has both completed and initiated major road and flood drainage projects.
Left, in Lukang Town, the famously narrow "Chest Wide Lane." Right, the ancient I Lou (Tower for Pondering) in Nine-Bend Lane.
Roads are now paved all over the county, narrow bridges widened, and connective highways, such as the Changlu (Changhua City-Lukang Town) Road, re-engineered. As for the drainage works, all the new drainage channels and dredging of waterways are part of a large-scale, systematic flood control project.
As you note, in the past, Changhua's narrow, wriggly drainage channels could not cope with the torrential seasonal downpours between May and October. To cure this situation once and for all, the Tapu Diversion Canal, now in process, will drain and channel runoff waters from Pakuashan and city district drainage lines directly into the Yang-tzutso River.
FCR: The multipurpose athletic facility in the Pakuashan foothills is, I believe, Changhua's largest construction project so far. What are your expectations for it?
Huang: Sports are undeveloped in this county because we have had such limited facilities. We are now going full throttle preparing to host the Taiwan District Games. The new, first-class facilities will surely be a boon to local sports.
Our plan is to develop this 17 -hectare area into a top athletic complex amid Pakuashan's green trees and fresh air. To make the best use of it, we hope also to establish at this site a gymnastic college or full-time sports training center.
The NT$1 billion (US$25,000,000) invested here is worthwhile, a legacy for our posterity. It will be a second hallmark of Changhua, along with the Pakuashan Buddha.
FCR: Changhua is still basically farm country. What is the direction of Changhua's future agricultural development?
Huang: We can boast of the topography and climate of Changhua, which are very favorable to agriculture. In addition to grains and vegetables, the localities of Tatsun, Hsihu, and Puhsin produce Kyoho grapes; Erhtsun processes grapes, Fangyuan grows oranges, and Shenkang's garlic is first-rank in Taiwan. Then, Tienwei and Yungching are famous for growing flowers-especially Tienwei's chrysanthemums, the Changhua County flower.
To boost our farm economy, farm product of high economic value—chemical-free vegetables and fruits, and flowering plants-are being particularly promoted to elevate both quality and yields. As for grains, since rice prices are so low, our strategy is to assist and guide farmers to devote part of their paddyfield acreage to such crops as soybeans, kao-liang (Chinese sorghum), and corn.
Packing and sales promotion are also among the important strategies to increase the value of our agricultural production.
Our agricultural construction efforts are also being focused on mechanized dairy farming and coastal area oyster breeding.
But we are also industrializing. Our agricultural population has been decreasing year by year. Currently, Changhua counts over 6,000 factories, second only to Taipei County. So on top of agriculture, Changhua must also promote its industry, commerce, and tourism.
FCR: The Pakua Mountain Range and Lukang's historic relics are Changhua's top tourist resources. Are there special plans for them?
Huang: The first priority in development of the Pakua Mountain Range is on paving Central Highway No. 2-1, which, crosses the range, linking the Pakuashan Buddha, the formal gardens, the new athletic facilities, camping sites, the planned Huayang Park, and the Tsao-tzupu recreation center, among others.
The Pakua Range stretches south-eastward from Changhua City through Huatan Village, Yuanlin Town, and Erhshui Village, to neighboring Nantou County. Densely wooded, it offers many recreational activities.
Paikuoshan (Mt. Hundred-Fruits) in Yuanlin, and Highway Park in Tienwei will be further developed.
With regard to Lukang's historic relics, emphasis is on renovation of ancient buildings, the maintenance of old streets, and the resurrection of the old Lukang Port channel. We want to make Lukang into a live folk village.
Current projects include repairs to the 332-year-old Lungshan Temple and reconstruction of the fire-damaged Wenkai Academy, which was built in 1824. To preserve the old-street ambience of the days when the first tides of mainland immigrants began arriving in Lukang, Putou Street, Yaolin Street, and Chinsheng (Nine-Bend) Lane are now designated historic areas: No building within the area may be modernized.
Although Lukang's ancient port has long been silted up, an access waterway will be dredged to allow waterfront action scenes reminiscent of the busy harbor of old.
We are also reconstructing ancient buildings at other locales, such as the Confucius Temple at Changhua City, the old Yiyuan residence in Hsiushui Village, and the Taotung Academy at Homei Town.
FCR: Changhua's urban districts are surely being overwhelmed - too crowded. What are the prospects for city expansion?
Huang: Like old San Francisco, Changhua should extend its urban areas into the hills. I suppose we could reduce the pressure if we moved the county administrative center to the Pakuashan foothills, and also add a residential quarter.
Because of the tightness of land in Changhua, we also need to reclaim tidal lands. Presently, at Yunghsing, Tacheng, and Fangyuan, we are exploiting three tidal areas totaling over 1,000 hectares.
Our 2,000-hectare Seashore Industrial Park is prospectively the nation's largest. The national government has in vested over NT$4 billion (US$100 million) to date; but construction was halted three years ago as a result of the economic recession and has not been resumed. We hope we can persuade the central government to give continuation of this project a higher priority both for the sake of Changhua's prosperity and national industrial progress.
FCR: Can you give us a thumbnail sketch of your dreams for Changhua County?
Huang: We are building a harmonious, highly-developed community with balanced economic effort in agriculture, industry, commerce, and tourism. And I have a dream of building a big shopping center near the Hsihu overpass of the Sun Yat-sen Freeway: a supermarket dealing exclusively in mid-Taiwan's special chemical-free vegetables; there would be shops for other items of interest to tourists; and we would like to see the establishment here of a hotel from an international chain.
If the Seashore Industrial Park realizes its full potential, an international airport might well be justified. Thus, Changhua would develop an international scope as well as enhancing its key role in central Taiwan.