Hakka Village History Volume 29 – “Shitan Battlefield Chronicles Tracing The Footsteps Of Luo Puyun”

In the pioneering history of Shitan Township, Miaoli, the stories of Luo Cheng and Huang Nan-qiu have long lived on in local memory. Beginning in 1850, the Jin Xi-mou Reclamation Company rose from Shaping along the midstream of the Shitan River, leading Han settlers into Shitan and facilitating both migration and settlement throughout the river basin. Luo Cheng’s parents also established themselves in a corner of the basin. In 1875, Liu Ming-chuan vigorously promoted the “Opening the Mountains and Pacifying the Indigenous” policy. At that time, the original camphor forests at the foot of Shitan drew waves of settlers from various reclamation companies. In 1876, Huang Nan-qiu obtained official permission to cultivate Shitan and recruited Luo Cheng, who was intimately familiar with the area, as his partner in the reclamation enterprise. The two not only became sworn brothers but also pledged that once they had secured the land, they would share its spoils equally. United in purpose, they quickly brought Shitan under their control.
However, historical records largely preserve only the name of Huang Nan-qiu, while Luo Cheng’s presence gradually faded from memory. This raises intriguing questions: was Luo Cheng a hero in a legend or a real historical figure? Why have his contributions been lost in the currents of history? Through scattered historical documents and local oral accounts, this book seeks to reconstruct the true life of Luo Cheng, piecing together the forgotten history of Shitan’s early reclamation.

Author: Chang Hsiu-yun