英文摘要
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Eight famous trade associations of Lukang exemplified the heyday of Lukang during the Qing Dynasty. Nowadays, many traditional sites of these trading companies are still located on Chung Shan Road and Chin Sheng Lane. For example, Yilou and Shihyilou are the original shops of the Qing-Chang Hang, the most powerful branch under the Hsia Trade Association during the Dau-Kuang period of the Qing Dynasty. Ke-Chuan Chen, the founder of the Qing-Chang Hang, had seven sons, one of which was the father of the owner of Shihyilou, Chi Chen. Due to the prosperity of his family, Chi Chen donated some money in order to get a status as five Pin in the class of gentry, changing himself from a businessman to a gentry. Being erudite in Han studies and having a liking for Shih Su's works of literature, Chi Chen associated wi th many scholars of the time. Shou-Hsing Tsai, Chia-Shu Fang, Tiao-Keng Shih, Yi-Chi Huang, and Chi-Sheng Hung had given Chi Chen either their pieces of calligraphy or their poems as presents. However, despite his abundant knowledge, he could not bring his talent into full play because of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and Dai Chao Chun uprising. After the Cession of Taiwan in 1895, Chi Chen's descendants did not move back to China, staying in Taiwan to protect their family property. Chi Chen's third son, Chih-Fen, bought a public position and became colonial government's assistant after the dynastic change. In addition, Chih-Fen and his relatives, Huai-Cheng Chen and Pei-Hsu Chen, made their family honor, Qing-Chang, thrive again. That Shihyilou became a place where men of letters tended to enjoy literature together was attributed to Chi Chen and his offspring's efforts. Therefore, it showed that Chen's family's contribution to cultural popularization was indispensable. Nonetheless, in order to maintain the image of Chen's family's elegance and prosperity, they were faced with some financial difficulties, so they sold Shihyilou to other relatives. Although Chen's family was not as wealthy as before, Chi Chen's descendants still made efforts to protect historic monuments after World War II, such as rebuilding Paomalou, contributing to cultural development. Also, they donated Gufenglou as well as some Chen family's relics when Gu family constructed Lukang Folk Arts Museum. This article will explore the history of Chi Chen and his descendants, demonstrating the transformation of Lukang's society and economy by making a comprehensive survey of Chen's family's rise and decline, and see Lukang's change from economy to culture.
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