Article by Chang Ching-Yeh
If you were to leave the city you’re currently living in and move on to the next, where would it be?
Your hometown that holds memories? Or any of those places with fun, charming city dwellers? Or could it simply be somewhere you can sustain a living and spend time with your family?
This marks the tenth year since I moved back to Lukang in 2012. In the early years, as an enthusiastic youth in my twenties, I often organized community clean-ups, wiped outdoor convex mirrors, investigated streams, held civic forums to advocate for the preservation of old houses. I even raised funds from local businesses to host various exhibitions and performances, keeping the streets of Lukang buzzing with interesting activities. As members of the team came and went, I began to realize that event organization might not be sustainable five or ten years into the future. Inspired by the Lukang Arts Festival, some members of our organizing team developed different business proposals over time, and the creative ventures that emerged from the festival allowed us to materialize our ideals, forming a bedrock for continued mutual support beyond the hype of events.
In 2019, we adjusted the Lukang Arts Festival from an annual event to a triennial one. We also began focusing on the businesses of our partners and adjusted business structures accordingly. Also from that time on, we set out to share our local living and business management experiences through “entrepreneurship empowerment,” supporting youths who had just returned to Lukang for a leg of their journey. As we began to redirect the focus on daily life and livelihood, we noticed more and more people either returning to or moving to Lukang, many of whom were couples running businesses together, essentially “settling down and starting families” in Lukang. The sense of settling became even more profound after having my own children.
Running these businesses is not just about making a living. Even in the most ordinary restaurant industry, discussions have begun on different levels, from the cultivation and selection of raw materials to the dining experience quality and the service process design. These discussions have led to increasingly diverse consumer choices. Furthermore, we support one another. You come to my coffee shop for a drink and a light meal sometimes. Other times, I enjoy creative treats at yours. This dynamic gave birth to a new community.
Returning to Lukang doesn’t necessarily mean giving up a million-dollar salary job, nor does it require any special reason. Those who return might do so simply to be with their family, while those who move here might come because they have found means to sustain a living here. What exactly makes Lukang a place where one can both “imagine life” and “fulfill dreams” is undefined. Nevertheless, it is because of the decision to return that those who came back to live here enjoy the opportunity to co-create the stories of Lukang in this era.
I hope these stories will bring the entrepreneurial journey to life vividly as you visit these local businesses. More importantly, we aspire for young entrepreneurs looking for a way home to find inspiration and courage in these stories.
This article is from the Lukang Chronicle II: Lukang Renaissance.
Lukang Chronicle II: Lukang Renaissance is a local magazine from Lukang, documenting the growth and transformation of the Kids from Lukang and their local business partners over the past six years. Stemming from the concept of environmentally friendly festivals, the initiative has crossed paths with many young people who have returned or moved to Lukang to live and start businesses. This collective effort has enriched contemporary life in Lukang. On the foundation of the town’s nostalgia and traditions, a lifestyle unique to the new generation has flourished
