Donggang, Pingtung

Donggang Township in Pingtung County

Donggang Township

Jinde Bridge

Donggang Township (Chinese: 東港鎮; pinyin: Dōnggǎng Zhèn; Wade–Giles: Tung¹-Kang³ Chen⁴; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tang-káng Tìn; lit. 'East Port') or Tungkang Township is an urban township in west-central Pingtung County, Taiwan. Located on Taiwan's western coastline, along the Taiwan Strait, it has one of Taiwan's largest fishing harbors. Dapeng Bay with its national scenic area is just south of Donggang. The town also has East Haven Palace of Eastern Prosperity (Chinese: 東隆宮; pinyin: Dōnglóng gōng, literally Donglong Temple), which worships "Royal Lord Wen" (Chinese: 溫王爺; pinyin: Wēn wángyé. The word Wen is pronounced the same as "plague" in Chinese), and is known for its triannual ceremony of "burning king's boat" (burning plague boat).

History

Donggang was opened as a port by the Chinese admiral Koxinga in the 17th Century. It was a major commercial port for Taiwan until the end of the 19th Century. During Japanese rule, it was placed under Takao Prefecture as Tōkō town (東港街) and served the Japanese naval facilities in Dapeng Bay.

Administrative divisions

• Xinsheng Village
• Dingxin Village
• Dingzhong Village
• Tunghe Village
• Xingtai Village
• Xingtung Village
• Xingnong Village
• Zhongxing Village
• Zhaoan Village
• Bade Village
• Tunglong Village
• Fengyu Village
• Chengyu Village
• Xingyu Village
• Zenghai Village
• Jialian Village
• Nanping Village
• Chuantou Village
• Xiabu Village
• Datan Village
• Xinghe Village
• Gonghe Village
• Dapeng Village

Economy

Donggang's primary economic activities are fishing and agriculture. It is famous for its fresh and abundant seafood. The town has a flourishing tourism industry which peaks during April to June, due to the availability and increasing popularity of the bluefin tuna (黑鮪魚) sashimi cuisine. The town's other delicacies include desalinated mullet roe (烏魚子, known as karasumi in Japan) and cherry shrimp (櫻花蝦, sakura ebi).

Tourist attractions

• Penbay International Circuit

Transportation

The nearest railway station to Donggang Township is the Nanzhou Station or Libian Station of the TRA Pingtung Line. The township houses the ferry harbor to Lamay Island.

References

Lee Fongmao (2011). "East Haven Palace of Eastern Prosperity". Encyclopedia of Taiwan. Council for Cultural Affairs.

External links

• Staff (2003) "Tastes and Colors of Pingtung: The Three Treasures of Tungkang" Sinorama Magazine
• Tunkang Coastline, Pingtung County (Taiwan) Coastal Photograph by Hubert Chanson, Journal of Coastal Research, Vol. 25, No. 5, Sept., p. 1176 (ISSN 0749-0208)