Culture 

Low Water Levels Reveal Old Well: Maybe from Dutch Era Formosa

An old well in Taiwan that may have been built by the Dutch
A well that is usually submerged in Lantan Reservoir is believed to be centuries old, and possibly of Dutch Colonial origin. Photo: UDN
Phillip Charlier 0 Comment , , ,

Receding water levels at a reservoir in Chiayi County have revealed a well that has been submerged since the reservoir was reconstructed during the Japanese colonial period.

The Lantan Reservoir was originally constructed by the Dutch when they occupied Formosa 1624 to 1662. After the Dutch left, the reservoir fell into disrepair. A Hakka immigrant surnamed Wu bought the land where the well is located, but during the Japanese colonial period, the land was resumed, and the reservoir reconstructed to supply water for farming, and municipal water supply.

The Chiayi City Cultural Affairs Bureau will ask experts to analyze the well and ascertain its origins.

An old well in Taiwan that may have been built by the Dutch
A well that is usually submerged in Lantan Reservoir is believed to be centuries old, and possibly of Dutch Colonial origin. Photo: UDN
Taiwan English News is an independent publication with no corporate funding. If you found this article informative, and would like to support my work, please buy me a coffee or support me on Patreon. Subscribe to Taiwan English News for free to receive the latest news via email. Advertising queries are welcome. Share, like, comment below.

Comment and discuss this story: While all opinions are welcome, comments will not be approved if they contain inflammatory speech.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.