Traces of history - Hongmao Well
The well was dug three centuries ago by the Dutch hence it was named “Lan Well.” The red hair of the Dutch led to the nickname “Hongmao Well.” In 1636 AD (9th Year of the Chung Jen Era, Ming Dynasty), once the Dutch East Indies Company conquered the tribes of Mt. Jhuluo, administrators and missionaries were stationed at what would become the county seat during Manchu rule. They were tasked with collecting taxes from Pingpu tribespeople and Han settlers of Mt. Jhuluo, and converting the indigenous people to Christianity. The well was built to supply their domestic needs.
During the rule of Koxinga, General Jhih-wu Wu set up a garrison and military farms at Mt. Jhuluo. A barracks was built north of the well, and the well itself was repaired. There were no records of further repairs to the well during the Manchu period. In the 27th year of the Qianlong Era, Ke-yu Wei, the magistrate of Jhuluo, listed “Sweet Springwater of Lan Well” as one of the Eight Sights of Jhuluo as the well produced the best tasting water in the region. De-cin Syu, an imperial scholar from Chiayi in the late Manchu period, wrote poetry praising water from the well as “being as sweet as ambrosia, and it can be stored in a silver urn for making tea.” The water quality was therefore without peer in Jhuluo, Chiayi.
Records: “Hongmao Well is located to the left of the county government office. It is so name because it was dug by the Dutch. The square well measures 6 feet across and is over 20 feet deep. Residents believe that water from the well wards against disease. A soldier named Jhih-wu Wu was stationed here during the rule of Koxinga rule and he had the well repaired.” “Sweet Springwater of Lan Well” was once listed as one of the Eight Sights of Jhuluo.
The site was temporarily designated a class 3 historic site in 1985 for preservation prior to its historic monument assessment by the Ministry of the Interior. It was delisted due to the grubby surroundings and the well fence being newly built in 1970. Nevertheless, Hongmao Well remains the oldest historic site in Chiayi City.
