| dc.description.abstract | Due to the adverse natural environment which wasn’t suitable for living, only the Pingpu （平埔）tribesmen and some mullet-catching fishermen along the Chinese coastline subsisted
by fishing and hunting in Tungkang before the Qing Dynasty. Despite the Dutch people’s efforts to civilize the Pingpu tribes in Tungkang, it was eventually impeded by spreading diseases. During Koxinga’s reign, Tungkang was used as a place of exile. During Kangxi’s reign, the Southern Min settlers established the early Tungkang settlements in YenpuVillage, Xinyuan Township to the east of Gaoping River. Because of its advantageous geographical position and abundant fishing resource, Tungkang developed into a commercial harbor with frequent business activities with the Chinese mainland. A large number of immigrants thus settled here and subsisted by fishing. The floods during Tongzhi’s reign forced them to move to the present Tungkang area. During the Japanese colonial period, the fishing industry was intentionally advocated by the colonial government, which made Tungkang a local fishing harbor while losing its commercial function.
Before Tungkang had recovered from the destruction of bombardments during the early years after World War Two, the fishermen were living in hardship. At that time, the fish production increase plan and the harbor reconstruction promoted by the National Government along with the fishermen’s endeavor revived the inshore fishing in Tungkang. After the 1970’s, longlining became the most popular fishing method, and inshore fishing and aquaculture were in full swing. By the 1990’s, overfishing had dramatically decreased the fishing resource. In order to solve the problem, fishermen in Tungkang began to engage in offshore fishing. The Pingtung County Government and the Tungkang Fishermen’s Association were dedicated to the transformation of traditional fishing industry in an attempt to achieve professionalization and production-marketing integration. The establishment of Tungkang Sergestid Shrimp Production and Marketing Group, and Tungkang Bluefin Tuna Cultural Festival held in Dapeng Bay National Scenic Area were both successful examples of the sustainable management and tourism development of Tungkang’s fishing industry.
The continual ravages of natural and man-made disasters caused the early Tungkang settlers to turn to Wen Wangyeh for protection and comfort, which made Donglong Temple the religious center for Tungkang people. As the society changed, the worship of Wen Wangyeh not only soothed souls and maintained the society, but also had a greater influence on local public and educational affairs. Today fishermen in Tungkang are encountering the following obstructions: the exhaustion of fishing resource, overlapping of the exclusive economic zone, limitation imposed by international fishing organizations, lack of capital and manpower, soaring oil price, and bloody incidents at sea. The fishing industry has accordingly reached a dead end. Therefore, the government’s solutions must meet practical needs. In addition, the fishermen’s cooperation and self-control are also keys to bringing Tungkang’s fishing industry back to prosperity.
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