Features
Hongcuo Village is located on the north side of Xiaying District. The area of jurisdiction includes the four regions of Hongmaocuo, Dajhai, Zucuo, and Shihlioujiahwei.
1. According to the legends, Hongmaocuo acquired its name for being a Hongmaofan (Dutch) settlement.
2. Dajhai earned its name as the place once covered by large farms (Jhai meaning a fenced orchard or vegetable farm).
3. Zucuo (ancestral hamlet) was given this name as the Family Shrine of the Yan Clan was located here. The northern wall of the Zucuo included iron-scissors (anchor), a feature of Dutch architecture.
4. The Yan Clan cleared 16 Jia (hectares) of farmland north of Hongmao Cuo. The hamlet at the end of this 16 Jia of farmland was therefore aptly named Shihlioujiawei.
During the district reorganization that took place after World War II, the region was renamed Hongcuo Village, taking the first and last characters of Hongmaocuo.
Master Yan shuei-long, a venerated pioneer and national treasure in the field of art, was born in Hongcuo Village. Master Yan focused on oil painting, creating artworks that fully express unique elements of Taiwanese folk culture. Master Yan was also regarded as a leader in advertising design in Taiwan and helped to direct Taiwanese art and crafts. Yan passed away in 1997 at the age of 95, and was laid to rest in his hometown at Hongcuo Village. The Yan Clan would gather before their family shrine to conduct ancestral worship ceremonies every Dongjhih (winter solstice). The shrine has over 150 years of history, and was rebuilt three times to achieve its modern appearance. Why would the Yan Clan choose to hold their ancestor worship ceremonies at Dongzhih? The ceremonial documents wrote: "Do not forget the feel of wind and frost of Dongzhih, and the preparations to venerate your ancestors." This seemed to coincide with the saying: "When Dongzhih arrives, family members shall reunite". The current family shrine of the Clan Yan was fully renovated in the 7th Year of Emperor Showa (1932) during the Japanese occupation when Mr. Yan Long-rang (grandfather of Mr. Yan Yong-deng) served as the Baojheng of the area. Although the family shrine was not yet 100 years old, it represented the soul of a clan that has lived in Taiwan for well over a century.