Dacheng

Dacheng (大城) is a rural coastal township at the mouth of the Zhuoshui River (濁水溪) in the southwestern corner of Changhua. According to local legend it is named after Wei Dacheng (魏大城), an early Qing pioneer in the area, but this is not substantiated by historical records. The township is economically reliant on traditional agriculture, particularly taro and sweet potato cultivation, along with oyster farming in its extensive intertidal zones, and rice production where irrigation permits. With a current population of approximately 15,000—down from over 27,000 in 1981—Dacheng has the lowest population density and highest aging rate in the county, exemplifying the rural decline affecting many of Taiwan’s agricultural communities.