Zheng Changhua Meatballs Introduction
In Changhua County, oral history records indicate that in the year 1940 (the 15th year of the Showa era), the descendants of Zheng Changhua Meatballs, Yang Yalan and Yang Yazhu, had their grandfather, Yang Yongxiang, learn the art of traditional snacks - meatballs (in the local dialect of Lugang) - from a master in Lugang after his father passed away at a young age. With many siblings at home, his mother and he, the eldest son, decided to apprentice with the master to sustain the family's livelihood. After completing the arduous apprenticeship, Yang Yongxiang gained the master’s approval to begin selling on the streets with his mother, Xu Shuitao, marking the beginning of the four-generation legacy of Zheng Changhua Meatballs. Now, after 82 years, the fourth generation is run by Yang's daughter, her husband, and her mother. The inheritance of the fourth generation brings not only the traditional flavors but also the earnest spirit of hard work from the predecessors. Despite facing changes in times and the decline of traditional snacks, they continue to embody the unique spirit of innovation and change of the Taiwanese people. They will carefully develop new techniques and bring new taste experiences to meatballs while preserving the good flavors passed down for over eighty years.
