Zhudong Touzhongbing and Shijin Stele Introduction
The "Shen Yao Combined Prohibition Stele" and the "Pong Hsien Demonstration Prohibition Stele" in Zhudong were erected in the second year of the Xianfeng era (1852). To this day, the inscriptions remain clearly visible, recounting the history of land agreements and cultivation in the Zhudong area during the Qing dynasty. Among them, the "Pong Hsien Demonstration Prohibition Stele" was issued by Zhang Qixuan, the local magistrate of Tamsui. The top of the stele is chamfered and engraved with the four characters "Pong Hsien Demonstration Prohibition." The inscription records that Chen Quanyuan and others from the Zhuqiancheng shop purchased the "Yuanshanzi Pudi" land during the Qianlong era (1777) for communal cultivation. Over time, disputes over land encroachment arose, and after re-negotiation, part of the land was designated as a public cattle-grazing area and a burial ground for the poor. After government investigation confirmed the facts, this stele was erected to warn the public against encroachment, with violators to be punished according to the law. The end of the inscription includes a contract from the forty-second year of the Qianlong era (1777), recording that Ding Laowen and others from the Zhuqian tribe sold tribal land to Lin Qintang, Zeng Rihui, and others. The "Shen Yao Combined Prohibition Stele" documents the same event as the "Pong Hsien Demonstration Prohibition Stele," primarily focusing on the contractual nature of the agreement. Its top is also chamfered, engraved with "Shen Yao Combined Prohibition Stele." The inscription states that the land was originally a cattle ranch, and the community invested 150 dollars to purchase the land, with 23 founding owners and 30 inheriting owners involved in the agreement. The contract explicitly states that the land is for public use and must not be encroached upon. The inscription further explains the reasons for the stele's establishment, emphasizing that moral constraints should apply and that ancestral graves must not be disturbed, with violators penalized twelve dollars, deposited in the Fude Temple for sacrifice expenses. The names of the sponsors of the stele are also inscribed, reflecting the spirit of mutual aid in society at that time. These two stone steles, not only intricately carved but also possessing complete bases, provide detailed records of the cultivation history in the Zhudong area from the 18th to the 19th century, revealing the interactions between the Dacath tribe of Zhuqian and Han immigrants. The inscriptions document the process of land transactions, community consensus, and official intervention, reflecting the land management model of the Qing dynasty and illustrating the social relationships between the Lin family of Zhubei and local communities. These steles were sealed for decades and have now resurfaced, becoming a precious historical and cultural heritage of the Zhudong area.
