Jiantan Reservoir Introduction
In Dalong Village, "Jiantan" refers to the Jiantan Reservoir, which was constructed in 1956 for irrigation and water storage. The legends surrounding the pond are numerous and shrouded in mystery, making it an intriguing topic that adds flavor to conversations among locals. The name's origin is attributed to two figures: Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong) and Lin Shuangwen. The former is said to have led troops to Dalong Village over three hundred years ago to "conquer the barbarians." After days of fierce battles with resistance, Koxinga, lamenting his misfortunes, threw his sword into a deep pond nearby, and the waters stirred violently for seven days before settling, thus earning the name "Jiantan." However, local tales differ significantly from recorded history, leaving much to the imagination. The latter refers to Lin Shuangwen, who rebelled against the Qing dynasty in Changhua in 1796. After a series of military defeats, he became despondent while building a bridge and similarly threw his sword into the pond. Another version claims that when Lin's troops were thirsty, he plunged his sword into the ground, causing water to bubble up and form a pond, where the sword was lost. There are also legends about retrieving the sword; one suggests using a straw made from grain husks to fish it out. Someone once tried with a maltose-coated husk, and indeed, the sword surfaced, but a voice from afar stated, "That is not a grain husk, but a maltose string," and the sword sank. While the idea of a voice traveling such a distance seems absurd, it also sparks the imagination. Another belief holds that on the first and fifteenth of each month, the pond's water becomes particularly clear, and the sword floats to the surface, only to sink again shortly after. Villagers have attempted to verify this, but to this day, no one has succeeded in retrieving the sword.
