Heptagonal Well, also known as Red Hair Well, is an ancient well well-known to the locals of Shuilin Township through the telling of its history. It is said to have been constructed by the Dutch as a water source, attracting students, scholars, and visitors from afar to come and study it.

Historically, this well was the earliest water supply for the Chegang Village, located on Red Hair Road in Shuilin Township, Yunlin County. Legend has it that more than three hundred years ago, the Dutch once settled in this area, making it an important site for them. The Dutch used Niutao Bay Creek to export deer hides and various agricultural products produced in Taiwan.

According to historical records, during the late Ming and early Qing periods, Yan Siqi and Zheng Zhilong began developing the Beigang area of Shuilin, controlling the Bengang Port. This made it difficult for the Dutch to transport deer hides and agricultural products through Bengang, leaving Niutao Bay Creek - landing at what is now known as Hongren - as the main route, with Red Hair Road leading to Bengang.

The structure of the well below ground is constructed from fired red bricks stacked in a heptagonal shape with a depth of about 6.16 meters. The base of the well is reinforced with a cartwheel and the well has a diameter of about 1.32 meters. Even during droughts the well was known to maintain a stable water level.

During the Japanese colonial period it won second place in a water quality competition for the southern region of Taiwan due to its clear and sweet water. According to oral histories, in times when medical facilities were not as advanced as they are now, the well's water was believed to possess healing properties, providing relief for minor illnesses or skin conditions.

Although modern tap water has replaced the need for well water, causing the well's water source to gradually recede, remnants of its former expansive two-hectare pond remain as a cherished memory for the writer, who recalls playing there after school. Today, the majority the pond has been filled in with earth by locals, damaging the ecosystem, leaving only the original appearance of the heptagonal well intact.

According to the Yunlin County Historical Sites Survey Report, Red Hair Road Heptagonal Well was dug around 1590, making it the oldest surviving structure in Shuilin Township. However, the Dutch did not arrive in Taiwan until 1624, so the well's construction date raises questions. Additionally, data from the Dutch Maritime Museum suggests that this well was likely built by others and is a typical ancient well of the Ming Dynasty, challenging the local belief that it was the Red Hair Well built by the Dutch. 

The choice of the heptagonal shape is believed to have roots in the I Ching, where the number seven is considered auspicious and protective. The well's heptagonal walls were designed with functionality in mind: the corners provide footholds that, in case of accidental falls, allow people to use the brick edges to climb out. Such scientific and practical design is a testament to the ingenuity of ancient craftsmanship.

Written by Wu Wu-Song, Chairman of the Xinglong Community Development Association

Co-written by Wu Hua-Bin, Secretary-General of the Xinglong Community Development Association

Published in June, Year 111 of the ROC (2022)