Evaluation of the sustainability of Hakka villages in the Lui–Tui area of Taiwan via emergy analysis

The traditional Hakka spirit of Taiwan gives the impression of a frugal people who believe in the virtue of hard work, in their relationship with the land and in environmental stewardship. This study contrasts the ecological economic systems of Hakka and non-Hakka villages in the Lui–Tui area in southern Taiwan, and the features of and changes in the development of diverse Hakka villages in the area from the view of ecological economics through emergy analysis methods. The study found that from the 1920s to the 2010s, there were significant differences in environmental sustainability between Hakka and non-Hakka villages in the Lui–Tui area. Hakkas knew how to make good use of environmental resources and properly allocate external economic resources. There were few differences among the Hakka villages, in particular the right militia, former militia and rear militia. Over half a century, Hakkas in the Lui–Tui area used their resources more efficiently. In terms of energy usage density, there was no significant difference between Hakka and non-Hakka villages in the 1920s; however, in the 1970s non-Hakka villages had greater density than Hakka villages.