Changhua County

Changhua County
彰化縣
County
Top:View of Wu River from National Highway 74, between Changsha and Wuri, 2nd left:Changhua County Hall, 2nd right:Baguashan Great Buddha in Changhua City, 3rd left:Lukang Tinhau Temple, 3rd right:View of inside in roof at Longshan Temple, Lukang, Bottom left:View of entrance in Baguashan Buddha Park, Bottom right:Koo's House in Lukang Folk Museum

Flag

Coat of arms
Coordinates: 23°56′N 120°32′E / 23.933°N 120.533°E / 23.933; 120.533Coordinates: 23°56′N 120°32′E / 23.933°N 120.533°E / 23.933; 120.533
Country Republic of China (Taiwan)
Province Taiwan Province
Region Western Taiwan
Seat Changhua City
Largest city Changhua City
Boroughs 2 cities, 24 (6 urban, 18 rural) townships
Government
  Magistrate Wei Ming-ku (DPP)
  Deputy Magistrate Lin Ming-yu
Area
  Total 1,074.396 km2 (414.827 sq mi)
Area rank 15 of 22
Population (2016)[1]
  Total 1,288,923
  Rank 6 of 22
  Density 1,200/km2 (3,100/sq mi)
Time zone UTC+8 (National Standard Time)
Website www.chcg.gov.tw
Symbols
Bird Grey-faced buzzard (Butastur indicus)
Flower Chrysanthemum
Tree Peepul (Ficus religiosa)
Changhua County
Traditional Chinese 彰化縣
Simplified Chinese 彰化县

Changhua County (Chinese: 彰化縣) is the smallest county on the main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest in the country. With a total population of 1.3 million, Changhua County is the most populous county in Taiwan.

History

There are prehistoric burial sites in Changhua that date back 5000 years. The number of burials tally to 32. The original name of the area was Poasoa (Chinese: 半線; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Pòaⁿ-sòaⁿ; literally: "half line"), colloquially so-named by Taiwanese aboriginals. Poasoa used to be inhabited primarily by the Babuza people, who have since been mostly assimilated by the Han people.

Qing Empire

Qing rule in Taiwan began in 1683, and in 1684, Taiwan Prefecture was established to administer Taiwan under Fujian Province. The prefecture consisted of three counties: Taiwan County, Fongshan District (Formosa) and Zhuluo. Poasoa and modern-day Changhua County were under the jurisdiction of Zhuluo, but the Changhua area was spread over three counties.

In 1723, after the Zhu Yigui rebellion, an inspector official in Taiwan requested to the Qing Emperor to designate Changhua to another county magistrate and legal warden because of the increasing population in the northern part of Zhuluo County.[2] As a result, Changhua County was created, encompassing the area of modern Changhua County, Taichung, half of Yunlin County and three townships of Nantou County. Changhua County Hall was built in the middle of the district and is regarded as the beginning of the Changhua County establishment.[3]

The name of Changhua, meaning "manifestation of a royal civilization", is formally worded "manifestation of the majestic Emperor's civilization spread over the seas".[3]

Empire of Japan

During early Japanese rule, the island was subdivided into three ken (): Taihoku, Taiwan, and Tainan. Changhua was ruled under Taiwan Ken. In 1920, after several administrative changes, Taichū Prefecture was established, covering modern-day Changhua County, Nantou County and Taichung City. By 1930, the population in Changhua already exceeded one million.

Republic of China

After the handover of Taiwan from Japan to the Republic of China on 25 December 1945, the area of the current Changhua County was established under the jurisdiction of Taichung County. On 16 August 1950 after its separation from Taichung County, Changhua County was established with Changhua City as its county seat on 1 December 1951.

Geography

Changhua county is located on the west coast of Taiwan, bordering Taichung City on the north separated by Dadu River, so Changhua County and Taichung City are often referred to as the Taichung–Changhua metropolitan area. Changhua County is bordered by Yunlin County to the south by the Zhuoshui River. To the east, Changhua County is separated from Nantou County and southern Taichung City by Bagua Plateau. To the west, Changhua County faces the Taiwan Strait.[4]

The County's total area is 1,074 km2 (415 sq mi), being Taiwan's smallest county. It owns a 60 km (37 mi) of coastline. The landscape of Changhua can be roughly divided into two parts, one being the western flat land, and the other being the Changhua Plain. This two combines together measures up to 88% of Changhua county's total area. The highest elevation in Changhua is "Hen Shan", at 443 m (1,453 ft).

Administration

Wei Ming-ku, the incumbent Magistrate of Changhua County
Changhua City, the capital of Changhua County
Historical population
YearPop.±%
1985 1,223,209    
1990 1,245,288+1.8%
1995 1,288,447+3.5%
2000 1,310,531+1.7%
2005 1,315,034+0.3%
2010 1,307,286−0.6%
2015 1,289,072−1.4%
Source:"Populations by city and country in Taiwan". Ministry of the Interior Population Census.

Changhua County is divided into 2 cities, 6 urban townships and 18 rural townships. Changhua City is the seat of the county which houses the Changhua County Government and Changhua County Council. Changhua County has the highest number of urban townships of all counties in Taiwan. It also has the second highest number of rural townships after Pingtung County. The current Magistrate of Changhua County is Wei Ming-ku of the Democratic Progressive Party.

TypeNameChineseTaiwaneseHakka
Cities Changhua City彰化市Chiong-hoàChông-fa
Yuanlin City員林市Oân-lîmYèn-lìm
Urban
townships
Beidou北斗鎮Pó-táuPet-téu
Erlin二林鎮Jī-lîmNgi-lìm
Hemei和美鎮Hô-bíFò-mî
Lukang鹿港鎮Lo̍k-kángLu̍k-kóng
Tianzhong田中鎮Tiân-tiongThièn-chûng
Xihu溪湖鎮Khe-ô͘Hâi-fù
Rural
townships
Dacheng大城鄉Toā-siâⁿThai-sàng
Dacun大村鄉Tāi-chhoanThai-tshûn
Ershui二水鄉Jī-chúiNgi-súi
Fangyuan芳苑鄉Hong-oánFông-yen
Fenyuan芬園鄉Hun-hn̂gFûn-yèn
Fuxing福興鄉Hok-hengFuk-hîn
Huatan花壇鄉Hoe-toâⁿFâ-thàn
Pitou埤頭鄉Pi-thâuPhî-thèu
Puxin埔心鄉Po͘-simPhû-sîm
Puyan埔鹽鄉Po͘-iâmPhû-yàm
Shengang伸港鄉Sin-kángTshûn-kóng
Shetou社頭鄉Siā-thâuSa-thèu
Tianwei田尾鄉Chhân-boéThièn-mî
Xianxi線西鄉Soàⁿ-saiSien-sî
Xiushui秀水鄉Siù-chúiSiu-súi
Xizhou溪州鄉Khe-chiuHâi-chû
Yongjing永靖鄉Éng-chēngYún-tshìn
Zhutang竹塘鄉Tek-tn̂gTsuk-thòng

Electoral politics

Changhua County is seen as a political battleground between the Kuomintang (KMT) and the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). While it has historically favored the KMT, recent elections have swung in the direction of the DPP.

County Magistrate

The Changhua County Magistrate is the democratically elected chief executive officer of the county. The current incumbent is Wei Ming-ku of the Democratic Progressive Party.

Election Winner Party Runner-up Party Majority
2001 Wong Chin-chu DPP Yeh Chin-fong KMT 44,080
2005 Cho Po-yuan KMT Wong Chin-chu DPP 99,841
2009 Cho Po-yuan KMT Wong Chin-chu DPP 71,444
2014 Wei Ming-ku DPP Lin Tsang-min KMT 101,667

Legislative Yuan

Since the reorganization of the Legislative Yuan into a 113-member chamber in 2008, Changhua has been divided into four constituencies, each of which return one legislator. In 2011 the incumbent in Changhua 1, Chen Shou-ching, died in office. Because there was less than a year left on her term in office, the seat was left vacant until the 2012 election.[5] In 2014 a by-election was held in Changhua 4 after Wei Ming-ku was elected as Changhua County Magistrate.

Constituency Administrative areas 2008 election 2012 election 2014 by-election 2016 election
Legislator Party Legislator Party Legislator Party Legislator Party
Changhua 1 Shengang, Xianxi, Hemei, Lukang, Fuxing, Xiushui Chen Shou-ching KMT Wang Hui-mei KMT No change Wang Hui-mei KMT
Changhua 2 Changhua City, Huatan, Fenyuan Lin Tsang-min KMT Lin Tsang-min KMT No change Huang Hsiu-fang DPP
Changhua 3 Fenyuan, Erlin, Puyan, Xihu, Puxin, Dacheng, Zhutang, Pitou, Beidou, Xizhou Cheng Ju-fen KMT Cheng Ju-fen KMT No change Hung Tsung-yi DPP
Changhua 4 Dacun, Yuanlin, Yongjing, Shetou, Tianwei, Tianzhong, Ershui Hsiao Ching-tien KMT Wei Ming-ku DPP Chen Su-yue DPP Chen Su-yue DPP

Culture

Changhua County in films

Economy

Chuansing Industrial Park in Shengang Township.

Lukang used to be the economic hub of central Taiwan in its early years where it was a commercially prosperous area. It was an important trading port during the Qing Dynasty.[6]

Farming

Around 1,200 hectares of total land used for growing fruits in the county is used for grape cultivation with Xihu Township acts as the largest grape production hub in the county.[7]

Education

Energy

Changhua County is home to Taiwan's two gas-fired power plants, Hsingyuan Power Plant and Hsingneng Power Plant, with a capacity of 490 MW each. Both power plants are located in Lukang Township.

In August 2016, the Changhua County Government signed an agreement with Canada's Northland Power and Singapore's Yushan Energy to develop "Hai Long", a 1,200 MW-capacity offshore wind generation project spread over 2,300 km2 (890 sq mi) off the coast of the county.[8]

With an installed capacity of 188.5 MW from 83 onshore wind turbine, Changhua County has the largest wind energy capacity of any county, municipality or city in Taiwan. As of 2015, there were 21 offshore wind farms located in the water offshore of the county.[9]

Tourism

Changhua was one of the cultural centers of Taiwan, with a lot of ancient monuments and structures left from the Qing Dynasty, including the Confucian Temple, Tian Ho Gung, built in Lukang in 1647. There are currently 6 National Certified Historical Monuments, 42 County Certified Historical Monuments, 67 Historical Infrastructures, and 1 Cultural Center in Changhua County.

Museums

Museums in the county include the BRAND'S Health Museum, Changhua County Art Museum and Changhua Arts Museum.

Art and culture centers

The county is home to the following art and culture centers, which are Lukang Culture Center, Lukang Folk Arts Museum and National Changhua Living Art Center.

Temples

Temples in Changhua County are Baozang Temple, Confucian Temple of Changhua, Hushan Temple, Kaihua Temple, Lukang Longshan Temple, Lukang Wen Wu Temple, Nanyao Temple, Shetou Doushan Temple and Yuanching Temple.

Nature

Nature tourism in the county are Alice's Garden and Changhua Fitzroy Gardens.

Historical buildings

Historical buildings in the county are the Changhua Wude Hall, Daodong Tutorial Academy, Fuxing Barn, Lukang Ai Gate, Lukang Kinmen Hall, Lukang Rimao Hang, Luocuo Church, Spring of Youth, Yi Yuan Mansion and Yusan Hall.

Transportation

Rail

There are 8 stations in Changhua County of the Taiwan Railway Administration (TRA), with the largest being Changhua Station located in Changhua City. The rest are: Huatan Station, Dacun Station, Yuanlin Station, Yongjing Station, Shetou Station, Tianzhong Station and Ershui Station.

Taiwan High Speed Rail has also one station in the county, which is Changhua Station.

Road

National Highway 1 and National Highway 3 both pass through Changhua County. In addition, there are plenty of provincial highways as well. The Xiluo Bridge, with a span over 1,900 meters and opened in 1953, links Changhua County with neighboring Yunlin County.

Sister cities

Relative location

References

  1. "公布欄-彰化縣政府全球資訊網 - 彰化縣105年4月份戶籍人口結構公告". www.chcg.gov.tw (in Chinese). 1 February 2007. Retrieved 6 June 2016.
  2. Davidson, James W. (1903). The Island of Formosa, Past and Present : history, people, resources, and commercial prospects : tea, camphor, sugar, gold, coal, sulphur, economical plants, and other productions. London and New York: Macmillan & co. p. 73. OL 6931635M. After the terrible insurrection of 1722, it was found that the district of Choolo was too large to be conveniently administered by a single magistrate, and the northern portion was detached to become a new prefecture, named Changwha, while the north part of the island was formed into a ting or division, Tamsui, and was placed under the authority of a marine magistrate.
  3. 1 2 "History". Changhua County Government. 23 Nov 2010.
  4. "Geographic Location-CHANGHUA COUNTYGOVERNMENT". chcg.gov.tw.
  5. Yan Ruo-chin, 國民黨立委陳秀卿 久病過世 (KMT Legislator Chen Shou-ching Dies of Cancer), Liberty Times
  6. "Attractions > Tourism Towns > Lukang Township, Changhua County: Craftsmanship, Cuisine, and Historic Sites >". taiwan.net.tw.
  7. http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/changhua/2015/06/02/437437/Grapes-grown.htm
  8. "Changhua County signs on to US$4.9bn offshore wind energy development plan". Taipei Times. 23 December 2016. Retrieved 23 December 2016.
  9. Her, Kelly (1 January 2017). "Fair Winds". Taiwan Today. Retrieved 3 March 2017.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.