Changhua County
彰化縣 Chiang-hoa | |
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 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  Logo | |
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| Coordinates: 23°56′N 120°32′E / 23.933°N 120.533°E | |
| Country |  Republic of China (Taiwan) |
| Province |  Taiwan Province (de facto defunct) |
| Region | Western Taiwan |
| Seat | Changhua City |
| Largest city | Changhua City |
| Boroughs | 2 cities, 24 (6 urban, 18 rural) townships |
| Government | |
| • Magistrate | Wang Huei-mei (KMT) |
| Area | |
| • Total | 1,074.396 km2 (414.827 sq mi) |
| • Rank | 15 of 22 |
| Population (March 2023)[1] | |
| • Total | 1,244,148 |
| • Rank | 6 of 22 |
| • Density | 1,200/km2 (3,000/sq mi) |
| Time zone | UTC+8 (National Standard Time) |
| Website | www |
| Symbols | |
| Anthem | Changhua County Song[2] |
| Bird | Grey-faced buzzard (Butastur indicus) |
| Flower | Chrysanthemum |
| Tree | Peepul (Ficus religiosa) |
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| Traditional Chinese | 彰化縣 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Changhua County (Mandarin Pinyin: Zhānghuà Xiàn; Wade-Giles: Chang¹-hua⁴ Hsien⁴; Hokkien POJ: Chiang-hòa-koān or Chiong-hòa-koān) is the smallest county on the main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest in the country. With a total population of 1.24 million, Changhua County is the most populous county in the Republic of China. Its capital is Changhua City and it is part of the Taichung–Changhua metropolitan area.
There are 32 prehistoric burial sites in Changhua that date back 5000 years. The original name of the area was Poasoa (Chinese: 半線; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Pòaⁿ-sòaⁿ; lit. 'half line'), so-named by the local indigenous tribes. Poasoa used to be inhabited primarily by the Babuza people, who have since been mostly assimilated by the Han people.
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.[3] 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.[4]
The name of Changhua, meaning "manifestation of a royal civilization", is formally worded "manifestation of the majestic Emperor's civilization spread over the seas".[4]
During early Japanese rule, the island was subdivided into three ken (県): 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.
After the after World War II of Taiwan 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.[5]
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.[6]
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 measures up to 88% of Changhua county's total area. The highest elevation in Changhua is "Hen Shan", at 443 m (1,453 ft).
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| Year | Pop. | ±% |
|---|---|---|
| 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. Archived from the original on 2017-12-16. Retrieved 2016-05-01. | ||
Changhua County is divided into 2 cities, 6 urban townships and 18 rural townships.[7][8] 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 Wang Huei-mei of the Kuomintang.
| Type | Name | Chinese | Taiwanese | Hakka |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cities | Changhua City | 彰化市 | Chiong-hòa or Chiang-hòa |
Chông-fa |
| Yuanlin City | 員林市 | Oân-lîm | Yèn-lìm | |
| Urban townships |
Beidou | 北斗鎮 | Pó-táu | Pet-téu |
| Erlin (Erhlin)[9] | 二林鎮 | Jī-lîm | Ngi-lìm | |
| Hemei | 和美鎮 | Hô-bí | Fò-mî | |
| Lukang | 鹿港鎮 | Lo̍k-káng | Lu̍k-kóng | |
| Tianzhong (Tianjhong) | 田中鎮 | Tiân-tiong | Thièn-chûng | |
| Xihu (Sihu) | 溪湖鎮 | Khe-ô͘ | Hâi-fù | |
| Rural townships |
Dacheng | 大城鄉 | Toā-siâⁿ | Thai-sàng |
| Dacun | 大村鄉 | Tāi-chhoan | Thai-tshûn | |
| Ershui (Erhshui) | 二水鄉 | Jī-chúi | Ngi-súi | |
| Fangyuan | 芳苑鄉 | Hong-oán | Fông-yen | |
| Fenyuan | 芬園鄉 | Hun-hn̂g | Fûn-yèn | |
| Fuxing (Fusing) | 福興鄉 | Hok-heng | Fuk-hîn | |
| Huatan | 花壇鄉 | Hoe-toâⁿ | Fâ-thàn | |
| Pitou | 埤頭鄉 | Pi-thâu | Phî-thèu | |
| Puxin (Pusin) | 埔心鄉 | Po͘-sim | Phû-sîm | |
| Puyan | 埔鹽鄉 | Po͘-iâm | Phû-yàm | |
| Shenkang (Shengang) | 伸港鄉 | Sin-káng | Tshûn-kóng | |
| Shetou | 社頭鄉 | Siā-thâu | Sa-thèu | |
| Tianwei | 田尾鄉 | Chhân-boé | Thièn-mî | |
| Xianxi (Siansi; Hsienhsi)[10] | 線西鄉 | Soàⁿ-sai | Sien-sî | |
| Xiushui (Sioushuei) | 秀水鄉 | Siù-chúi | Siu-súi | |
| Xizhou (Sijhou) | 溪州鄉 | Khe-chiu | Hâi-chû | |
| Yongjing | 永靖鄉 | Éng-chēng | Yún-tshìn | |
| Zhutang (Jhutang; Chutang) | 竹塘鄉 | Tek-tn̂g | Tsuk-thòng |
Changhua County, an electoral bellwether, 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.
The Changhua County Magistrate is the democratically elected chief executive officer of the county. The current incumbent is Wang Huei-Mei of the Kuomintang.
| 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 | ||
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.[11] 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 | ||||
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.[12]
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.[13]
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.[14]
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.[15]
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 in the county include the BRAND'S Health Museum, Changhua County Art Museum and Lukang Folk Arts Museum.
The county is home to the following art and culture centers, which are Changhua Arts Hall, Lukang Culture Center and National Changhua Living Art Center.
Temples in Changhua County are
Nature tourism in the county are Alice's Garden and Changhua Fitzroy Gardens.
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.
There are 8 stations in Changhua County of the Taiwan Railways 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.
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.
Changhau has one professional basketball team, the Formosa Taishin Dreamers of the P. League+ (shared with Taichung).[16]
Nagano Prefecture, Japan (2008)Places adjacent to Changhua County | |
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