:Changhua County

There are 32 prehistoric burial sites in Changhua that date back 5000 years. The original name of the area was Poasoa ({{zh|c=半線|poj=Pòaⁿ-sòaⁿ|l=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: {{Interlanguage link multi|Taiwan County|zh|3=臺灣縣 (1684年-1887年)}}, {{Interlanguage link multi|Fongshan District (Formosa)|zh|3=鳳山縣 (清治時期)}} 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.{{cite book |last1=Davidson |first1=James W. |author-link=James W. Davidson |title=The Island of Formosa, Past and Present : history, people, resources, and commercial prospects: tea, camphor, sugar, gold, coal, sulphur, economical plants, and other productions |year=1903 |publisher=Macmillan & co. |url=https://archive.org/details/islandofformosap00davi |location=London and New York |ol=6931635M |page=[https://archive.org/details/islandofformosap00davi/page/73 73] |quote=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. |access-date=2015-01-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150108025015/https://archive.org/details/islandofformosap00davi |archive-date=2015-01-08 |url-status=live }} 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.{{cite web |title=History |url=http://www.chcg.gov.tw/eng/01us/01history.asp |date=23 Nov 2010 |publisher=Changhua County Government |access-date=25 August 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141110211010/http://www.chcg.gov.tw/eng/01us/01history.asp |archive-date=10 November 2014 }}

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

During early Japanese rule, the island was subdivided into three {{nihongo||県|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.

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.{{cite news|date=1 February 2011|url=https://taiwantoday.tw/news.php?unit=4,29,31,45&post=6187|title=Rezoning Taiwan|publisher=Taiwan Today|access-date=9 December 2020}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.chcg.gov.tw/eng/01us/02location.asp|title=Geographic Location-CHANGHUA COUNTYGOVERNMENT|work=chcg.gov.tw|access-date=2014-08-25|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140826113852/http://www.chcg.gov.tw/eng/01us/02location.asp|archive-date=2014-08-26}}

The county's total area is {{convert|1074|km2|abbr=on}}, being Taiwan's smallest county. It owns a {{convert|60|km|abbr=on}} 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 {{convert|443|m|abbr=on}}.

File:彰化行政區劃.png

File:王委員惠美 (第九屆).jpg, the incumbent Magistrate of Changhua County]]

File:彰化市中正路一段.JPG, the capital of Changhua County]]

File:彰化縣政府.JPG]]

File:彰化縣議會.JPG]]

{{Historical populations

|type = Taiwan

|footnote = Source:{{cite web|url=http://www.ris.gov.tw/zh_TW/346|publisher=Ministry of the Interior Population Census|title=Populations by city and country in Taiwan|access-date=2016-05-01|archive-date=2017-12-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171216064040/http://www.ris.gov.tw/zh_TW/346|url-status=dead}}

|1985 |1223209

|1990 |1245288

|1995 |1288447

|2000 |1310531

|2005 |1315034

|2010 |1307286

|2015 |1289072

}}

Changhua County is divided into 2 cities, 6 urban townships and 18 rural townships.{{cite web|url=http://www.chcg.gov.tw/eng/01us/03towns.asp|title=Townships and Cities|quote=Hemei Beidou Yuanlin Erhshui Pusin Sihu Siansi Fenyuan Shengang Huatan Dacun Yongjing Sijhou Jhutang Fangyuan Tianjhong Erlin Pitou Dacheng Tianwei Shetou Sioushuei Puyan Lukang Changhua Fusing|access-date=26 May 2019|publisher=Changhua County Government|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190526130401/http://www.chcg.gov.tw/eng/01us/03towns.asp|archive-date=26 May 2019|url-status=live}}{{cite web|date=16 June 2011 |script-title=zh:臺灣地區鄉鎮市區級以上行政區域名稱中英對照表 |url=http://placesearch.moi.gov.tw/translate/Admin1000616.pdf |pages=8–9|publisher=Online Translation System of Geographic Name, Ministry of Interior |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120325205328/http://placesearch.moi.gov.tw/translate/Admin1000616.pdf |archive-date=25 March 2012 |df=dmy-all }} 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.

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.

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.{{citation |url=http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/488383 |script-title=zh:國民黨立委陳秀卿 久病過世 |trans-title=KMT Legislator Chen Shou-ching Dies of Cancer |publisher=Liberty Times |author=Yan Ruo-chin |title= |newspaper=自由時報電子報 |date=22 April 2011 |access-date=2015-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151222092343/http://news.ltn.com.tw/news/politics/breakingnews/488383 |archive-date=2015-12-22 |url-status=live }} In 2014 a by-election was held in Changhua 4 after Wei Ming-ku was elected as Changhua County Magistrate.

• You Are the Apple of My Eye

File:全興工業區.JPG.]]

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.{{cite web|url=http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0017729&id=A12-00114|title=Attractions > Tourism Towns > Lukang Township, Changhua County: Craftsmanship, Cuisine, and Historic Sites >|work=taiwan.net.tw|access-date=2015-02-23|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150308080803/http://eng.taiwan.net.tw/m1.aspx?sNo=0017729&id=A12-00114|archive-date=2015-03-08|url-status=live}}

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.{{Cite web |url=http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/changhua/2015/06/02/437437/Grapes-grown.htm |title=Grapes grown in Changhua make a grab for Middle East - the China Post |access-date=2015-08-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923234441/http://www.chinapost.com.tw/taiwan/local/changhua/2015/06/02/437437/Grapes-grown.htm |archive-date=2015-09-23 |url-status=live }}

File:NCUE Jinde Gezhi Building.jpg]]

• National Changhua University of Education
• Dayeh University
• Chienkuo Technology University
• Chung Chou University of Science and Technology

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 {{convert|2300|km2|abbr=on}} off the coast of the county.{{cite web|url=http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/12/23/2003661778|date=23 December 2016|title=Changhua County signs on to US$4.9bn offshore wind energy development plan|publisher=Taipei Times|access-date=23 December 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161222175703/http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/taiwan/archives/2016/12/23/2003661778|archive-date=22 December 2016|url-status=live}}

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.{{cite web|url=http://www.taiwantoday.tw/news.php?post=109422&unit=8,32|first=Kelly|last=Her|date=1 January 2017|title=Fair Winds|publisher=Taiwan Today|access-date=3 March 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170303123658/http://www.taiwantoday.tw/news.php?post=109422&unit=8,32|archive-date=3 March 2017|url-status=live}}

File:國立彰化生活美學館側面.jpg]]

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

• Baozang Temple (芬園寶藏寺) : built in 1672 and dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva, designated as a third grade historic building
• Changhua Confucian Temple (彰化孔廟) : built in 1726 and renovated in 1830, is a Grade 1 national historical site
• Hushan Temple (虎山巖) : built in 1747 and dedicated to Guanyin Bodhisattva
• Kaihua Temple (彰化開化寺) : originally constructed in 1724 as Guanyin Shrine
• Lukang Longshan Temple (鹿港龍山寺) : first built in 1738, renowned for its exquisite woodcarvings, as well as for its stone sculptures, especially the 12 major support columns in the main hall, twined by auspicious dragons hewn from solid stone
• Lukang Wen Wu Temple (鹿港文武廟) : first built in 1806, consists of Martial Temple (武廟), Literature Shrine (文祠) and Wenkai Academy (文開書院)
• Nanyao Temple (彰化南瑤宮) : completed in 1738 and originally named Mazu Temple, designated as a third grade historic building
• Shetou Doushan Temple (社頭斗山祠) : built in 1880, ancestral temple of "Xiao" (蕭) clan
• Yuanching Temple (元清觀) : constructed in 1763, one of the earliest temple in Taiwan that is dedicated to Jade Emperor

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.

File:TRA Changhua Station 20060723.jpg]]

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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).{{cite web |title=關於 P. League+ |url=https://pleagueofficial.com/about |publisher=P. League+ |access-date=1 January 2023}}

• {{flagdeco|JPN}} Nagano Prefecture, Japan (2008)

{{Geographic Location

|North = {{flag|Taichung}}

|West = Taiwan Strait (South China Sea)
{{flag|Kinmen}}

|Centre = {{flag|Changhua County}}

|East = {{flag|Nantou County}}

|South = {{flag|Yunlin County}}

}}

• Giddens Ko: Taiwanese novelist and filmmaker.
• Chou Ting-shan: Taiwanese writer.
• Hsieh Nan-kuang, activist and politician

{{Reflist}}

{{Commons category}}

{{Wiktionary|Changhua}}

{{Wikivoyage}}

• {{official website}}
• {{osmrelation-inline|2917549}}

{{Administrative divisions of the Republic of China}}

{{Taiwan Changhua divisions}}

{{Authority control}}