Yuanlin (
Hokkien
The Hokkien () variety of Chinese is a Southern Min language native to and originating from the Minnan region, where it is widely spoken in the south-eastern part of Fujian in southeastern mainland China. It is one of the national languages in ...
POJ: ''Oân-lîm'') is a
county-administered city
A county-administered city is a unit of administrative division in Taiwan. Under the administrative structure of Taiwan, it is at the same level as a township or a district. Such cities are under the jurisdiction of counties. It is also the lowes ...
in eastern
Changhua County
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 ...
,
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. It is the second largest settlement in the county, after the county seat of
Changhua City
Changhua (Hokkien POJ: ''Chiong-hòa'' or ''Chiang-hòa''), officially known as Changhua City, is a county-administered city and the county seat of Changhua County in Taiwan Province of the Republic of China. For many centuries the site was h ...
.
History
The land around Yuanlin was cleared of trees and bushes, and fitted for cultivation since the
Yongzheng era of the
Qing dynasty
The Qing dynasty ( ), officially the Great Qing,, was a Manchu-led imperial dynasty of China and the last orthodox dynasty in Chinese history. It emerged from the Later Jin dynasty founded by the Jianzhou Jurchens, a Tungusic-speak ...
(1723–1735). It was well developed about the 16th year of the
Qianlong era
The Qianlong Emperor (25 September 17117 February 1799), also known by his temple name Emperor Gaozong of Qing, born Hongli, was the fifth Emperor of the Qing dynasty and the fourth Qing emperor to rule over China proper, reigning from 1735 t ...
. At first, people cut down the surrounding forests to build their houses. Gradually, only the round woodland was left, and the town was named (), meaning "the round woodland." Later the characters were changed to (Yuanlin). Yuanlin produces different kinds of fruits, and
succade
Succade is the candied peel of any of the citrus species, especially from the citron or ''Citrus medica'' which is distinct with its extra-thick peel; in addition, the taste of the inner rind of the citron is less bitter than those of the other ...
(fruit cooked in sugar syrup and encrusted with a sugar crystals) is one of its specialties.
Republic of China
After the
handover of Taiwan from Japan to the
Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
in 1945, Yuanlin was made the capital of the newly established
Taichung County
Taichung County was a county in central Taiwan between 1945 and 2010. The county seat was in Yuanlin Township before 1950 and Fongyuan City after 1950.
History
Taichung County was established on 26 November 1945 on the territory of Taichū P ...
. In 1950,
Changhua
Changhua (Hokkien POJ: ''Chiong-hòa'' or ''Chiang-hòa''), officially known as Changhua City, is a county-administered city and the county seat of Changhua County in Taiwan Province of the Republic of China. For many centuries the site was h ...
and
Nantou Nantou may refer to:
* Nantou County (南投縣), a county in central Taiwan (Republic of China)
* Nantou City (南投市), seat of Nantou County, Taiwan
* Nantou (historical town) (南头), a historic town and former administrative center of Xin' ...
were separated from the county to form new counties. Being in Changhua County, Yuanlin ceased becoming the capital of Taichung County, and the new capital of Taichung County was given to
Fengyuan Township
Fengyuan District () is a district located in north-central Taichung, Taiwan on the south bank of the Dajia River. Fengyuan district is the third most populated district among former Taichung County, ranking after Dali and Taiping district. Fen ...
. On 8 August 2015, Yuanlin was upgraded from an
urban township
An urban township is a designation of a unit of local government in several countries.
United States
The term is called ''urban township'' Michigan, Minnesota and Ohio and urban town in Wisconsin. Generally, an urban township is afforded more loca ...
into a county-administered city
after the qualifying population level for city status was revised downwards from 125,000 to 100,000 people.
Geography
Yuanlin is located on the eastern border of
Changhua County
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 central
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
. The city is bordered to the north by
Dacun
Dacun Township () is a rural township in Changhua County, Taiwan.
Geography
Dacun encompasses and a population of 36,776, including 19,044 males and 17,732 females as of January 2017.
Administrative divisions
The township comprises 16 villages ...
, to the east by
Fenyuan
Fenyuan Township () is a rural township in Changhua County, Taiwan.
Geography
Fenyuan encompasses and a population of 23,843, including 12,533 males and 11,310 females as of January 2017.
Administrative divisions
The township comprises 15 vi ...
and
Nantou City
Nantou City (Mandarin Pīnyīn: ''Nántóu Shì''; Hokkien POJ: ''Lâm-tâu-chhī'') is a county-administered city located in the northwest of Nantou County, Taiwan. It lies between the Bagua Mountains and the Maoluo River and is the county ...
(the only neighboring settlement outside Changhua County), to the south by
Shetou
Shetou Township is a rural township in Changhua County, Taiwan.
Geography
Shetou has a population of 43,315 (January 2016)
and an area of .
Administrative divisions
The township comprises 24 villages: Beidou, Guangfu, Guangxing, Jiushe, Liren, ...
, and to the west by
Yongjing and
Puxin.
Demographics
With a population of 124,725 as of December 2014,
[ Yuanlin was the most populated township in Taiwan until it was upgraded into a ]county-administered city
A county-administered city is a unit of administrative division in Taiwan. Under the administrative structure of Taiwan, it is at the same level as a township or a district. Such cities are under the jurisdiction of counties. It is also the lowes ...
, and has a higher population than 10 of the 17 county-administered cities. The division between male and female residents is almost equal, with 63,043 male and 62,433 female registered inhabitants in 36,722 households. At the beginning of the Republic of China
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the northeast ...
era on Taiwan, the first census in December 1946 showed a population of 37,999, with steady annual increases from then on. The number of inhabitants passed the 50,000 mark in 1953, and first exceeded 100,000 in 1979. Since 1995 the population has fluctuated only slightly, and remained between 124,000 and 128,000.
Administrative divisions
Lunya, Zhenxing, Lincuo, Chushui, Hushui, Dafeng, Zengxing, Fuzun, Xitung, Nantung, Zhongtung, Tungbei, Tunghe, Minsheng, Liming, Huilai, Zhongyang, Gouzao, Darao, Daming, Wannian, Zhongzheng, Renmei, Xinxing, Heping, Guangming, Zhongshan, Santiao, Zhongxiao, Renai, Sanhe, Sanqiao, Sanai, Sanxin, Sanduo, Sanyi, Xinsheng, Nanping, Nanxing, Yuantan and Dapu Village.
Politics
In the early 2010s two mayors of the town were convicted in separate corruption cases. July 2010 saw former mayor Tu Quanchong sentenced to 16 years in prison for soliciting NT$3.5 million in kickbacks from a major construction project dating back to his time in office. In April 2011 the then serving mayor, Wu Zongxian, was impeached on corruption charges similarly related to kickbacks from construction projects. Wu was subsequently sentenced to 14 years in prison, having been found guilty of exacting bribes in excess of NT$16 million from 81 different projects since 2005. Officials from the Control Yuan
The Control Yuan is the supervisory and auditory branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Prior to constitutional reforms in the 1990s, the Control Yuan, along with National Assembly (electoral college) and the Legislative ...
said the scope of Wu's activities was "unprecedented" and that "virtually no construction projects in the town were untainted by corruption".
Education
* Chung Chou University of Science and Technology
Chung Chou University of Science and Technology (CCUT; ) is a private university located in Yuanlin City, Changhua County, Taiwan.
History
CCUT was originally established as Chung Chou Vocational Institute of Engineering in 1969. In 1991, the s ...
Tourist attractions
* Yuanlin Performance Hall
The Yuanlin Performance Hall () is a performance center in Yuanlin City, Changhua County, Taiwan. It is the largest cultural building in the county.
History
The construction of the hall started on 15 December 1997 and was opened on 12 August 2 ...
Transportation
Rail
Yuanlin has a station on the Taiwan Railways Administration
Taiwan Railways Administration (TRA) is a railway operator in Taiwan. It is an agency of the Ministry of Transportation and Communications, responsible for managing, maintaining, and running conventional passenger and freight railway services ...
's Western Line. A project is underway to redevelop the station in combination with converting the current at-grade line to an elevated line through the city, a plan designed to improve road traffic flow and promote investment. The elevation of the track will eliminate three level crossings and five underpasses, and the area currently comprising the station will be converted into a mixed-use development
Mixed-use is a kind of urban development, urban design, urban planning and/or a zoning type that blends multiple uses, such as residential, commercial, cultural, institutional, or entertainment, into one space, where those functions are to some ...
with commercial space, parking and green space. This redevelopment was scheduled to be completed in 2013 and has a budget of NT$
The New Taiwan dollar (code: TWD; symbol: NT$, also abbreviated as NT) is the official currency of Taiwan. The New Taiwan dollar has been the currency of Taiwan since 1949, when it replaced the Old Taiwan dollar, at a rate of 40,000 old dollars ...
4 billion.
Road
Bus stations in the city are Yuanlin Bus Station of Yuanlin Bus and Yuanlin Transfer Station. To travel outside Yuanlin by road, the Provincial Highway 76, an east-west elevated route, runs through the city and is the most efficient way to reach either of Taiwan's major north-south freeways, the National 1 and the National 3.
Notable natives
* Chan Ya-wen
Chan Ya-wen (; born 2 March 1967 in Changhua, Taiwan) is a Taiwanese Hokkien pop singer, lyricist, and composer. She won the 2008 Golden Melody Award for Best Dialect Female Artist. In 2021, she was diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, with her ...
, singer, lyricist, composer
* Steve Chan, Vice Chairperson of Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT), also referred to as the Guomindang (GMD), the Nationalist Party of China (NPC) or the Chinese Nationalist Party (CNP), is a major political party in the Republic of China, initially on the Chinese mainland and in Tai ...
(2016-2017)
* Wong Chin-chu
Wong Chin-chu (; born 31 January 1947) is a Taiwanese educator and politician. She was a member of the Legislative Yuan from 1993 to 2001. Wong stepped down in the midst of her third term, as she was elected magistrate of Changhua County later t ...
, Magistrate
The term magistrate is used in a variety of systems of governments and laws to refer to a civilian officer who administers the law. In ancient Rome, a '' magistratus'' was one of the highest ranking government officers, and possessed both judici ...
of Changhua County
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 ...
(2001-2005)
* Kuo Lin-yung
Kuo Lin-yung (; born 20 November 1946), is a Taiwanese politician. During his first term on the Legislative Yuan from 1984 to 1987, he was affiliated with the Kuomintang. He returned to the legislature between 2005 and 2008, representing the Taiw ...
, retired politician, lawyer
References
External links
*
*
{{Authority control
County-administered cities of Taiwan
Populated places in Changhua County