Changhua County
Changhua County (彰化縣), alternatively spelled Zhanghuah, is in the west-central region of Taiwan.
Understand
[edit]Changhua is the smallest county on the main island of Taiwan, but has a population of 1.24 million people, making it the most populous. The county contains burial evidence of settlement from over 5,000 years ago.
Regions
[edit]
Changhua County Map
In the interests of grouping like regions, Changhua can be roughly divided into North and South with 26 major settlements spread among 8 districts:
North Chunghua
[edit]North Chunghua is the more urban and industrialised area of the county.
| Chunghua District (Changhua, Fenyuan, Huatan) The most populated region of the county and contains the seat of the county government. |
| Hemei District (Hemei, Xianxi, Shengang) The industrial heartland of the county and home to a variety of water birds. |
| Lukang District (Lukang, Xiushui, Fuxing) A historical area with a number of points of note to history and culture buffs. |
South Chunghua
[edit]Considered to be the more sedate portion of the county, a large amount of the region is agricultural and parkland.
| Yuanlin District (Yuanlin, Yongjing, Dacun) An important point in Taiwan for those interested in horticulture and fruit farming. |
| Xihu District (Xihu, Puxin, Puyan) A significant point in the fruit and vegetable logistics industry in Taiwan, the area is also famous for its mutton. |
| Tianzhong District (Tianzhong, Ershui, Shetou) Sitting at the foot of Baguashan and beside the Zhuoshui River. |
| Beidou District (Beidou, Tianwei, Xizhou, Pitou) The area still has a fair amount of architecture preserved from the Japanese colonial period. The area is known in Taiwan for its flower production and markets. |
| Erlin District (Erlin, Zhutang, Fangyuan, Dacheng) Home to the largest area of wetland in Taiwan, this is a good area for exploring nature and bird-watching. |
The county consists of a number of settlements including:
Cities
[edit]Townships
[edit]- 1 Beidou (北斗鎮). famous for ba-wan, a popular Taiwanese food item that was invented in the township.
- 2 Erlin (二林鎮). the largest township in Changhua County.
- 3 Fuxing (福興鄉).
- 4 Hemei (和美鎮).
- 5 Lukang (鹿港鎮). population around 80,000, is the second oldest town in Taiwan, and is famous for its traditional architecture and food. Originally settled by immigrants from Quanzhou, the local dialect of Taiwanese is known for being highly similar to the Quanzhou dialect of Minnan
- 6 Tianjhong (田中鎮). named for its rice-farming history, the township sits at the base of the Bagua Mountain Range.
- 7 Xihu (溪湖鎮). previously an important centre of sugar production, the area is now famous for its local food, including lamb hotpot and kyoho grapes
- 8 Yongjing (永靖鄉).
Get in
[edit]By rail
[edit]Changhua is connected to Taiwan's High Speed Rail network via:
- 1 Changhua HSR station (高鐵彰化站).
Changhua County is connected to other parts of Taiwan by the TRA network. This is also a useful way to get between townships. Stations located within the County are:
| Name | Chinese | Line | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2 Huatan.   | 花壇 | West Coast Line | Huatan | |
| 3 Dacun. | 大村 | West Coast Line | Dacun | |
| 4 Yuanlin. | 員林 | West Coast Line | Yuanlin | |
| 5 Yongjing. | 永靖 | West Coast Line | Yongjing | |
| 6 Shetou. | 社頭 | West Coast Line | Shetou | |
| 7 Tianzhong. | 田中 | West Coast Line | Tianzhong | |
| 8 Ershui. | 二水 | West Coast Line | Ershui | |
| 9 Changhua. | 彰化 | Taichung Line West Coast Line | Changhua | 2.5 hours from Taipei |
By bus
[edit]
Many inter-city bus companies run a route to Changhua county from Taipei and Taichung.
- Kuo-Kuang Motor Transport[dead link]
- Ubus
Get around
[edit]- Lukang - If you get in by bus from Changhua station, there is a tourist information center across the street, in the park. You can rent a bicycle from the center. Historic old market street is also within walking distance from the bus station.
By bus
[edit]One way to travel between the different townships in Changhua is by bus. There are a number of bus companies which run routes between townships, and from Changhua County to the major cities in Taiwan. Some of these companies are:
- Changhua Bus
- Geya Bus
- Ho-Hsin[dead link]
- Taichung Bus
- Yuanlin Bus
- Zhonglu Bus
There is a website (Changhua County Real-time Bus Information System) which provides real-time information on busses in the county, however it is only available in Chinese for the time being.
By bicycle
[edit]The more built-up areas of the county have rental stations for Taiwan's Youbike network. You can find real-time information on the availability of bikes and the closes station by visiting the Youbike Station Map[dead link].
See
[edit]A number of the attractions in this county lie within Changhua City, which has an article to itself. So, this page will feature only the attractions which lie within the wider county.
History and culture
[edit]
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- 1 Beidou Red Brick Market (北斗紅磚市場). A traditional red-brick covered market building which was constructed in 1935.
- 2 Daodong Tutorial Academy (道東書院), No. 101, Heqing Road, Hemei Township, ☏ +886 4 756 0620. 08:00-17:30. A tutorial academic built in 1857, the complex still contains the original establishment documents, as well as some of the materials and tools used to build it.
- 3 Fuxing Barn (福興穀倉). Built in 1928, the series of 16 barns was constructed to store and process rice from around the colony. The architectural style incorporates high windows which dissipated heat without allowing moisture to enter and cause the rice to spoil or ferment.
- 4 Hsing-Hsien College (興賢書院), No. 1, Sanmin Street, Yuanlin City, ☏ +886 4 834 2571. 07:00-19:00.
- 5 Lukang Ai Gate (鹿港隘門). The gate was built in 1839 so that the town could be closed off at night and prevent those from neighbouring areas from entering and causing trouble.
- 6 Lukang Kinmen Hall (鹿港金門館), No. 54, Jinmen Street, Lukang Township, ☏ +886 4 774 5537. It was built as a shrine, and later expanded to become a meeting point for the local population.
- 7 Lukang Rimao Hang (鹿港日茂行), No. 70, Quanzhou Street, Lukang Township. 09:00-17:30. The former building of a trading house established in 1784 by a Fujianese businessman.
- 8 Yi Yuan Mansion (馬興陳宅), ☏ +886 4 2229 5848. 09:00-17:00. Also known as the Maxing Chen Yi-Yuan Family Mansion, the house was built by the Chen family in 1846 using money from their trading business with mainland China. It is the largest historic manor in the county.
- 9 Yongjing Public School Dormitory (永靖公學校宿舍), No. 2, Lane 25, Yongpo Road, Yongjing Township. 11:30-21:00. A Japanese-style dormitory building which housed students of the public school. The building was constructed in 1929.
- 10 Yusan Hall (餘三館), No. 2, Lane 451, Section 1, Zhongshan Road, Yongjing Township, ☏ +886 917 323 157. 09:00-20:00. A private house built in 1872, during the Qing dyansty period.
Museums and galleries
[edit]
- 11 Changhua County Art Museum (彰化縣立美術館), No. 3, Guashan Road, Changhua City, ☏ +886 4 725 0057. 09:00-17:00. A museum containing a number of exhibits of local artwork.
- 12 Lukang Culture Center (鹿港公會堂), No. 72, Butou Street, Lukang Township, ☏ +886 4 778 4337. 10:00-18:00. The local cultural centre for the town. The building was built in 1928 during the period of Japanese occupation of Taiwan.
- 13 Lukang Folk Arts Museum (鹿港民俗文物館), No. 88, Guanqian Street, Lukang Township, ☏ +886 4 777 2019. 09:00-17:00. The museum houses a collection of Ming and Qing dynasty artifacts, such as: photographs, lacquerware, porcelain, carved stones, embroidery, and musical instruments. The building, and all the contents of the museum, were donated by local residents, particularly the Koo family. The building is an unusual combination of Asian architecture and Western architecture.
- 14 Taiwan Glass Gallery (臺灣玻璃館), No. 30, Lugong South 4th Road, Lukang Township, ☏ +886 4 781 1299. 08:00-18:30. Contains a number of exhibits related to glassware and glass production.
- 15 Wangkung Story Museum (王功故事館), No. 900號, Yugang Road, Fangyuan Township, ☏ +886 4 893 6657. 08:30-17:30. A museum of local history and seafaring.
- 16 Brand's Health Museum (白蘭氏健康博物館), No. 18, Lugong Road, Lukang Township, ☏ +886 4 781 0077. 09:00-17:00. A museum owned and operated by the Brand's company.
Temples
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- 17 Baozang Temple (寶藏寺), No. 100, Lane 135, Section 3, Zhangnan Road, Fenyuan Township, ☏ +886 4 9252 2836. It was built during the Qing dynasty. The temple displays several historic objects and almost 100 statues of gods.
- 18 Changhua Great Buddha Statue of Bagua Mountain (八卦山大佛), No.8-1, Bagua Rd., Zhanghua City (彰化市八卦路8-1號), ☏ +886 4-722-2290. 08:30-17:30. The main attractions in the scenic area include the Baguashan Great Buddha, the Anti-Japanese Martyrs Monument Park and the Healthy Trail etc. It is one of the “Eight Views of Changhua”. The statue of the Buddha was completed in 1961. The original site was the Palace of the Kitashirakawa Yoshihisa Prince, and it was 23 meters high. It is known as the largest Buddha in East Asia. Surrounded by flowers and plants, it is suitable for passengers to rest, followed by the Great Buddha Hall, and there is a Dragon Pond in front, and can overlooking the street scene of Changhua City.
- 19 Gentlewoman Temple (淑女祠的媒體集), No. 303, Section 2, Jiadong Road, Dacun Township. A temple building built to memorialise a 16-year-old student who was killed in a car accident in 1976.
- 20 Huatan Wende Temple (白沙坑文德宮), No. 6, Section 3, Zhangyuan Road, Huatan Township, ☏ +886 4 786 3904.
- 21 Hushan Temple (虎山岩).
- Husheng Temple (台灣護聖宮), No. 28, Lugong South 4th Road, Lukang Township, ☏ +886 4 781 1209. 06:00-21:00. A unique temple which resembles the more traditional temple architecture, but is made of glass. The temple is dedicated to the goddess Mazu. The temple is across the road from the Taiwan Glass Gallery.
- 22 Longshan temple (龍山寺), 81, Kinmen St, Lukang Township (鹿港鎮金門街81號), ☏ +886 4-777-2472. 05:00-21:30. Built in the Qing Emperor Qianlong period, Lugang Longshan Temple has a long history, large scale, exquisite carvings, no delicate decoration, only simple characters, flowers and birds clay sculpture, with ancient colors, more elegant taste.
- 23 Lugang Mazu Temple (鹿港天后宮), 430, Zhongshan Road, Lukang Township (鹿港鎮中山路430號), ☏ +886 4-777-9899. 0600-22:00. A famous Mazu Temple, after many expansions and renovations, completed today's exquisite and magnificent Lugang Mazu Temple. In the palace there are plaques of Emperor Qianlong and Emperor Guangxu.
- 24 Lukang Wen Wu Temple (鹿港文武廟), No. 2, Qingyun Road, Lukang Township.
- 25 Luocuo Church (羅厝天主教堂), No. 109, Luoyong Road, Puxin Township, ☏ +886 4 829 2671. The original church structure was built in 1875 when a local resident invited Father Vinte Gomar of the Dominican Order to come to Puxin. Father Gomar then bought the land for 100 dollars in 1877. After the original structure was destroyed, the current structure was erected in 1996 using a Fujianese red-brick architectural style.
- 26 Shetou Doushan Temple (社頭斗山祠), No. 19, Qingxing Road, Shetou Township.
- 27 Tianzhong Shushan Shrine (田中書山祠), No. 435, Section 3, Dongmin Road, Tianzhong Township.
- 28 Yongjing Koxinga Temple (永靖鄭成功紀念館), No. 268, Yongshe Road, Yongjing Township. A park with a temple dedicated to the famous admiral Koxinga. The park contains a number of playgrounds, exercise equipment, and decommissioned military hardware.
Do
[edit]Parks and nature
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- 1 Baiguoshan (百果山), No. 12, Hushui Road, Yuanlin City. An area of parkland with a shrine sitting atop the hill. There are a fair number of stairs to climb to reach it.
- 2 Beidou Riverside Park (北斗河濱公園), No. 40-42, Hebin Street, Beidou Township. A tranquil area of parkland beside a river.
- 3 Qingshuiyan Forest Recreation Area (清水岩森林遊樂區), Shetou Township. A large area of forest area with a great deal of biodiversity. The area contains a number of hiking trails.
- 4 Tianwei Highway Garden (田尾公路花園), No. 156, Section 1, Minzu Road, Tianwei Township, ☏ +886 4 883 2626. A large botanical garden area with a variety of paths and cycle tracks.
- 5 Xizhou Gardens (溪州公園), No. 138, Section 3, Zhongyang Road, Xizhou Township, ☏ +886 4 889 9812. 05:30-18:30. The park use to be calledthe Changhua Fitzroy Gardens, designed for and named after the Fitzroy Gardens in Melbourne, Australia. The park covers an area of 123 hectares, making it the largest plain park in Taiwan. The park is the venue for the annual Flower Exhibition.
Eat
[edit]
- 1 Yu Jen Jai (玉珍齋), No. 168, Minzu Road, Lukang Township, ☏ +886 4 777 3672. 08:00-22:00. Established in 1877, the Yujhenjhai cakes are famous local specialties, as are Lukang's ox tongue cakes (牛舌餅) and oyster pancakes.
Night markets
[edit]- 2 Dacun Night Market (大村夜市). Thur: 17:00-23:00.
- 3 Fu Xing Night Market (福興夜市), No. 67, Section 2, Zhangshui Road, Xiushui. M 17:00-00:00.
- 4 Shetou Night Market (社頭夜市). Tu Sa 17:00-23:30.
- 5 Siakhau Night Market (社口夜市), Qingshui Road, Fenyuan Township. M 17:00-23:00.
- 6 Tianwei Highway Garden Night Market (田尾公路花園夜市). Sa 17:00-00:00.
- 7 Xihu Night Market (溪湖夜市), No. 25, Changqing Street, Xihu Township. W 18:00-22:00, F 18:00-23:00.