Hualien

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Hualien City (Traditional Chinese: 花蓮市; Hanyu Pinyin: Hūaliánshì; Wade-Giles: Hua-lien shih; POJ: Hoa-liân-chhī) is the capital of Hualien County, Taiwan. It is on the coast of the Pacific Ocean. It has a population of about 110,000 people.

1 History
2 Basic Information
3 Subdivisions
4 Sister cities
5 External links

[edit] History

A temple in the Hualien City.

According to The Record of Hualien County (花蓮縣志), the place was originally called Kilai (Traditional Chinese: 奇萊; Hanyu Pinyin: Jīlái; Wade-Giles: Chi-lai; Japanese: きらい; Taiwanese: Kilaai). Because Kilai (Kirai in Japanese) sounds the same as "dislike" (嫌い) in Japanese, the Japanese administration changed the name to Karen (花蓮; かれん) in the early 20th century. The Republic of China Kuomintang administration of the late 20th century promoted the Standard Mandarin Chinese reading, Hualien. In Chinese, Hualien is an approximate homonym of Huilan (洄瀾; húilán; かいらん), which means "recurring waves (of the Pacific Ocean)".

The Spaniards tried to mine gold in Hualien in 1622. Permanent settlements began in 1851, when 2,200 Han Chinese farmers led by Huang A-fong (黃阿鳳) of Taipei arrived at Fengchuan. In 1875, more farmers, led by Lin Cang-an (林蒼安) of Yilan, settled at Fengchuan. But by the time of the Sino-Japanese War (1894-1895), when Hualien City, along with the rest of Taiwan, was ceded to Japan, there were still not many settlers in Hualien. In about 1912, the city expanded to Guohua and Guoan Villages, a region later known as Old New Port (舊新港). Around 1923, the city continued to expand to Aolang Port (鯉浪港), today known as New Port (新港), including Guowei and Guoji Villages.

[edit] Basic Information

Beach of Jiqi, Hualian/ Panorama Photography/ taken by geoffroy

Area: 29.41 km²
Population: 110,000 people in 35,000 households
Geographic coordinates: 121°36'23 East, 23°58'20 North
Average annual temperature: 24°
Mayor: Cai Chita (蔡啟塔)

There are 6 colleges, 12 senior high schools, 4 middle schools, and 16 elementary schools. 37 churches and 31 temples. The native people are the Ami. It contains Meilun Mountain (美崙山) and a part of Meilun Creek (美崙溪). Shiliugu (十六股) is the areas near the creek known as Fengchuan (豐川), or "Fertile River", that is still over 80% farmland nowadays.

Hualien has a recently renovated commercial airport that serves domestic flights and international charters. Hualien Airport is a popular transit hub for visitors going to nearby Taroko National Park.

[edit] Subdivisions

The 45 villages (里) of the cities are divided into six village unions (聯合里): (in Tongyong Pinyin)

The first union: Minyun (民運), Minle (民樂), Minsiang (民享), Minyi (民意), Minsin (民心), Minli (民立), Minle (民德), Minzheng (民政), Minchin (民勤), Minsiao (民孝)
The second union: Minsheng (民生), Minchuan (民權), Minzu (民族), Minyou (民有), Minjhu (民主), Minjhi (民治)
The third union: Jhuji (主計), Jhuyi (主義), Jhusin (主信), Jhuchin (主勤), Jhushang (主商), Jhugong (主工)
The fourth union: Jhusuei (主學), Jhuchuan (主權), Jhunong (主農), Jhuhe (主和), Jhuli (主力), Jhuhe (主安), Jhumu (主睦)
The fifth union: Guofung (國風), Guofang (國防), Guojhi (國治), Guoguang (國光), Guohuen (國魂), Guoan (國安), Guowei (國威), Guohua (國華), Guolian (國聯), Guosheng (國盛)
The sixth union: Guofu (國富), Guoyu (國裕), Guoching (國慶), Guochiang (國強), Guofu (國福), Guosing (國興)

The newest villages from 2002 are Guosheng, Guosing, Minsiao, and Minjhu.