Taichung (,
Wade–Giles
Wade–Giles ( ) is a romanization system for Mandarin Chinese. It developed from the system produced by Thomas Francis Wade during the mid-19th century, and was given completed form with Herbert Giles's '' A Chinese–English Dictionary'' ...
: '), officially Taichung City, is a
special municipality in central
Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
. Taichung is Taiwan's second-largest city, with more than 2.85 million residents, making it the largest city in
Central Taiwan
The regions of Taiwan are based on historical administrative divisions. However, most of the definitions are not precise.
Division into two regions
* Eastern and Western Taiwan: the Central Mountain Range separates Taiwan into east and west.
:* ' ...
. It serves as the core of the
Taichung–Changhua metropolitan area
The Taichung–Changhua metropolitan area () is the second largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Prior to 2010, It was officially defined as including the following areas:
Since the merger of Taichung City and the former Taichung County
Ta ...
, Taiwan's second-largest metropolitan area.
Located in the
Taichung Basin
The Taichung Basin (), located in the Central Taiwan, central region of western Taiwan, is the third largest metropolitan area in Taiwan. It occupies parts of Taichung City, Nantou County and Changhua County. The basin borders the Choshui River ...
, the city was initially developed from several scattered hamlets helmed by the
Taiwanese indigenous peoples
Taiwanese indigenous peoples, formerly called Taiwanese aborigines, are the indigenous peoples of Taiwan, with the nationally recognized subgroups numbering about 600,303 or 3% of the Geography of Taiwan, island's population. This total is incr ...
. It was constructed to be the new capital of
Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province ( zh, t=臺灣省 , p=Táiwān Shěng , poj=Tâi-oân-séng; PFS: ''Thòi-vàn-sén'' or ''Thòi-vân-sén'') is a ''de jure'' administrative division of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Provinces remain a titular division as ...
and renamed "
Taiwan-fu" in the late
Qing dynastic era between 1887 and 1894. During the
Japanese era
The or , is the first of the two elements that identify years in the Japanese era calendar scheme. The second element is a number which indicates the year number within the era (with the first year being "", meaning "origin, basis"), followed b ...
from 1895, the urban planning of present-day Taichung was performed and developed by the Japanese. The urban area of Taichung was organized as a
provincial city from the start of ROC rule in 1945 until 25 December 2010, when the original provincial city and
Taichung County
Taichung County was a County (Taiwan), county in central Taiwan between 1945 and 2010. The county seat was in Yuanlin Township before 1950 and Fengyuan District, Fongyuan City after 1950.
History
Taichung County was established on 26 November ...
were merged into a new special municipality.
The city is home to the
National Museum of Natural Science
The National Museum of Natural Science () is a national museum in North District, Taichung, Taiwan.
Overview
The museum covers and is a six-venue complex housing: the Space Theater, Science Center, Life Science Hall, Human Cultures Hall, Gl ...
, the
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA; ) is a museum in West District, Taichung, West District, Taichung, Taiwan. NTMoFA was established in 1988 and is the first and the only national-grade fine arts museum in Taiwan. The major collec ...
, the
National Taichung Theater
The National Taichung Theater () is an opera house in the Taichung's 7th Redevelopment Zone in the Xitun District of Taichung, Taiwan. The estimated area of the structure is . It was designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito in collaboration with ...
, the
National Library of Public Information
National may refer to:
Common uses
* Nation or country
** Nationality – a ''national'' is a person who is subject to a nation, regardless of whether the person has full rights as a citizen
Places in the United States
* National, Maryland, ce ...
,
National Taiwan Museum of Comics
The National Taiwan Museum of Comics (NTMC; ) is an upcoming museum in West District, Taichung, Taiwan.
History
On 1 September 2017, Taichung Mayor Lin Chia-lung proposed to build a comic museum. Later on 20 October, Ministry of Culture and ...
,
National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra
The National Taiwan Symphony Orchestra (NTSO; ), founded in 1945, is the oldest symphony orchestra in Taiwan. It is based in Wufeng District, Wufeng, Taichung.
Conductors Principal Guest Conductor
* Lan Shui (首席客席指揮:水藍), 201 ...
, as well as many cultural sites, including the historic
Taichung Park, the
Lin Family Gardens, and many
temples
A temple (from the Latin ) is a place of worship, a building used for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. By convention, the specially built places of worship of some religions are commonly called "temples" in Engli ...
.
History
Early history
The
Atayal aborigines as well as several
Taiwanese Plains Aboriginal tribes (including the
Taokas,
Papora,
Pazeh,
Hoanya
The Hoanya () are a Taiwanese Aboriginal people who live primarily in Changhua County, Chiayi City, Nantou County, and near Tainan City.
Their language, Hoanya, is now extinct.
The Lloa people and Arikun people are generally considered to be a ...
and
Babuzas) populated the plains that make up modern Taichung. They were originally
hunter gatherers
A hunter-gatherer or forager is a human living in a community, or according to an ancestrally derived lifestyle, in which most or all food is obtained by foraging, that is, by gathering food from local naturally occurring sources, especially wi ...
who later lived by cultivating
millet
Millets () are a highly varied group of small-seeded grasses, widely grown around the world as cereal crops or grains for fodder and human food. Most millets belong to the tribe Paniceae.
Millets are important crops in the Semi-arid climate, ...
and
taro
Taro (; ''Colocasia esculenta'') is a root vegetable. It is the most widely cultivated species of several plants in the family Araceae that are used as vegetables for their corms, leaves, stems and Petiole (botany), petioles. Taro corms are a ...
.
In the 17th century, the
Papora,
Babuza,
Pazeh, and
Hoanya
The Hoanya () are a Taiwanese Aboriginal people who live primarily in Changhua County, Chiayi City, Nantou County, and near Tainan City.
Their language, Hoanya, is now extinct.
The Lloa people and Arikun people are generally considered to be a ...
established the
Kingdom of Middag
The Kingdom of Middag (), also known as the Kingdom of Dadu (), was a supra-tribal alliance located in the central-western plains of Taiwan in the 17th century. This polity was established by the Taiwanese indigenous peoples of Papora, Babuza, ...
, occupying the western part of present-day Taichung.
Qing dynasty
In 1684,
Zhuluo County
Zhuluo County () was a political division in Taiwan from 1684 to 1787, during Qing Dynasty rule of the island. Initially encompassing the underdeveloped northern two-thirds of Taiwan, the county shrank in size as the population and economy of the ...
was established, encompassing the underdeveloped northern two-thirds of Taiwan. Modern-day Taichung traces its beginnings to a settlement named ''Toatun'' () in 1705. To strengthen Qing control, a garrison was established in 1721 near the site of present-day
Taichung Park by Lan Ting-chen.
North of the city, on the
Dajia River
Dajia River () is the fifth-longest river in Taiwan located in the north-central of the island. It flows through Taichung City for 142 km.
The sources of the Dajia are: Hsuehshan and Nanhu Mountain in the Central Mountain Range. The Dajia ...
, an aboriginal revolt broke out in 1731 after Chinese officials moved in and compelled them to provide labor. The revolt spread through the city as far south as
Changhua County
Changhua (Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴'') is a Taiwanese County (Taiwan), county that is the smallest on the Geography of Taiwan, main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest in the country. With a total population of 1.24 million, Chan ...
in May 1732 before the rebels were chased into the mountains by Qing forces. In 1786, another rebellion against the Qing, known as the
Lin Shuangwen rebellion
LIN or LIN may refer to:
People
*Lin (surname) (normally ), a Chinese surname
* Lin (''The King of Fighters''), Chinese assassin character
*Lin Chow Bang, character in Fat Pizza
* Lin (NouerA) (Chinese name Lin Hanzhong Korean name Lim Hanjung), ...
, began as an attempt to overthrow the government and restore the
Ming dynasty
The Ming dynasty, officially the Great Ming, was an Dynasties of China, imperial dynasty of China that ruled from 1368 to 1644, following the collapse of the Mongol Empire, Mongol-led Yuan dynasty. The Ming was the last imperial dynasty of ...
. Unfortunately, as the rebels moved northward, they turned to slaughter and looting. They were eventually defeated by a coalition of Qing forces,
Hakka
The Hakka (), sometimes also referred to as Hakka-speaking Chinese, or Hakka Chinese, or Hakkas, are a southern Han Chinese subgroup whose principal settlements and ancestral homes are dispersed widely across the provinces of southern China ...
,
Quanzhou
Quanzhou is a prefecture-level city, prefecture-level port city on the north bank of the Jin River, beside the Taiwan Strait in southern Fujian, China, People's Republic of China. It is Fujian's largest most populous metropolitan region, wi ...
Fujian
Fujian is a provinces of China, province in East China, southeastern China. Fujian is bordered by Zhejiang to the north, Jiangxi to the west, Guangdong to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the east. Its capital is Fuzhou and its largest prefe ...
ese descendants, and aboriginal volunteers.
When
Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province ( zh, t=臺灣省 , p=Táiwān Shěng , poj=Tâi-oân-séng; PFS: ''Thòi-vàn-sén'' or ''Thòi-vân-sén'') is a ''de jure'' administrative division of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Provinces remain a titular division as ...
was declared an independent province in 1887, the government intended to construct its capital city at the centrally located ''Toatun'', which was also designated as the seat of
Taiwan Prefecture
Taiwan Prefecture or Taiwanfu was a prefecture of Taiwan during the Qing dynasty. The prefecture was established by the Qing government in 1684, after the island came under Qing dynasty rule in 1683 following its conquest of the Kingdom of Tun ...
. Thus the city took the title of "Taiwan-fu", meaning "capital city of Taiwan", from modern-day
Tainan
Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in southern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and commonly called the "Taiwan Prefecture, ...
, which had held the title for more than 200 years. Qing official
Liu Ming-chuan received permission to oversee development of the area, which included constructing a railway through the city. However, the provincial capital was ultimately moved to
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
.
Empire of Japan
After the Qing dynasty lost the
Sino-Japanese War in 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan by the
Treaty of Shimonoseki
The , also known as the Treaty of Maguan () in China or the in Japan, was signed at the hotel in Shimonoseki, Japan, on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing China. It was a treaty that ended the First Sino-Japanese War, ...
, and the name of the city was changed to . The Japanese sought to develop the city to make it the first "modern" area of Taiwan and invested in roads, dams, and levees. In 1901, was established as one of twenty local administrative districts on the island. In 1904, the town of Taichū had a population of 6,423, and Taichū District had more than 207,000.
Taichū Park was completed in 1903. A tower marking the old north gate was moved to the new park where it stands today. The first market in Taichū was built in 1908, along Jiguang Road between the Zhongzheng and Chenggong Roads and it is still in use today.
The Japanese undertook a north–south island railway project.
Taichū Train Station was completed and began operation in 1917,
and still operates today. Taichū City was officially declared by Japanese authorities in 1920, and
Taichū City Hall was completed in 1924 after eleven years of construction.
, now known as
Taichung Airport
Taichung International Airport() is an international airport located in Taichung, Taiwan. In 2023, it was the sixth busiest airport in Taiwan, with scheduled services to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, South Korea, and Vietnam.
History
Ear ...
, was constructed during Japanese rule.
Taichū Middle School (now known as
Taichung First Senior High School) was founded in 1915 by elite members of local gentry, including
Lin Hsien-tang
Lin Hsien-tang (; 22 October 1881 – 8 September 1956) was a Taiwanese politician and activist who founded several political organizations and sat on the Japanese House of Peers (Japan), House of Peers.
Early life and family
Lin Hsien-tang's earl ...
and his brother , two wealthy Taiwanese intellectuals of the era. This was in an effort to teach children the
culture of Taiwan
The culture of Taiwan is a blend of Han Taiwanese and indigenous Taiwanese cultures. Despite the overwhelming Chinese culture, Chinese cultural influence and minority indigenous Taiwanese cultural influence, Culture of Japan, Japanese culture ...
and to foster the spirit of the
Taiwanese localization movement
Taiwanese nationalism () is a nationalist political movement that promotes the cultural identity and unity of Taiwanese people as a nation. In recent decades, it consists of cultural or political movements that seek to resolve the current polit ...
.
The
Taiwanese Cultural Association
The Taiwanese Cultural Association (TCA; ) was an important organization during the Japanese rule of Taiwan. It was founded by Chiang Wei-shui on 17 October 1921, in Daitōtei, a district in modern-day Taipei. It gathers Taiwanese intellectuals ...
, founded in 1921 in Taipei by Lin Hsien-tang, was moved to Taichū in 1927. Most of the members of this association were from Taichū and the surrounding area. The city became a center of Taiwanese culture and nationalism.
From 1926 to 1945,
Taichū Prefecture
was one of the administrative divisions of Taiwan under Japanese rule, Japanese Taiwan. The prefecture consisted of modern-day Taichung City, Changhua County and Nantou County. It is also the origin of the name of modern-day Taichung. The Taich ...
covered modern-day Taichung as well as
Changhua County
Changhua (Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴'') is a Taiwanese County (Taiwan), county that is the smallest on the Geography of Taiwan, main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest in the country. With a total population of 1.24 million, Chan ...
and
Nantou County
Nantou is the second largest County (Taiwan), county of Taiwan by area, located in the central part of the country. It is also the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya people, Hoanya Taiwanese aborigines, Taiwanese ...
.
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. The main geography of Taiwan, island of Taiwan, also known as ''Formosa'', lies between the East China Sea, East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocea ...
in October 1945,
Taichung County
Taichung County was a County (Taiwan), county in central Taiwan between 1945 and 2010. The county seat was in Yuanlin Township before 1950 and Fengyuan District, Fongyuan City after 1950.
History
Taichung County was established on 26 November ...
was established, which consists of present-day area of Taichung City,
Miaoli County
Miaoli is a county (Taiwan), county in western Taiwan. Miaoli is bordered by Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City to the north, Taichung to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the west. Miaoli is Regions of Taiwan, classified as "central Taiwan" by t ...
and
Taoyuan City
Taoyuan () is a special municipality located in northwestern Taiwan, neighboring New Taipei City to the north-east, Yilan County to the south-east, and Hsinchu County to the south-west. Taoyuan District is the seat of the municipal gove ...
. In 1947 the first mayor of Taichung County (which included Taichung City) was Lai Tien Shen. The position was appointed by the government to rule during the interim period. Taichung also served as the temporary capital of the exiled
Jiangxi
; Gan: )
, translit_lang1_type2 =
, translit_lang1_info2 =
, translit_lang1_type3 =
, translit_lang1_info3 =
, image_map = Jiangxi in China (+all claims hatched).svg
, mapsize = 275px
, map_caption = Location ...
(Kiangsi) provincial government in 1949 after the
Chinese Communist Party
The Communist Party of China (CPC), also translated into English as Chinese Communist Party (CCP), is the founding and One-party state, sole ruling party of the People's Republic of China (PRC). Founded in 1921, the CCP emerged victorious in the ...
took control of the province. In 1950, Miaoli and Taoyuan were taken out from Taichung County area to form
Miaoli County
Miaoli is a county (Taiwan), county in western Taiwan. Miaoli is bordered by Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City to the north, Taichung to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the west. Miaoli is Regions of Taiwan, classified as "central Taiwan" by t ...
and
Taoyuan County
Taoyuan County () is under the administration of Changde, Hunan, Hunan Province, China. The Yuan River, a tributary of the Yangtze, flows through Taoyuan. It covers an area of 4441 square kilometers, of which is arable land. It is from Zhangji ...
respectively. In June 2009, the
Executive Yuan
The Executive Yuan () is the executive (government), executive branch of the government of the Republic of China (Taiwan). Under the Additional Articles of the Constitution of the Republic of China, amended constitution, the head of the Execut ...
approved the plan to merge Taichung City and Taichung County to form a larger Taichung City. On 25 December 2010, the city was merged with the surrounding
Taichung County
Taichung County was a County (Taiwan), county in central Taiwan between 1945 and 2010. The county seat was in Yuanlin Township before 1950 and Fengyuan District, Fongyuan City after 1950.
History
Taichung County was established on 26 November ...
to create a
special municipality of 2.65 million people spread across .
In 2020, Taichung was classified as a "Gamma" level global city by the
Globalization and World Cities Research Network
The Globalization and World Cities Research Network (GaWC) is a British think tank that studies the relationships between world cities in the context of globalization. It is based in the geography department of Loughborough University in Leic ...
.
Geography
Taichung City is in the
Taichung Basin
The Taichung Basin (), located in the Central Taiwan, central region of western Taiwan, is the third largest metropolitan area in Taiwan. It occupies parts of Taichung City, Nantou County and Changhua County. The basin borders the Choshui River ...
along the main western coastal plain that stretches along the west coast from northern Taiwan almost to the southern tip. The city borders
Changhua County
Changhua (Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴'') is a Taiwanese County (Taiwan), county that is the smallest on the Geography of Taiwan, main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest in the country. With a total population of 1.24 million, Chan ...
,
Nantou County
Nantou is the second largest County (Taiwan), county of Taiwan by area, located in the central part of the country. It is also the only non-coastal county in Taiwan. Its name derives from the Hoanya people, Hoanya Taiwanese aborigines, Taiwanese ...
,
Hualien County
Hualien () is a County (Taiwan), county on the east coast of Taiwan. It is Taiwan's largest county by area, yet due to its mountainous terrain, has one of the lowest populations in the country. The county seat and largest city is Hualien City. Hu ...
,
Yilan County,
Hsinchu County
Hsinchu is a County (Taiwan), county in Regions of Taiwan, north-western Taiwan. The population of the county is mainly Hakka people, Hakka; with a Taiwanese aboriginal minority in the southeastern part of the county. Zhubei is the county seat ...
and
Miaoli County
Miaoli is a county (Taiwan), county in western Taiwan. Miaoli is bordered by Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City to the north, Taichung to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the west. Miaoli is Regions of Taiwan, classified as "central Taiwan" by t ...
.
The
Central Mountain Range
The Central Mountain Range is the principal mountain range on the island of Taiwan. It runs from the north of the island to the south. It acts as a barrier between the east and west coasts, hindering travel. The tallest peak of the range is ...
lies just east of the city. Rolling hills run to the north leading to
Miaoli County
Miaoli is a county (Taiwan), county in western Taiwan. Miaoli is bordered by Hsinchu County and Hsinchu City to the north, Taichung to the south, and the Taiwan Strait to the west. Miaoli is Regions of Taiwan, classified as "central Taiwan" by t ...
, while flat coastal plains dominate the landscape to the south leading to Changhua County and the
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait is a strait separating the island of Taiwan and the Asian continent. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to the East China Sea to the north. The narrowest part is wide.
Names
Former names of the Tai ...
to the west. The
Dadu Plateau
The Dadu Plateau (), also known as Dadu Mountain or Dadushan (), is a plateau that stretches across Taichung, Taiwan. It borders the Taichung Basin in the east and the seacoast of Taichung in the west, and lies between the Dajia River and the Dad ...
lies to the northwest.
Climate
Taichung has a warm
humid subtropical climate
A humid subtropical climate is a subtropical -temperate climate type, characterized by long and hot summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer
* Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan
* Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Cwa'') bordering on a
tropical monsoon climate
An area of tropical monsoon climate (occasionally known as a sub-equatorial, tropical wet climate or a tropical monsoon and trade-wind littoral climate) is a tropical climate subtype that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification category ' ...
, with an average annual temperature of . The highest temperature of the year occurs in July and August, while the lowest temperature occurs in January and February. Daytime temperatures remain warm to hot year-round, though night time temperatures during the winter months are significantly cooler than those during the summer and the warm daytime temperature. Its average annual rainfall is just above , relatively low compared to other major cities of Taiwan.
The average humidity is 80%.
Due to the protection provided by the Central Mountain Range to the east and the Miaoli hills to the north, Taichung is rarely severely affected by
typhoon
A typhoon is a tropical cyclone that develops between 180° and 100°E in the Northern Hemisphere and which produces sustained hurricane-force winds of at least . This region is referred to as the Northwestern Pacific Basin, accounting for a ...
s, but typhoons emerging from the
South China Sea
The South China Sea is a marginal sea of the Western Pacific Ocean. It is bounded in the north by South China, in the west by the Indochinese Peninsula, in the east by the islands of Taiwan island, Taiwan and northwestern Philippines (mainly Luz ...
occasionally pose a threat to the city, as evidenced by
Typhoon Wayne in 1986, which struck Taiwan's west coast near Taichung.
Demographics
Taichung's population was estimated to be 2,816,667 in March 2020. There are slightly more females in the city (50.97%) than males. 24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly.
According to
Ministry of Interior
An interior ministry or ministry of the interior (also called ministry of home affairs or ministry of internal affairs) is a government department that is responsible for domestic policy, public security and law enforcement.
In some states, th ...
statistics, the fertility rate in Taichung City in 2007 was 1.165 for each woman.
The city surpassed
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million p ...
to become the second largest city in Taiwan in July 2017, growing at the 2nd fastest rate in Taiwan from 2012 to 2017. Recent population increases have been attributed to
natural population growth, more people moving to the city, and subsidized housing.
Politics
Local politics
Unlike
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
in the north, which is solidly in the
Pan-Blue
The Pan-Blue coalition, Pan-Blue force or Pan-Blue groups is a political coalition in the Republic of China (Taiwan) consisting of the Kuomintang (KMT), People First Party (PFP), New Party (CNP), Non-Partisan Solidarity Union (NPSU), and Youn ...
political camp, and the southern cities of
Kaohsiung
Kaohsiung, officially Kaohsiung City, is a special municipality located in southern Taiwan. It ranges from the coastal urban center to the rural Yushan Range with an area of . Kaohsiung City has a population of approximately 2.73 million p ...
and
Tainan
Tainan (), officially Tainan City, is a Special municipality (Taiwan), special municipality in southern Taiwan, facing the Taiwan Strait on its western coast. Tainan is the oldest city on the island and commonly called the "Taiwan Prefecture, ...
that are solidly
Pan-Green
The Pan-Green coalition, Pan-Green force or Pan-Green groups is a nationalist political coalition in Taiwan (Republic of China), consisting of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP), Taiwan Statebuilding Party (TSP), Social Democratic Party ( ...
, Taichung is more balanced, with the urban city center area leaning Blue and the suburban and rural areas leaning Green. In fact, both major political parties have won a mayoral election among the last four with at least 49 percent of the vote (
Democratic Progressive Party
The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) is a centre to centre-left Taiwanese nationalist political party in Taiwan. As the dominant party in the Pan-Green Coalition, one of the two main political camps in Taiwan, the DPP is currently the ...
in 1997 and 2014 and the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
in 2001 and 2005). Similarly, the Kuomintang majority in the
city council
A municipal council is the legislative body of a municipality or local government area. Depending on the location and classification of the municipality it may be known as a city council, town council, town board, community council, borough counc ...
is not as large as it is in other cities, and is only negligible when one excludes
Beitun District
Beitun District (; lit: northern camp) is a District (Taiwan), district in Taichung, Taiwan. Located in the northern part of the city, it is a half mountainous, half urban area. Though Beitun District used to be considered part of the countrysi ...
, which is solidly pro-Kuomintang. The incumbent Mayor of Taichung is
Lu Shiow-yen
Lu Shiow-yen (; born 31 August 1961) is a Taiwanese politician and former television presenter. She is the incumbent mayor of Taichung since 25 December 2018.
Education and early career
Lu earned a bachelor's degree from National Chengchi Univ ...
of the
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang (KMT) is a major political party in the Republic of China (Taiwan). It was the one party state, sole ruling party of the country Republic of China (1912-1949), during its rule from 1927 to 1949 in Mainland China until Retreat ...
.
Government
Taichung City's executive branch is headed by mayor
Lu Shiow-yen
Lu Shiow-yen (; born 31 August 1961) is a Taiwanese politician and former television presenter. She is the incumbent mayor of Taichung since 25 December 2018.
Education and early career
Lu earned a bachelor's degree from National Chengchi Univ ...
of the Kuomintang.
Taichung's legislative branch is a unicameral 46-member City Council. Each member is elected from one of six member districts where each voter has only one vote.
Administrative divisions
Taichung consists of 29 districts, 28
districts
A district is a type of administrative division that in some countries is managed by the local government. Across the world, areas known as "districts" vary greatly in size, spanning regions or counties, several municipalities, subdivisions ...
and 1 mountain indigenous district.
Inner Taichung refers to the eight former districts of Taichung City before the merger with
Taichung County
Taichung County was a County (Taiwan), county in central Taiwan between 1945 and 2010. The county seat was in Yuanlin Township before 1950 and Fengyuan District, Fongyuan City after 1950.
History
Taichung County was established on 26 November ...
on December 25, 2010. Colors indicate statutory language status of
Hakka language
Hakka ( zh, c=, p=Kèjiāhuà; ''Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: '', zh, c=, p=Kèjiāyǔ; ''Pha̍k-fa-sṳ: '') forms a language group of varieties of Chinese, spoken natively by the Hakka people in parts of Southern China, Taiwan, some diaspora areas of ...
in the respective subdivisions. Note that
Heping District is also an
indigenous area of the
Atayal people
The Atayal (Atayal language, Atayal: Tayal), also known as the Tayal and the Tayan, are a Taiwanese indigenous peoples, Taiwanese indigenous people. The Atayal people number around 90,000, approximately 15.9% of Taiwan's total indigenous popula ...
.
Economy
Taichung is the center and the largest city in
Central Taiwan
The regions of Taiwan are based on historical administrative divisions. However, most of the definitions are not precise.
Division into two regions
* Eastern and Western Taiwan: the Central Mountain Range separates Taiwan into east and west.
:* ' ...
. Its main industries are machinery and retail services.
[: 按從業員工人數觀察,臺中市為中部地區最大都會區及民生消費中心,以批發業及零售業為就業市場主力,從業員工合計達 27.4 萬人或占 23.0%]
Taichung is home to many industries. It has six main manufacturing industries: tool machines, mechanical components, photoelectric panels, bicycles, woodworking machinery, and aerospace manufacturing.
Taichung Industrial Park
Taichung (, Wade–Giles: '), officially Taichung City, is a special municipality in central Taiwan. Taichung is Taiwan's second-largest city, with more than 2.85 million residents, making it the largest city in Central Taiwan. It serves as th ...
, located in
Xitun District
Xitun District or Situn District (, literally "western village") is the second-most populated district of Taichung, Taiwan. It is located on the western side of the city. Once considered part of the countryside, the district has seen rapid grow ...
, is home to many factories, while nearby
World Trade Center Taichung
The World Trade Center Taichung (WTC Taichung; ) is a World Trade Center in Xitun District, Taichung, Taiwan.
History
WTC Taichung was established in 1988 by the Importers and Exporters Association of Taichung, Industrial Association of Taichun ...
hosts many industrial conventions every year. Taichung is also home to the
Central Taiwan Science Park
The Central Taiwan Science Park (CTSP; ) is an industrial park in Taiwan.
The Central Taiwan Science Park opened in 2003. Around 53,000 people work in the park in 2022, which spans an area of 1,486 hectares. In 2021, Taiwan Semiconductor Manu ...
, known for the many semiconductor factories located there, most notably
TSMC
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company Limited (TSMC or Taiwan Semiconductor) is a Taiwanese multinational semiconductor contract manufacturing and design company. It is one of the world's most valuable semiconductor companies, the world' ...
. Some other famous companies located in Taichung included
Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation
Aerospace Industrial Development Corporation (AIDC; zh, c=漢翔航空工業股份有限公司, p=Hànxiáng Hángkōng Gōngyè Gǔfèn Yǒuxiàn Gōngsī 漢翔航空工業 or 漢翔航空) is a Taiwanese aerospace company based in Taichung ...
,
HIWIN
HIWIN () is a major Taiwanese company which manufactures machinery components. It was founded in 1989 and is based in Taichung, Taiwan.
HIWIN is a combination of HIgh-tech WINner.
Overseas Subsidiaries include: Germany, Japan, United States, ...
,
Largan Precision
Largan Precision Company Limited or Largan Precision (Chinese: 大立光電股份有限公司) is a Taiwanese company with its headquarters in Nantun District, Taichung City. The company manufactures optical lens modules and optoelectronic compo ...
, and
Pou Chen Corporation.
Taichung is also known for its bicycle manufacturing. Notable business located in Taichung include
Giant Bicycles
Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd. (commonly known as Giant) is a Taiwanese bicycle manufacturer, recognized as the world's largest bicycle designer and manufacturer. Giant has manufacturing facilities in Taiwan, the Netherlands, China and Hungary. Th ...
,
SRAM, and TRP Brakes.
Taichung's financial center and
central business district
A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...
is the
7th Redevelopment Zone, where many corporation offices are located. The retail sector is another main industry in Taichung. Almost a quarter of all Taichung employees work in the retail sector.,
Its output value is 1.3 trillion NTD, second largest after Taipei (5.8 trillion NTD) in Taiwan.
Taichung is most famous for its
suncakes. Taichung's
Chun Shui Tang teahouse () is where
bubble tea
Bubble tea (also known as pearl milk tea, bubble milk tea, tapioca milk tea, boba tea, or boba; zh, t=珍珠奶茶, p=zhēnzhū nǎichá, zh, t=波霸奶茶, p=bōbà nǎichá, labels=no) is a tea-based drink most often containing chewy tapio ...
was invented.
Transportation
Rail

Two railways run parallel to each other in Taichung: the
Taichung Line
The Taichung line (), also known as the Mountain line (), is a line of the Taiwan Railway. It is one of two parallel lines in Central Taiwan, passing the inland area and Downtown Taichung. It has a total length of , all of which is double track.
...
, which passes through the urban areas in the interior, and the
West Coast Line, which passes through rural areas closer to the coastal shore.
Taichung railway station
Taichung station () is a railway station in Taichung, Taiwan served by Taiwan Railway (TR). It is served by all TR services on the Western Trunk line.
History
The station was originally constructed in 1905 in a wooden building architectural ...
is located in the heart of the city in
Central District and numerous bus companies provide connections to other towns by bus.
The
THSR Taichung Station is located in
Wuri district
Wuri District () is a District (Taiwan), district in southern Taichung, Taiwan. Both of the two north–south freeways (National Freeway 1 and National Freeway 3), as well as Provincial Highway 74 (Taiwan), Provincial Highway 74 pass through Wuri ...
, serving travel demands of both Taichung City and the northern parts of Changhua County. THSR Taichung Station is accessible by
local trains
Regional rail is a public rail transport service that operates between towns and cities. These trains operate with more stops than inter-city rail, and unlike commuter rail, operate beyond the limits of urban areas, connecting smaller cities a ...
and
MRT Green Line through
Xinwuri railway station
Xinwuri () is a railway station in Wuri District, Taichung, Taiwan on Taiwan Railway's Taichung line. It is connected to Taichung HSR station via a bridge, and also has a connection to HSR Taichung MRT station.
Overview
The station consists ...
as well as free shuttle buses into the city.
Seaport
Taichung Port, located on the coast in Taichung City, is the second largest cargo facility on the island capable of handling container shipping. Despite being the second largest port on the island of Taiwan, there are no passenger ferry services available and the port is closed to unauthorized personnel.
Roads
Taichung City generally follows a radial road layout, with its center at
Taichung railway station
Taichung station () is a railway station in Taichung, Taiwan served by Taiwan Railway (TR). It is served by all TR services on the Western Trunk line.
History
The station was originally constructed in 1905 in a wooden building architectural ...
. Major roads start in Central District and run outwards, including Taiwan Boulevard, Xiangshang Road, Zhongqing Road, and Zhongshan Road.
Freeway 1 runs along the Fazi River on the outskirts of the city, while
Freeway 3 runs along the
Dadu River
The Dadu River (, ), known in Tibetan as the Gyelmo Ngul Chu (), is a major river located primarily in Sichuan province, southwestern China. The Dadu flows from the eastern Tibetan Plateau into the Sichuan Basin where it joins with the Min Rive ...
to the coastal plains on the west, where it then runs parallel to the coastline.
Freeway 4 begins in
Qingshui District
Qingshui District (), also spelled as Chingshui District, is a coastal suburban district (Republic of China), district in western Taichung City, Taiwan.
Geography
Qingshui is located on the Qingshui Plain of Taiwan. It borders the Taiwan S ...
and terminates in
Fengyuan District
Fengyuan District () is a District (Taiwan), district in north-central Taichung, Taiwan on the south bank of the Dajia River. Fengyuan district is the third most populated district in the former Taichung County, after Dali and Taiping district. ...
.
Highway 74, known as the Taichung Ring Expressway circles the outskirts of the city, while
Highway 63, known as the Zhongtou Expressway, runs from Taichung southward to
Caotun
Caotun Township, formerly transliterated as Tsaotun Township, is an urban township in the northwest of Nantou County, Taiwan. It is the largest township in Taiwan by population.
History
The area was historically known as ''Chháu-ê-tun'' () wit ...
,
Nantou. Many other highways run through the city.
Most road signs in the city have
romanized spelling.
Bus
The most frequently used public transportation system in Taichung is by bus, with 18 bus companies providing 275 routes that cover all districts. All station names are announced in both Mandarin and English, while some also provide Hokkien pronunciations. For local passengers using a
contactless smartcard
A contactless smart card is a contactless credential whose dimensions are credit card size. Its embedded integrated circuits can store (and sometimes process) data and communicate with a terminal via NFC. Commonplace uses include transit ticket ...
(for example, an
EasyCard
The EasyCard () is a contactless smartcard system operated by the EasyCard Corporation (previously the Taipei Smart Card Corporation) for electronic money, payment on the Taipei Metro, buses, and other public transport services in Taipei since ...
), the first 10 kilometers are free. In addition, some taxi served as bus routes in rural areas.
Mass Rapid Transit

The city currently has one
MRT line, the
Green line, which opened on April 25, 2021. A second line, the
Blue line, was approved in 2024 and is expected to open in 2034.
For a short period of time, the city operated a
bus rapid transit system, named the
BRT Blue Line, running down Taiwan Boulevard. It used
articulated bus
An articulated bus, also referred to as a slinky bus, bendy bus, tandem bus, vestibule bus, stretch bus, or an accordion bus, is an articulated vehicle, typically a motor bus or trolleybus, used in public transportation. It is usually a ...
es running a specialized lane, a first in Taiwan. The system began operation in July 2014; however, it did little to ameliorate traffic congestion, and was terminated within a year. The lane and specialized bus stops are currently used as a general bus lane, with bus lines 300-310 running through it.
Taichung International Airport
Taichung International Airport
Taichung International Airport() is an international airport located in Taichung, Taiwan. In 2023, it was the sixth busiest airport in Taiwan, with scheduled services to China, Hong Kong, Japan, Macau, South Korea, and Vietnam.
History
Ear ...
is the third and newest international airport in Taiwan. It occupies the western corner of
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base
Ching Chuan Kang Air Base ( zh, t=清泉崗空軍基地, CCK) is a Republic of China Air Force (ROCAF) base located in Taichung, Taiwan. It is the home to the 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, with three squadrons of AIDC F-CK-1 Ching-kuo f ...
(CCK) and is about 20 kilometers (12 mi) from downtown Taichung City. The current airport replaced
Shuinan Airport as Taichung's airport in 2004.
Education

In 1915, the Taichung Middle School (台灣公立台中中學校) (now
Taichung Municipal Taichung First Senior High School
The Taichung Municipal Taichung First Senior High School (TCFSH; , simply as ) is a senior high school in North District, Taichung, Taiwan. TCFSH was the first high school founded by Taiwanese to educate their youngsters during the colonial d ...
) was established as the first school for young people in Taiwan. In 1943, the Advanced Academy of Agronomy and Forestry (now
National Chung Hsing University
National Chung Hsing University (NCHU; ; lit. National Resurgence University) is a comprehensive research university in South District, Taichung, Taiwan.
Currently, NCHU is among the four universities of the Taiwan Comprehensive University Sys ...
) became an independent entity and moved to Taichung. It is the beginning of higher education in Taichung. In 1955,
Tunghai University
Tunghai University (THU; ) is a private university in Xitun District, Taichung, Taiwan, established in 1955. It was founded by the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA). The university is known for its liberal arts educati ...
was established, becoming the first private university in Taiwan.
Currently, there are 17 universities, 50 high schools, 71 junior high schools, and 235 elementary schools in Taichung. In addition, there are four special schools,
three international schools, and nine community colleges in the city.
Romanization
Taichung City is in the process of implementing
Hanyu Pinyin
Hanyu Pinyin, or simply pinyin, officially the Chinese Phonetic Alphabet, is the most common romanization system for Standard Chinese. ''Hanyu'' () literally means ' Han language'—that is, the Chinese language—while ''pinyin'' literally ...
on road signs throughout the city. However, there are still signs displaying spellings from previously used romanization systems, as well as
Tongyong Pinyin
Tongyong Pinyin was the official romanization of Taiwanese Mandarin, Mandarin in Taiwan between 2002 and 2008. The system was unofficially used between 2000 and 2002, when a new romanization system for Taiwan was being evaluated for adoption. ...
and systems that do not conform to any standard system.
Unlike
Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
, which uses a capital letter at the beginning of every syllable, Taichung City uses the standard form of Hanyu Pinyin on street signs erected in recent years. However, the municipal website uses the Taipei system. Most major intersections have at least one sign containing some form of romanization. Nearly every intersection in the downtown area has signs in Hanyu Pinyin. However, outside of the downtown area, while coverage by Hanyu Pinyin signs is improving, many intersections have signs in other romanization systems (especially Wade–Giles and MPS2) or no Romanized signs at all.
Culture and recreation
Museums and cultural centers

*The
National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts
The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts (NTMoFA; ) is a museum in West District, Taichung, West District, Taichung, Taiwan. NTMoFA was established in 1988 and is the first and the only national-grade fine arts museum in Taiwan. The major collec ...
houses the world's largest collection of Taiwanese art.
*
National Museum of Natural Science
The National Museum of Natural Science () is a national museum in North District, Taichung, Taiwan.
Overview
The museum covers and is a six-venue complex housing: the Space Theater, Science Center, Life Science Hall, Human Cultures Hall, Gl ...
together with
National Palace Museum
The National Palace Museum, also known as Taipei Palace Museum, is a national museum headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan. Founded in Beijing in 1925, the museum was re-established in Shilin District, Shilin, Taipei, in 1965, later expanded with a S ...
in Taipei and the
National Science and Technology Museum
The National Science and Technology Museum (NSTM; ) is a museum of applied science and technology in Sanmin District, Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
History
The museum was established in November 1997.
Architecture
The museum covers an area of 19 hectares ...
in Kaohsiung are called "the Museums of Taiwan". Across , the museum is a six-venue complex housing the Space IMAX Theater, Science Center, Life Science Hall, Chinese Science Hall, Global Environment Hall and the Botanical Garden, excluding the Earthquake Museum in Wufong, which is dedicated to public education on seismology, located just 10 kilometers east of the main complex of NMNS. Over 30 permanent exhibit areas cover subjects on astronomy, space science, paleontology, ecology, gems and minerals, Taiwanese Aborigines, and tropical plants. Rotating special exhibits are a constant occurrence.
*Taichung Municipal Cultural Center: The Municipal Cultural Center is located on Yingcai Road on property adjacent to the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts.
*
Taichung Folklore Park: This park is dedicated to presenting a more traditional Taiwanese way of life. It includes a combination of authentic and recreated buildings and streets in an attempt to recreate a more rustic Taiwan.
*
921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan
The 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan () is a national museum in Wufeng District, Taichung, Taiwan. The museum is dedicated to the 7.3 earthquake that struck the center of Taiwan at 01:47:12.6 TST on Tuesday, 21 September 1999.
The museum is ...
: This museum is located in
Wufeng District
Wufeng District () is a suburban District (Taiwan), district in southern Taichung, Taiwan. It is the location of Taiwan Provincial Consultative Council.
Wufeng is a mainly agricultural town. It was heavily damaged by the 921 earthquake, Jiji ea ...
. With the rebuilding of Kwangfu Junior High on its present site, the Earthquake Memorial Museum was renamed the 921 Earthquake Museum of Taiwan on February 13, 2001. The new plan retains the original sites as a record of the damage wrought by the earthquake, and it also adds technological and educational facilities designed to inform the public and school children about earthquakes and disaster readiness.
*
Asia Museum of Modern Art: This museum is located at
Asia University in Wufeng District. On May 4, 2007, Dr. Tsai presented the project plan and officially invited Mr. Tadao Ando to design an art museum for Asia University. Therefore, the main purpose of inviting Tadao Ando to design the museum was to educate students and create the opportunity for them to have contact with art works from masters of international status. This museum provides various and amazing exhibitions which are related to Asian art and modern art.
Temples
Taichung has a large number of temples, many of which hold historic and cultural value. According to a 2018 survey by the city government, Taichung is home to 1,012 registered temples, of which 774 are
Taoist
Taoism or Daoism (, ) is a diverse philosophical and religious tradition indigenous to China, emphasizing harmony with the Tao ( zh, p=dào, w=tao4). With a range of meaning in Chinese philosophy, translations of Tao include 'way', 'road', ...
and 208 are
Buddhist
Buddhism, also known as Buddhadharma and Dharmavinaya, is an Indian religion and List of philosophies, philosophical tradition based on Pre-sectarian Buddhism, teachings attributed to the Buddha, a wandering teacher who lived in the 6th or ...
.
The Goddess
Mazu
Mazu or Matsu is a sea goddess in Chinese folk religion, Chinese Buddhism, Confucianism, and Taoism. She is also known by several other names and titles. Mazu is the deified form of Lin Moniang (), a shamaness from Fujian who is said to ...
is one of the most popular
Deity
A deity or god is a supernatural being considered to be sacred and worthy of worship due to having authority over some aspect of the universe and/or life. The ''Oxford Dictionary of English'' defines ''deity'' as a God (male deity), god or god ...
.
Jenn Lann Temple is the starting point of the annual
Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage
The Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage is an annual celebration of the Taoism, Taoist sea goddess Mazu held in Taiwan. During the festival, a statue of Mazu is placed in a Litter (vehicle), litter and carried by foot on a round-trip journey from Jenn Lann Tem ...
, one of two largest such pilgrimages in Taiwan (along with the
Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage
The Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage () is usually held annually between lunar January and April in the western plains of Taiwan, a major Taoist religious event since 1863. After every lunar new year, the Mazu statue of Gongtian Temple () at Baishatun, ...
). Each year, worshippers carry a
litter
Litter consists of waste products that have been discarded incorrectly, without consent, at an unsuitable location. The waste is objects, often man-made, such as aluminum cans, paper cups, food wrappers, cardboard boxes or plastic bottles, but ...
containing a statue of Mazu and travel on foot to
Xingang, Chiayi
Xingang Township or Singang Township () is a Township (Taiwan), rural township in Chiayi County, Taiwan.
Geography
It has a population of 30,543 and an area of .
Administrative divisions
The township comprises 22 villages: Anhe, Bantou, Beilu ...
and back.
Lecheng Temple
Lecheng Temple ( zh, t=樂成宮, p=Lèchéng Gōng) is a temple located in East District, Taichung City, Taiwan. Mazu is the main deity worshipped in the temple, and the sea goddess is known as the "Hanxi Mazu" ( zh, t=旱溪媽祖, p=Hànxī ...
hosts a similar Eighteen Villages Pilgrimage, where the temple's "Hanxi Mazu" is paraded through eighteen villages for good luck. Other notable Mazu temples include
Wanhe Temple and
Haotian Temple
Dazhuang Haotian Temple (HTG) ( zh, t=大庄浩天宮, p=Dàzhuāng Hàotiān Gōng) is a temple located in Dazhuang, Wuqi District, Taichung, Taiwan. The temple is dedicated to the sea goddess Mazu.
History
Haotian Temple was founded in 1738 ...
.
Confucianism
Confucianism, also known as Ruism or Ru classicism, is a system of thought and behavior originating in ancient China, and is variously described as a tradition, philosophy, Religious Confucianism, religion, theory of government, or way of li ...
is a crucial part of many Chinese cultures. In Taichung, there are two historic major temples dedicated to
Wenchang Dijun
Wenchang Wang (), also known as Wenchang Dijun (), is a Taoist deity in Chinese mythology, known as the God of Culture and Literature. He is also at times referred to simply as Wen Qu, or Wen. The literal translation of his name would be Kin ...
, the patron deity of literature:
Beitun Wenchang Temple
The Beitun Wenchang Temple () is a temple in Renmei Village, Beitun District, Taichung, Taiwan.
History
The construction planning for the temple began in 1825. In 1864, the Wenwei and Wenping community school raised funds to construct the temple ...
and
Nantun Wenchang Temple. The
Taichung Confucian Temple
The Taichung Confucian Temple () is a Confucian temple in North District, Taichung, Taiwan.
History
The construction of the temple began in 1972 and completed in 1976.
Architecture
The temple was constructed in Song dynasty architectural styl ...
is a large and relatively new complex dedicated to
Confucius
Confucius (; pinyin: ; ; ), born Kong Qiu (), was a Chinese philosopher of the Spring and Autumn period who is traditionally considered the paragon of Chinese sages. Much of the shared cultural heritage of the Sinosphere originates in the phil ...
himself. There are also several
ancestral shrine
An ancestral shrine, hall or temple ( or , ; Chữ Hán: ; ), also called lineage temple, is a temple dedicated to deified ancestors and progenitors of surname lineages or families in the Chinese tradition. Ancestral temples are closely li ...
s in Taichung, notably the
Lin Family Ancestral Shrine, the
Zhang Family Temple, and the
Zhang Liao Family Temple.
Many other deities are worshipped in the city, including:
*
Baosheng Dadi
Poh Seng Tai Tay (), also known as ''Taitokong'' (), is the God of Medicine worshiped among the Hoklo people in Fujian, Taiwan, and the Hokkien communities in Southeast Asia.
Legends Early years
Gô͘ Tho () was born in the year 979 in Pehta ...
at
Yuanbao Temple
Yuanbao Temple ( zh, t=元保宮, p=Yuánbǎo Gōng) is a temple located in North District, Taichung City, Taiwan. The temple is dedicated to the Taoist deity Baosheng Dadi.
History
Historically, the area around Yuanbao Temple was known as ...
*
Guanyin
Guanyin () is a common Chinese name of the bodhisattva associated with Karuṇā, compassion known as Avalokiteśvara (). Guanyin is short for Guanshiyin, which means " he One WhoPerceives the Sounds of the World". Originally regarded as m ...
at
Songzhu Temple and
Zi Yun Yan
*
Xuantian Shangdi
Xuanwu () or Xuandi (), also known as Zhenwu (, ) or Zhenwu Dadi (, ), is a revered deity in Chinese religion, one of the higher-ranking deities in Taoism. He is revered as a powerful god, able to control the elements and capable of great magi ...
at
Zhenwu Temple
Wuqi Zhenwu Temple ( zh, t=梧棲真武宮, p=Wúqī Zhēnwǔ Gōng) is a Taoism, Taoist temple located in Wuqi District, Taichung, Taiwan. The temple is dedicated to the Taoist Shen (Chinese religion), deity, Xuanwu (god), Xuantian Shangdi.
Hi ...
Night markets
Taichung has several open-air
night market
Night markets or night bazaars ( zh, 夜市) are street markets which operate at night and are generally dedicated to more leisurely strolling, shopping, and eating than more businesslike day markets. The culture of night markets originates from C ...
s that feature local food and diversions:

*
Fengjia Night Market
Fengjia Night Market or Feng Chia Night Market (), also called Fengjia Shopping Town, is a night market in Xitun District, Taichung, Taiwan. The market is located next to Feng Chia University. It was claimed to be the largest night market in Ta ...
- located adjacent to
Feng Chia University
Feng Chia University (FCU; ) is a private research university in Taiwan, located in Taichung. It was named after Chiu Feng-Chia, one of the leaders of the military resistance against the Japanese invasion of Taiwan in 1895.
Feng Chia Univer ...
.
*
Yizhong Street
Yizhong Street () is a pedestrian street located in North District, Taichung, Taiwan. It is located between Sanmin Rd. (三民路), Yizhong St.(一中街), Taiping Rd.(太平路), Yucai St.(育才街), Yucai South St.(育才南街) and Yucai Nor ...
- located at
North District, close to
Taichung Park. One of the most popular night markets in Taichung.
*Zhonghua Night Market - located in the heart of Central District, along ZhongHua Road.
*Zhongxiao Night Market - located south of the Taichung Railroad Station around the intersections of ZhongXiao, Taichung and GuoGuang roads.
*Tunghai Night Market - located at the western side of Xitun, close to border with Longjing. A small street northwest of
Tunghai University
Tunghai University (THU; ) is a private university in Xitun District, Taichung, Taiwan, established in 1955. It was founded by the United Board for Christian Higher Education in Asia (UBCHEA). The university is known for its liberal arts educati ...
.
*Hanxi Night Market-A large night market which is located Hanxi East Road Section 1 at East District.
Hot springs
Taichung has a famous hot spring,
Guguan hot spring, located in
Heping District.
Performance venues
*Zhongshan Hall: Zhongshan Hall is a popular venue for a variety of performances including musical, opera, ballet, dance, theatrical, and other performances. Seating capacity is 1,692.
*
Fulfillment Amphitheater
The Fulfillment Amphitheater () is a large-scale outdoor amphitheater in Wen-Hsin Forest Park on Wenxin Road, Nantun District, Taichung, Taiwan. Every year, Taichung City Government holds "MidTaiwan Lantern Festival" here.
Overview
Amphitheater ...
: This recently completed outdoor venue is located in the Wenxin Forest Park and is suitable for a wide range of outdoor performances.*Zhongxing Hall at National Taichung Library
Other annual activities
*The
Taichung Jazz Festival
The Taichung Jazz Festival () is an annual jazz music festival held in West District, Taichung, West District, Taichung, Taiwan. As the biggest jazz festival in Taiwan, it becomes a tourist attraction of the city which draws millions to visit ev ...
takes place annually through the month of October. It features a variety of acts at numerous venues throughout the city.
Sports
Professional sports
The
Sinon Bulls
In Greek mythology, Sinon (Ancient Greek: Σίνων, from the verb "σίνομαι"—''sinomai'', "to harm, to hurt") or Sinopos was a Greek warrior during the Trojan War.
He is not mentioned by Homer, but his story is given in the ''Aenei ...
was a professional baseball team playing in the four-team
Chinese Professional Baseball League
The Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL; ) is the top-tier professional baseball league in Taiwan. The league was established in 1989 and played the first season in 1990. CPBL eventually absorbed the competing Taiwan Major League in 20 ...
. While they were identified with Taichung City, many of their “home games” were played outside of the city due to the inadequacies of the old
Taichung Baseball Field
The Taichung Baseball Field () is a multi-purpose stadium in North District, Taichung, Taiwan. Built in 1935 during the Taiwan under Japanese rule era, this stadium has been repeatedly refurbished and currently can seat 8,500 people. This stadi ...
. The team was expected to move into the newly completed
Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium
Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium () is a stadium in Beitun District, Taichung, Taiwan. The stadium officially opened on November 9, 2006, replacing the antiquated Taichung Baseball Field. Located on the corner of Chongde Road (崇德� ...
in 2008, but never did. At the end of the 2012 season, Sinon Corporation announced its intention to sell the team. By late December, an agreement was reached between Sinon Corporation and E-United Group, and the team was renamed EDA Rhinos and moved to Kaohsiung. The ''
Special Force II'' division of the
Flash Wolves
The Flash Wolves ( zh, t=閃電狼, p=Shǎndiàn Láng) are a Taiwanese esports organization with players competing in ''Arena of Valor'', ''Hearthstone'', and '' League of Legends: Wild Rift''. They formerly had teams competing in ''League of L ...
esports
Esports (), short for electronic sports, is a form of competition using video games. Esports often takes the form of organized, multiplayer video game competitions, particularly between professional players, played individually or as teams. ...
team is known as the Taichung Flash Wolves, the team competed in the Special Force II Pro League (SF2PL) based in Taipei. Taichung is home to Taichung City FC, a club which strives to represent Taichung in soccer tournaments as well as charitable events.
In 2015, after the CTBC Holdings took ownership of the Brother Elephants and renamed the team CTBC Brothers, they made Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium their home as part of Taiwan's Chinese Professional Baseball League, CPBL's effort to establish home fields in all major Taiwanese cities.
Taichung has two professional basketball teams, the Taichung Suns of the T1 League and the Formosa Taishin Dreamers of the P. League+ (shared with
Changhua County
Changhua (Wade-Giles: ''Chang¹-hua⁴'') is a Taiwanese County (Taiwan), county that is the smallest on the Geography of Taiwan, main island of Taiwan by area, and the fourth smallest in the country. With a total population of 1.24 million, Chan ...
).
Major Sporting Events
Cup Marathon is held on the city's streets every autumn, either in October or November. Recent major sporting events held by Taichung include:
* 2013 18U Baseball World Cup
* 2014 U-21 Baseball World Cup
* 2015 WBSC Premier12 (co-hosted with
Taipei
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, Taoyuan, Taiwan, Taoyuan, and Yunlin County, Yunlin (Douliu))
* 2019 Asian Baseball Championship
* 2019 WBSC Premier12 (co-hosted with Taoyuan)
* 2022 U-23 Baseball World Cup (co-hosted with Taipei and Yunlin)
* 2023 World Baseball Classic (Pool A)
* 2023 U-18 Baseball World Cup (Co-hosted with Taipei)
Hospitals
*China Medical University Hospital (中國醫藥大學附設醫院)
*Chung Shan Medical University Hospital (中山醫學大學附設醫院)
*Taichung Veterans Hospital (臺中榮民總醫院)
*Cheng Ching Hospital (澄清醫院)
*Jen-Ai Hospital - Dali (大里仁愛醫院)
*Jen-Ai Hospital - Taichung (臺中仁愛醫院)
*Taichung Tzu Chi General Hospital (臺中慈濟醫院)
*Taichung armed force general hospital(國軍台中總醫院)
*
Asia University Hospital (亞洲大學附設醫院)
Notable people
*Chen Xue (writer), Chen Xue, writer
*
Lin Hsien-tang
Lin Hsien-tang (; 22 October 1881 – 8 September 1956) was a Taiwanese politician and activist who founded several political organizations and sat on the Japanese House of Peers (Japan), House of Peers.
Early life and family
Lin Hsien-tang's earl ...
, scholar and politician
*Teng Ming-Tun, artist
Sister Cities and Friendship Cities
Sister Cities
Taichung has signed sister city agreements with 29 cities (January 2025) since 1965. They are listed below along with the dates that the agreements were signed.
* New Haven, Connecticut, United States (March 29, 1965)
* Chungju, North Chungcheong Province, North Chungjeong, South Korea (November 27, 1969)
* Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia (November 21, 1978)
* Tucson, Arizona, United States (August 31, 1979)
* Baton Rouge, Louisiana, United States (April 18, 1980)
* Cheyenne, Wyoming, United States (October 8, 1981)
* Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada (April 2, 1982)
* Contra Costa County, California, United States (March 31, 1983)
* San Diego, California, United States (November 19, 1983)
* Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa (December 9, 1983)
* Reno, Nevada, United States (October 8, 1985)
* Sumter County, South Carolina, United States (June 5, 1986)
* Austin, Texas, United States (September 22, 1986)
* Manchester, New Hampshire, United States (May 8, 1989)
* Mexicali, Baja California, Mexico (September 21, 1989)
* Guadalajara, Jalisco, Mexico (September 24, 1989)
* Montgomery County, Ohio, United States (October 15, 1990)
* North Shore City (December 17, 1996)
[Former North Shore City merged with Auckland on November 1, 2010.]/Auckland (October 14, 2012), New Zealand
* Nassau County, New York, United States (September 4, 1997)
* Tacoma, Washington, United States (July 19, 2000)
* Kwajalein Atoll, Marshall Islands (July 19, 2002)
* San Pedro Sula, Honduras (October 28, 2003)
* Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines (July 27, 2004)
* Columbus, Georgia, United States (November 11, 2007)
* Columbia, South Carolina, United States (March 12, 2014)
* Gwangyang, South Jeolla Province, South Jeolla, South Korea (November 14, 2017)
* Petah Tikva, Central District (Israel), Central, Israel (February 14, 2018)
* Ulaangom, Mongolia (November 4, 2018)
* Guam, United States (February 23, 2022)
* Melekeok State, Palau (October 11, 2024)
* Miyazaki Prefecture, Japan (December 12, 2024)
Friendship Cities
Aside from sister cities, Taichung has signed 14 friendship cities and one sightseeing friendship city as of January 2025. They are listed below along with the dates that the agreements were signed.
* Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada (May 22, 2009)
* Gunma Prefecture, Japan (April 28, 2016)
* Oita Prefecture, Japan (September 8, 2016)
* Cupertino, California, United States (October 31, 2016)
* Hirakawa, Aomori, Japan (December 14, 2016)
* Aomori Prefecture, Japan (December 14, 2016)
* Ehime Prefecture, Japan (June 1, 2017)
* Boise, Idaho, United States (August 14, 2017)
* Onomichi, Hiroshima, Japan (September 29, 2017)
* Gwangyang, South Jeolla, South Korea (November 14, 2017)
* Changwon, South Gyeongsang, South Korea (April 11, 2018)
* Yamagata Prefecture, Japan (May 29, 2018)
* Tottori Prefecture, Japan (November 2, 2018)
* Nagoya, Aichi Prefecture, Aichi, Japan (October 25, 2019)
Gallery
File:霧峰林家將軍府.jpg, Wufeng Lin Family Mansion and Garden, Taichung Lin Family Mansion
File:Budokan by Taichung Takenori Hall.JPG, Taichung Natural Way Six Arts Cultural Center
File:Natural Way Six Arts Cultural Center, the Martial Arts Compound, Taichung City (Taiwan).jpg, Natural Way Six Arts Cultural Center
File:幽靜的中山公園湖心亭.jpg, Taichung Park
File:Midorinokawa.jpg, alt=The canal was excavated by the Japanese during the Japanese ruling period. The many canals in made Taichung the Kyoto of Taiwan., Taichung Lu Chuan canal
File:National Taichung Theater 2019.jpg, National Taichung Theater
The National Taichung Theater () is an opera house in the Taichung's 7th Redevelopment Zone in the Xitun District of Taichung, Taiwan. The estimated area of the structure is . It was designed by Japanese architect Toyo Ito in collaboration with ...
File:臺中車站01.jpg, Taichung railway station, New Taichung Main Station
File:臺中火車站.JPG, Taichung railway station, Old Taichung Station
File:Japanese colonial architectures in Taichung - Suger factory (Now a museum).jpg, The Imperial Sugar Factory
File:Taichung Municipal Office Building Outside view 201905.jpg, Taichung Shiyakusho
File:Japanese colonial architectures in Taichung - Bank and museum of sun cakes.jpg, Sun cake museum
File:日出宮原眼科門市.jpg, Taichung Miyahara Oculist (Now a department store)
File:Japanese colonial architectures in Taichung - Bookstore.jpg, Taichung Chuo Bookstore
Relative location
Notes
Words in native languages
See also
*List of ports and harbors of the Pacific Ocean
References
Bibliography
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External links
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{{Authority control
Taichung,
1705 establishments in China
Populated places established in 1705
2010 establishments in Taiwan
Municipalities of Taiwan