Taichung

Taichung, officially known as Taichung City, is a special municipality in central Taiwan. It is Taiwan's second-largest city, with over 2.86 million people living there, making it the biggest city in Central Taiwan. The city is the heart of the Taichung–Changhua metropolitan area, which is Taiwan's second-largest area.

Taichung is located in the Taichung Basin. It began as small villages led by Taiwanese indigenous peoples. The city was planned to be the new capital of Taiwan Province and was called "Taiwan-fu" during the late Qing dynastic era between 1887 and 1894. When Japan ruled Taiwan from 1895, they helped design and build the city as it looks today. In 1945, after ROC rule began, Taichung was organized as a provincial city. On December 25, 2010, the original provincial city and Taichung County joined together to form a new special municipality.

Taichung has many important places, such as the National Museum of Natural Science, the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, the National Taichung Theater, and the National Library of Public Information. There are also many cultural sites, including Taichung Park, the Lin Family Gardens, and many temples.

History

Early history

The Atayal aborigines and several Taiwanese Plains Aboriginal tribes (including the Taokas, Papora, Pazeh, Hoanya and Babuzas) lived in the plains that make up modern Taichung. They were originally hunter gatherers who later grew millet and taro. In the 17th century, the Papora, Babuza, Pazeh, and Hoanya established the Kingdom of Middag, occupying the western part of present-day Taichung.

Qing dynasty

In 1684, Zhuluo County was established, covering the northern two-thirds of Taiwan. Modern-day Taichung began with a settlement named Toatun in 1705. In 1721, a military base was set up near where Taichung Park is today. In 1731, an uprising by local people happened after government workers moved in and asked them to work. The uprising spread through the city before being stopped. In 1786, another big revolt tried to change the government back to the old Ming dynasty. It was stopped by a group of different people working together.

When Taiwan Province became its own province in 1887, plans were to make Toatun the capital. A railway was planned through the city, but the capital was later moved to Taipei.

Empire of Japan

After Japan took control of Taiwan in 1895, the city's name changed to Taichū. The Japanese worked to develop the city with new roads, dams, and levees. In 1901, Taichū Chō was set up as one of 20 areas to manage the island. By 1904, the town of Taichū had 6,423 people, and the district had over 207,000.

Taichū Park was finished in 1903. The first market in Taichū was built in 1908 and is still used today. The Taichū Railway Station opened in 1917 and is still in use. Taichū City was officially started in 1920, and Taichū City Hall was finished in 1924. Kōkan Airport, now Taichung Airport, was built during this time.

Taichū Middle School, now Taichung First Senior High School, started in 1915 to teach children about Taiwan's culture. The city became a center for Taiwanese culture and national pride.

From 1926 to 1945, Taichū Prefecture included parts of modern-day Taichung, Changhua County, and Nantou County.

Republic of China

After Japan gave Taiwan to the Republic of China in 1945, Taichung County was created, which included today's Taichung City, Miaoli County, and Taoyuan City. In 1947, the first mayor of Taichung County was appointed. In 1950, Miaoli and Taoyuan became separate areas. In June 2009, plans were approved to combine Taichung City and Taichung County into a larger city. On 25 December 2010, the city and county merged to form a special municipality with over 2.65 million people.

In 2020, Taichung was named a "Gamma" level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network.

Geography

Taichung City is located in the Taichung Basin along the western coastal plain of Taiwan. It shares borders with Changhua County, Nantou County, Hualien County, Yilan County, Hsinchu County, and Miaoli County.

The Central Mountain Range sits east of the city. Rolling hills stretch north toward Miaoli County, while flat coastal plains extend south toward Changhua County and the Taiwan Strait to the west. The Dadu Plateau lies to the northwest.

Climate

Taichung enjoys a warm humid subtropical climate that almost feels tropical, with average yearly temperatures around 23.3 °C (73.9 °F). Summers are warm, and winters are mild but cooler at night. The city receives about 1,700 mm (67 in) of rain each year, which is less than many other cities in Taiwan. The surrounding mountains help protect Taichung from strong storms, though occasional typhoons from the South China Sea can still affect the area.

Demographics

Taichung has about 2.87 million people. There are a bit more girls and women than boys and men. Most people are middle-aged, with some young people and children, and only a few older adults.

In 2017, Taichung became the second-largest city in Taiwan, growing quickly because more families moved in and the city had new housing.

Politics

Local politics

Taichung is different from other cities in Taiwan. While cities like Taipei and Kaohsiung have clear political leanings, Taichung is more balanced. The city center tends to support one party, while the outer areas support another. Both major political parties have won mayoral elections in recent years.

Government

The mayor of Taichung leads the city's government. The City Council has 46 members who are elected to make laws and decisions for the city.

Administrative divisions

Taichung is made up of 29 different areas, called districts. Most of these are regular districts, but one is a special area for indigenous mountain communities.

Before 2010, Taichung had fewer districts. It grew when it combined with the nearby Taichung County. Some parts of Taichung are also home to the Atayal people, an indigenous group.

Economy

Taichung is the biggest city in Central Taiwan and a key place for many jobs. The city is famous for making machines and selling goods in shops.

Taichung has many factories and places where people work together on big projects. Some of the important things made there include machine tools, parts for machines, solar panels, bicycles, woodworking tools, and airplane parts. Big companies such as Giant Bicycles and TSMC have offices and factories in the city. People also enjoy shopping a lot in Taichung, and many jobs are in this area.

Taichung is also well-known for its special foods, like suncakes and the tea drinks called bubble tea, which started at the Chun Shui Tang teahouse.

Transportation

Main article: Transportation in Taichung

Taichung has many ways to get around, including trains, buses, and roads. Two main railways run through the city: the Taichung Line through the city center and the West Coast Line near the coast. The busy Taichung railway station is in the middle of the city, and Taichung International Airport serves travelers from around the world.

Buses are very popular in Taichung, with many routes covering all areas of the city. The city also has an MRT system with one line open now, and plans for more lines in the future. Major roads and highways connect different parts of the city and surrounding areas.

Education

Main article: List of educational institutions in Taichung

Taichung has a long history of education. In 1915, the first school for young people in Taiwan was opened there. Over the years, more schools were added, including universities.

Today, Taichung has many schools. There are 17 universities, 50 high schools, 71 junior high schools, and 235 elementary schools. The city also has special schools, international schools, and community colleges for people to learn.

Romanization

Taichung City is changing its road signs to use a special way of writing names called Hanyu Pinyin when the mayor is from the Nationalist party. But you can still see old signs using different ways of writing names, like Tongyong Pinyin or even systems without any rules. Unlike Taipei, which starts each part of a name with a big letter, Taichung uses the normal Hanyu Pinyin way on newer signs. The city's website, though, uses the Taipei way. Most big crossroads have at least one sign with some kind of written name, and almost every crossroad in the city center has Hanyu Pinyin signs. But outside the center, while more and more signs are using Hanyu Pinyin, many still use older ways or have no written names at all.

Culture and recreation

Taichung is a city with many places to visit and things to do. It has museums, temples, night markets, and more.

Museums and cultural centers

The National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts has the biggest collection of art from Taiwan in the world. The National Museum of Natural Science is huge, covering science, space, plants, animals, and more. It even has an IMAX theater!

Temples

Taichung has many temples, some very old and important. One famous temple is Jenn Lann Temple, where people start a big yearly walk to Xingang, Chiayi carrying a statue for good luck.

Night markets

Taichung has lively night markets where you can try tasty food and enjoy fun activities. Popular ones include Fengjia Night Market and Yizhong Street.

Hot springs

One famous hot spring in Taichung is Guguan hot spring, located in Heping District.

Performance venues

You can watch shows like music, dance, and theater at places such as Zhongshan Hall and the Fulfillment Amphitheater.

Other annual activities

Every October, the city holds the Taichung Jazz Festival with music performances all around town.

Sports

Taichung is a place where many sports teams and events take place. There was a baseball team called the Sinon Bulls that played in Taiwan, but they moved to another city. Today, Taichung has soccer teams like Taichung City FC, men's football teams like Taichung Futuro F.C. and Taichung Rock FC, and women's team Taichung Blue Whale. The city also has basketball teams, the Taichung Suns and the Formosa Taishin Dreamers.

Every autumn, Taichung hosts a Cup Marathon. The city has also been home to many important baseball tournaments, such as the 2013 18U Baseball World Cup, the 2015 WBSC Premier12 (with Taipei, Taoyuan, and Yunlin), and the 2023 World Baseball Classic (Pool A).

Hospitals

Taichung has many hospitals that help people stay healthy. Some of the well-known hospitals include China Medical University Hospital, Chung Shan Medical University Hospital, and Taichung Veterans Hospital.

Other important hospitals are Cheng Ching Hospital, Jen-Ai Hospital - Dali, Jen-Ai Hospital - Taichung, Taichung Tzu Chi General Hospital, Taichung armed force general hospital, and Asia University Hospital.

Notable people

Taichung has been home to many talented people. Some well-known individuals from the city include writer Chen Xue, scholar and politician Lin Hsien-tang, artist Teng Ming-Tun, baseball player Kai Wei Teng who plays for the San Francisco Giants, and photographer Wang Hsin.

International relations

Sister cities

Taichung has made friendly agreements with 29 cities around the world since 1965. These agreements help the cities work together and share ideas.

Friendship cities

Besides sister cities, Taichung also has friendly agreements with 14 other cities and one special sightseeing friend, Nagoya in Japan, as of January 2025. These friendships help the cities learn from each other and support one another.

Relative location

Taichung is a big city in the middle of Taiwan. It is the second largest city in the whole country and has over 2.86 million people living there. Because of its size and location, Taichung is very important and is the largest city in the central part of Taiwan. It is also a key part of the Taichung–Changhua area, which is the second biggest group of cities in Taiwan.