Changhua County

Changhua County (Chinese: 彰化縣; pinyin: Zhānghuà Xiàn) is the smallest county on Taiwan Main Island by area, and the fourth smallest in the country, with a total population of 1.3 million, Changhua County is ranked the largest county by population after December 25, 2014.

History

There are prehistoric burial sites in Changhua that date back 5000 years. The number of burials tally to 32. The original name of the area was "Poasoa" (半線; "half line"), colloquially so-named by Taiwanese aboriginals. Poasoa used to be inhabited primarily by the Babuza people, who have since been mostly assimilated by the Han Chinese.

Qing Dynasty

Qing rule in Taiwan began in 1683, and in 1684, Taiwan Prefecture was established to administer Taiwan under Fujian Province. The prefecture consisted of three counties: Taiwan (臺灣縣), Fengshan (鳳山縣) and Zhuluo. Poasoa and modern-day Changhua County were under the jurisdiction of Zhuluo, but the Changhua area was spread over three counties.

In 1723, after the Zhu Yigui rebellion, an inspector official in Taiwan requested to the Qing Emperor to designate Changhua to another county magistrate and legal warden because of the increasing population in the northern part of Zhuluo County. As a result, Changhua County was created, encompassing the area of modern Changhua County, Taichung, half of Yunlin County and three townships of Nantou County. Changhua County Hall was built in the middle of the district and is regarded as the beginning of the Changhua County establishment.