Chiayi City - History

History

First inhabited by the Hoanya aborigines, the region was named Tirosen.

With the arrival of Han Chinese in southwestern Taiwan, the name Tirosen evolved to become Chu-lô-san (Chinese characters: 諸羅山) in Hokkien. Eventually, Chu-lô-san was shortened to simply Chu-lô. Because of the choice of the characters, it has been mistakenly suggested that the origin of the name Chu-lô-san or Chu-lô came from the expression "mountains surrounding the east." "Peach City" is another name for Chiayi City due to its peach-shaped territory in ancient times. The tip of the peach is around Central Fountain and was called "Peach-tip" by citizens.

Chulôsan was once the foothold to which people from the mainland immigrated. In 1621, Yen Szu-Chi, who came from Zhangzhou, Fujian Province, first led his people to cultivate this land after they landed at Penkang (Peikang). In 1661 (the 15th year of Yung-Li, Ming Dynasty), Koxinga defeated the Dutch based in Taiwan. Then he established one province, Cheng-Tien-Fu (承天府), and two counties, Tien-Hsing (天興縣) and Wan-Nien (萬年縣), demarcated by the Hsin-Kang River (新港溪, the Yen-Shui River now). Chiayi was under the jurisdiction of the Tien-Hsing County.

In 1684 (the 23rd year of Kangxi, the Qing Dynasty, see Taiwan under Qing Dynasty rule), Taiwan was established as Taiwan Sub-Province governing three counties, Taiwan (台灣) and Feng-Shan, which were divided from Wan-Nien County in Ming Dynasty, and Chu-Lo (諸羅縣), which was changed from Tien-Hsing County. The county government of Chu-Lo County was in Chia-li Hsing (佳里, modern Jiali, Tainan).

In 1704 (the 43rd year of Kangxi), the county government of Chu-Lo County moved from Chia-li Hsing to Chulosan, the current Chiayi City, with city walls in wood railing. In 1727 (5th year of the Yongzheng Emperor), the county magistrate, Liu Liang-Bi rebuilt the gatehouses and set a gun platform for each gatehouse. The four gatehouses were named: "Chin Shan" (襟山) for East, "Tai Hai" (帶海) for West, "Chung Yang" (崇陽) for South, and "Kung Chen" (拱辰) for North. In 1734 (the 12th year of Yongzheng), magistrate Lu-Hung built piercing-bamboo to better protect the city.

In 1786 (the 51st year of Qianlong), Lin Shuang-Wen headed his people to siege Chulosan but failed because of the assisting defense from the inhabitants. Consequently, on November 3 of the next year, the Qing Emperor made an imperial announcement: awarded the name "Chiayi" to replace "Chulosan" for praising the citizens' loyalty.

In 1885 (the 11th year of Guangxu Emperor), Taiwan was approved to be a province. Two years later, the jurisdiction was divided as three sub-provinces, one direct county, eleven counties and three bureaus. Chiayi belonged to Taiwan sub-province and the hall was still in Chiayi.

In 1895, Taiwan was ceded to Japan in the Treaty of Shimonoseki.

In 1906, a major earthquake devastated the entire city wall except the Eastern Gate. The Japanese authorities reconstructed the city. Industries and trades started to flourish. In 1907, the construction of forest railroad to Alishan (Mt. Ali) was begun. Chiayi became an autonomy group as Chiayi Town and later (1930) promoted as an autonomous city.

In 1945, when Japan relinquished control of Taiwan, Chiayi City was elevated to a provincial city under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China.

In 1950, because of the re-allocation of administrative areas in which Taiwan was divided into 16 counties, five provincial cities, and a special bureau, Chiayi City was downgraded to a county-government status. As a result, a shortage of capital hindered its development.

On July 1, 1982, it was elevated again to a provincial city as a result of pressure from local elites.