壯圍鄉 Zhuangwei Township, Yilan County

[Explanations of place name origins are quite the vogue. The photo shows a board outside the township office in Zhuangwei, with a history of the town’s name in both i) Chinese and ii) English. Bizarrely, the two accounts are substantially different.

i) [translated] In earlier times, Wu Sha (吳沙) led men to clear land for cultivation. Later, to express his gratitude to and reward the strong people [壯民] for their efforts, he divided the land and gave [part] to them, for which it is called 民壯圍 (lit. “people strong surround”).

ii) [original] Minzhuangwei was the old name of Zhuangwei Township. Looking into the history of this town it was in the early days inhabited mainly by Pingpu Tribes. In 1802, Wu Hua (Wu Sha’s nephew) sent his follower Chen Meng Li to open and clear this area.

Abe and Tsai et al. (as well as Wikipedia’s Chinese-language entry) broadly accord with the former; but Wu Sha died in 1798 (as Wikipedia notes elsewhere) before Han Chinese settled this part of Yilan, and it was indeed nephew Wu Hua who rewarded the “strong people for their efforts”.]

Zhuangwei (壯圍; lit. “strong encirclement”) Township was formally called 民壯圍 (Mdn. minzhuangwei; lit. “people strong encirclement”): a 城圍 “walled encirclement” named in honor of the 壯民 (Mdn.: zhuang min; “strong people”) who accompanied Wu Sha (吳沙) to settle today’s Yilan in 1796 (for more details see Toucheng). Minzhuangwei was established in 1802 by Wu’s nephew Wu Hua (吳化) following his uncle’s death in 1798.

This “city wall” was a 土圍 (Mdn: tu-wei; earthen dyke) perhaps reinforced with a bamboo fence.

民 (Mdn.: min; “people”) was dropped in 1920 under Japanese rule.


Chuangwei (壯圍) alternative romanisation for Zhuangwei.
Jhuangwei (壯圍) alternative romanisation for Zhuangwei.




Text and photos © Jiyue Publications

新市區, 善化區 Xinshi and Shanhua districts, Tainan

[Yesterday’s post mentioned that Saulang (sinicized as 蕭壠 Siauleng, today's 佳里 Jiali) was one of four main Siraya Plains Aboriginal communities, all in today’s Tainan. The other three were Mattau (荳社; today's 麻豆 Madou; see here), Sinckan (新港, today's 新市 Xinshi and Bakaloan (目加溜灣; today’s 善化 Shanhua).]

Xinshi (新市; lit. “new city/market”) was formerly 新港 (Hoklo: Sinkang; lit. “new port”). Due to the apparent descriptive nature of this name (Taiwan has had several "new ports", see Xingang), it is sometimes assumed to be original, but actually represents a sinicisation (transliteration) of Sinckan, the Sirayan (西拉雅) Plains Aboriginal name.

This was the first target of Dutch colonial (1624-61) "civilizing" and Christian proselytizing, so along with Favorlang further north, the Sirayan language--known as Sinckan--was the main means of communication between Aborigines and Ducth.

A Sinckan Gospel of St. Matthew was translated and many “Sinckan Manuscripts” (Sirayan/Chinese land contracts) are still in existence.

Due to its important location, under Zheng (鄭; 1662-83) and Qing (清; 1683-1895) rule the village grew into a thriving market town (市; Mdn.: shi), so became known as 新市仔 (Hoklo: sin-chhi-a; “new market”). In 1920 under Japanese rule, 新市 became the town’s official name.

Hsinshih (新市) alternative romanisation of Xinshi.

Sinshi (新市) alternative romanisation of Xinshi.

Xingang (新港; lit. "new port) refers to:
a) old name for Xinshi (新市) District, Tainan
b) Xingang Township, Chiayi County
c) [to be continued]

Shanhua (善化; lit. “better transform”) was formerly Bakaloan (目加溜灣), one of four main Sirayan (西拉雅) Plains Aboriginal communities prior to 17th-century foreign immigration.

Dutch colonists were attacked when collecting bamboo here in 1625, but ultimately subdued the area in 1635. Calling it Tevoran, they set up schools and churches, and encouraged Han Chinese immigration to grow rice and sugarcane.

Under Zheng-Ming rule (鄭, 1662-83), a military-farming community (屯田; see tun-tian) established here was called 善化 (Hoklo: sianhoa).



In the succeeding Qing dynasty (1683-1895), the area was called both 善化 but also 灣裡 (Hoklo: oanli; lit. “bay inside”), due to its location “within” a “bend” (similarly written and pronounced word: 彎; Hoklo: oan) in the Zengwen River (曾文溪).

Japanese re-organization of local government reverted to use of 善化 (Japanese: zenka), and 善化 (Mdn. shanhua) has continued in use under ROC rule since retrocession in 1945.



Text © Jiyue Publications 2011, 2021

佳里區 Jiali District, Tainan

Jiali (佳里; lit. “fine neighbourhood”) was, until the 20th century, known as 蕭壠 (Hoklo: Siauleng, lit. “reverent ridge-in-paddy”), a 17th-century transliteration of Siraya (西拉雅) Plains aboriginal Saulang—meaning “contracted land”—one of four major Siraya communities.

Under the 1920 Japanese colonial re-organisation of local government, the name Jiali (佳里) was adopted. This derived from another 17th-century name, 佳里興 (Mdn. Jialixing; lit. “fine neighbourhood prosper”), which, in roughly this area, was the administrative centre of 天興縣 (Mdn. Tianxing County; ) during Zheng family rule (鄭; 1662-83), and of 諸羅縣 (Mdn. Zhuluo County) under the succeeding Qing dynasty, until this was transferred to Zhuluo City (now Chiayi) at the beginning of the 18th century.

So why Japan’s name change from 蕭壠 to 佳里? Consistent Japanese practice (similar to Takow to Kaohsiung and many others) would suggest the use of different characters whose Japanese pronunciation matched the Hoklo Taiwanese pronunciation of the original, i.e. Siauleng. But 佳里 is pronounced kari in Japanese.

One possible explanation is the colonial authorities’ desire for a complete break from history, perhaps in light of the Siauleng Incident (蕭壟事件) of 1895 when up to 2,000 local people were massacred as a reprisal for armed resistance against the newly arriving colonizing army as it headed south towards Tainan.

Jiali citizens hold an annual ceremony to honour these antecedents, as well as a Burning of Lord Wang’s Boat (燒王爺船) event (hence the photo).


Text and photos © Jiyue Publications 2011

番路鄉 Fanlu Township, Chiayi County

meanwhile back in Chiayi County ...

Fanlu (番路; lit. “Aborigine road”) Township, is exactly what it says, the road leading to the Tsou (鄒) Aboriginal area of Alishan in the higher, eastern mountains of Chiayi County.

Aboriginal settlements were traditionally called 番社 (Mdn. fan-she; Hoklo: hoan-sia; “barbarian community”), roughly comparable to today’s 部落 (Mdn. bu-luo; “tribe” [in the original sense of “village” not modern “ethnic group”]).

Taiwan’s Aboriginal ethnic groups were historically divided into 熟番 (Hoklo: sek-hoan; Mdn. shou-fan; lit. “assimilated barbarians”), that is, into Han Chinese society, and 生番 (Hoklo: chheⁿ-hoan; Mdn. sheng-fan; lit. “unassimilated barbarians”). Assimilation meant things like taking a Chinese surname and paying taxes.

These two groups—each with a dozen or so major ethnic groups—are very roughly analogous to the divisions of 平埔族 (Plains Aborigines) and 山地人 (Mountain People [a prejudicial term no widely longer used]), and also (also very roughly) to those that are 官方認定族群 (recognized by the government) because they are largely unassimilated, and those 非官方認定族群 (not recognized by the government) but many of which are fighting for recognition.



Text and photos © Jiyue Publications 2011

霧峰區 Wufeng District, Taichung

Not to be confused with...

Wufeng (霧峰; lit. “misty peak”) Township (now District) in Taichung

Earlier name was 阿罩霧 (Mdn: AZhaoWu; lit. “A-cover-mist”). Typically, this is interpreted as deriving from a description of the local mountains as being commonly “covered in mist”. The Hoklo Taiwanese pronunciation A-ta-bu reveals that it was a transliteration of Ataabu, the name of the local Plains Aborigine tribe inhabiting the area.

Formerly home to Bnauro and Ataabu tribes of the Hoanya Plains Aborigines (洪雅族) and Sekoleq (賽考列克群) subgroup of Atayal Abls. “Bnauro” gave rise to another early name, 貓羅 (Hoklo: niau-lo; lit. “cat net”), as Han Chinese immigrated further eastwards up the Dadu River (大肚溪) in the early 18th century.

The area became 貓羅堡 (Mdn. MaoLuo Bao; lit.“cat net fort”) when Taiwan became a Chinese province in 1887, 霧峰庄 (WuFeng Village) in 1920 under Japanese rule, 霧峰鄉 (Wufeng Township) in 1950, and 霧峰區 (Wufeng District) in 2010.




Text and photos © Jiyue Publications 2011

阿里山 Alishan Township, Chiayi County

Alishan (阿里山; lit. "Ah-mile Mountain") Township, Chiayi County During the Qianlong reign period (1735-96), Han Chinese from Zhuqi (竹崎) and Meishan (梅山) moved higher up into today’s Alishan, where they came into conflict with the indigenous Tsou (鄒). Forcing the aborigines to move to higher altitudes, the Chinese established villages at Fenqihu (奮起湖), Ruili (瑞里) &c. It was also during this period that the controversial figure Wu Feng (吳鳳) lived, or rather, the figure whose story was (mis)used by the Japanese and ROC governments of the 20th century. Born in Fujian Province in 1699, he later worked as a tongshi (通事; “interpreter”) in the Chiayi area. This innocuous-sounding position was actually a powerful and lucrative role, that was often used by Chinese to cheat aborigines out of the profits of their labours. During the period of Japanese rule (1895-1945), the Wu Feng legend was created in order to “civilise” mountain-dwelling aborigines, in particular, to dissuade them from head-hunting. Subsequently taken up by the ROC government after retrocession and printed in elementary school textbooks, the myth stated that having befriended the Tsou aborigines, Wu tried unsuccessfully to persuade them to stop hunting heads. Finally he told them that the next day they would see a man in a red cloak, that they would cut off his head, but it would be the last head they would ever take. Events turned out as he predicted, but having decapitated the man, they discovered to their horror it was their friend, Wu Feng. The true facts about Wu’s life (and, most pertinently, death) are not known, with the earliest extant record having been compiled around 80 years later. This does suggest, however, that he was killed by Aborigines, and that they may have regretted doing so as they suffered epidemics and misfortunes thereafter. In 1946, the area was renamed Wufeng Township (吳鳳鄉). In 1987, following the end of martial law and the beginning of the democratisation and pluralisation processes, Tsou tribespeople demanded an end to prejudicial attitudes, removal of the “legend” from textbooks suggesting that aborigines needed Chinese civilising influence, and renaming of the township. In 1989, their wish was granted, and Alishan came into being. Even this is not without controversy. Some people say the name derives from centuries ago when a founding ancestor Abali lived here, but it rather derives from the Tsou word Jarissang, the final sang coincidentally sounding similar to Mandarin shan (山; “mountain”). Local Chinese still worship Wu Feng; Alishan has a prominent Wu Feng Temple; and most Taiwanese interviewed by this author believe the legend to be historically true. Text and photos © Jiyue Publications 2011

貢寮區 Gongliao Distict, New Taipei City

Gongliao (貢寮; “Tribute Hut”) District

Transliteration into Hoklo Taiwanese 摃仔 (gong-a; “hit + noun suffix; characters that have different meaning in Mandarin) of Basay aboriginal place name Kona, meaning “trap for catching wild animals”. To this was added 寮 (liao; “hut”).

Under Japanese rule, the middle syllable was dropped and the first character changed from 摃 (gong; "to hit") to 貢 (gong; "tribute").

Text and photos © Jiyue Publications 2011

苑裡, 通霄,Yuanli, Tongxiao: various Aboriginal-originated names, Miaoli County

Continuing from the previous post ( 卓蘭 Zhuolan) which traced the process by which the Pazih name Tarien meaning “beautiful open-country”became the Chinese Zhuolan meaning "eminent orchid", here are some more examples from Miaoli County (苗栗縣):

[Hakka or Hoklo pronunciations are given when they seem appropriate; anyone with academic historically-accurate versions, please do comment.]

Miaoli (苗栗) as noted already (here), lit. “seedling chestnut”), evolved from the Taokas aboriginal name Bari meaning “plain", through Chinese name 貓貍 (meu-li in Hakka pronunciation) meaning "cat fox-like animal”, to today's 苗栗(miao-li in Mandarin), meaning "seedling chestnut".

Yuanli (苑裡; lit. “garden + inside”) Township
Transliterated from the Taokas aborigine name Wanrie (though Abe suggests 彎里 [Hoklo: Oan-li] was perhaps contracted from earlier 里灣里; Li-oan-li). Similarly pronounced alternatives such as 宛里 and苑裏 are also recorded, before 苑裡 became standard.

Tongxiao (通霄; lit. “unobstructed clouds”)
Taokas aboriginal community Tonsuyan, due to its deep waters of Nanshi River (南勢溪) where mercantile boats could moor, became a center of trade for local produce from Tongluo (銅鑼), Sanyi (三義), Miaoli (苗栗) &c.

Availing of the pun “swallow and sell” (吞銷; Hakka: tun-seu or Hoklo: thun-siau); with the second character changed to霄 (“clouds”; Hakka: seu/siau; Hoklo: siau), the aboriginal name was transliterated as 吞霄 (tun-siau, “swallow clouds”).

By the end of the Qing dynasty (1895), the similarly pronounced 通霄 (tung-siau [both languages]; “unobstructed clouds”) had sometimes also been used, and in 1901(4?) during Japanese rule this became the standard, as it seemed to fit the high mountains poking through the clouds.


[to be continued here and again later]

苗栗 Miaoli (City and County)

Miaoli (苗栗, lit. “seedling chestnut”), originated from the Taokas (道卡斯) plains aboriginal township name Bari, meaning “plain”. This was rendered in the Hakka language (others explain it as Hoklo Taiwanese) by the characters 貓貍 (Hakka: meu-li; lit. “cat” + “fox-like animal”). The was later adapted as 貓狸 (meu-li; “cat” + “fox/raccoon”); and in official documents using the similarly pronounced 貓裡 (meu-li; “cat” + “within”), and 貓里 (meu-li; “cat” + “neighbourhood”).

In 1889, it was changed for a more elegant name, based on the Hakka pronunciation, to the Meu-lit (苗栗; Mdn. Miaoli), which is still used.

As the photograph shows, however, the original wording has some retro popularity.

Text and photos © Jiyue Publications 2011