Zhunan

Zhunan Township[1] is an urban township in northern Miaoli County, Taiwan. Its city centre forms a continuous urban area with Toufen.

Not to be confused with Zhu Nan, the 26th son of Ming Dynasty Hongwu Emperor.

Zhunan Township
竹南鎮
Jhunan
Urban township
Zhunan Township in Miaoli County
LocationMiaoli County, Taiwan
Area
 • Total37.56 km2 (14.50 sq mi)
Population
 (January 2017)
 • Total85,005
Websitewww.chunan.gov.tw (in Chinese)
Zhunan Township
Chinese竹南鎮
Hanyu PinyinZhúnán Zhèn
Wade–GilesChu2-nan2 Chen4
Tongyong PinyinJhúnán Jhèn
Pha̍k-fa-sṳTsuk-nàm-chṳ́n
Hokkien POJTek-lâm-tìn

Name

Literally, Zhúnán (竹南) means "bamboo south" but in this context, zhú is short for "Hsinchu". Thus, Zhunan lies south of Hsinchu (cf. Zhubei which lies north [běi] of Hsinchu). A previous name of the area was Tiong-káng (中港), literally "central port", a name preserved in Zhonggang (中港), one of the 25 constituent villages of Zhunan. The present name was adopted under Japanese rule in 1920.

Geography
  • Area: 37.56 square kilometres (14.50 sq mi)[2]
  • Population: 85,005 (January 2017 estimate)[3]

Administrative divisions

The township comprises 25 villages:[2] Dacuo, Dapu, Dingpu, Gangqi, Gongguan, Gongyi, Haikou, Jiaxing, Kaiyuan, Longfeng, Longshan, Qiding, Shanjia, Shengfu, Tianwen, Xinnan, Yingpan, Zhaonan, Zhengnan, Zhonggang, Zhonghua, Zhongmei, Zhongying, Zhunan and Zhuxing.

Politics

The township is part of Miaoli County Constituency I electoral district for Legislative Yuan.

Institutions

Sights and facilities

Zhunan was traditionally a beach and fishing community, and is closely associated with Goddess Mazu, who is the Goddess of Sea and Patron Deity of fishermen, sailors and any occupations related to sea/ocean. Zhunan's main tourist attraction is its prominent Mazu Temples like Zhonggang Cihyu Temple and Hotsu Longfong Temple which has a statue of the Goddess that is over 100 feet tall.

Zhunan is now part of Taiwan's computer sector and has a large Science Park.

Zhunan has wide open beaches and some cycling routes that run parallel to the beaches. Beach access was difficult until a bridge connecting the harbour and the beaches opened in 2008. It is a favourite spot among locals for surfing, kiteboarding, and windsurfing due to the year-round winds. Mountains overlook the town and are within a 20-minute drive.

Infrastructures

Transportation
Zhunan Station

Zhunan is served by National Freeway 3 and Provincial Highway 61. The township is accessible from Zhunan Station and Qiding Station of Taiwan Railways.[5]

Notable natives

References
  1. 臺灣地區鄉鎮市區級以上行政區域名稱中英對照表 Glossary of Names for Administrative Divisions. Ministry of the Interior. 26 March Minguo 104 (2015). Retrieved 1 February 2018. (in Chinese)
  2. 地理環境 [Geography & Environment]. chunan.gov.tw (in Chinese). Zhunan Township Office. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
  3. 106年一月份人口統計下載區 [January 2017 Population Statistic Downloads]. mlhr.miaoli.gov.tw (in Chinese). Miaoli County Government Household Registration Service. January 2017. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
  4. "Zhunan Township". miaolitravel.net. Culture and Tourism Bureau, Miaoli County. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
  5. 交通狀況 [Transportation]. chunan.gov.tw (in Chinese). Zhunan Township Office. Retrieved 2017-02-25.
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