 Taiwan’s third largest city, Taichung is located west of the country’s central region and just 40 minutes drive from the larger cities of Taipei and Kaohsiung. Despite a predominantly urban environment, the city benefits from relatively close proximity to the coast and has the highest concentration of parks of any city on the island.
As a tourist destination, Taichung has plenty to offer, presenting visitors with a wealth of cultural attractions, an excellent selection of outdoor activity options, some great dining establishments and an infrastructure well geared towards providing comfort and convenience for holidaymakers.
 The city is typically Taiwanese, displaying Chinese cultural influences as well as traits dating back to the days when the island was under Japanese occupation. With religion and philosophy playing such key roles in the daily lives of Taichung’s residents, it comes as no surprise that there are plenty of cultural attractions illustrating these themes, with Buddhist and Confucianist temples among the highlights.
Culture seekers will find much more than just temples, however. The city offers some excellent edutainment at the National Museum of Natural Science and plenty of aesthetic delights at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts. Additionally, the living museum that is Folklore Park is a must for anyone with an interest in what life was like in the city in days gone by.
 Visitors seeking livelier attractions can take advantage of theme parks at the Yamay Resort and Dongshan Paradise, while those fond of outdoor pursuits can enjoy the thrills of go-karting or the less frantic appeals of a relaxing game of golf.
 Taichung offers everything holidaymakers require for a varied and comfortable vacation with a huge array of places for shopping and dining, as well as ample accommodation options covering all budgets. With most sights situated in the city centre within walking distance of each other, Taichung is easy to get around.
 Reaching Taichung is a breeze, despite its airport handling little in the way of international flights. Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport receives flights from a large number of international destinations and a connecting flight from here to Taichung takes just 40 minutes. The city also benefits from a prime position on the island’s rail network with regular connections available from both Taipei and Kaohsiung (a three-hour journey).
History
The earliest settlers in the area were Taiwanese aborigines who lived off the land, growing taro and millet and hunting animals. Civilisation was late to arrive here and it wasn’t until the early 18th century that a city was founded in Changhua county. The city was named Dadun, meaning ‘large mound’.
In 1721, the Qing dynasty - who already controlled much of western Taiwan - erected a garrison close to what is now Taichung Park, thereby increasing the area’s importance. The rule of the Qing dynasty was far from smooth, however, with the local tribal people revolting against the imposition of slavery on their people.
Aboriginal people from across the region joined forces to face their oppressors, but were eventually forced to flee to the mountains in 1732, just one year after the start of the rebellion.
In 1786, a second rebellion sprang up in the nearby town of Dali, this time staged by members of the Ming dynasty. Led by Lin Shuang-wen, the rebels attempted to depose the residing Manchu government and reinstate their own leaders. The rebellion was ill-structured, however, and eventually quashed by a united army comprising troops from Fujian and Quanzhou as well as aboriginal volunteers.
The Qing dynasty successfully retained control over Taiwan, and named the island as an official Chinese province in 1885. Taiwan city was made capital of the Taiwan prefecture by Liu Ming-chuan, a status it lost four years later to the city of Taipei when Liu was forced to step down by Empress Dowager Cixi.
China’s defeat in the first Sino-Japanese War saw the Qing dynasty obliged to hand over Taiwan to the Japanese in the Treaty of Shimonoseki. The Japanese changed Dadun’s name to Taichū and subsequently set about developing it to become Taiwan’s first modern urban area.
There was unrest in Taiwan in the ensuing period, however, with rebels pursuing anti-Japanese activities. The Japanese attempted to appease the rebels by offering them amnesties and rewards, which many accepted. On 25 May 1902 some 360 persons arrived at Japanese headquarters expecting to receive good will and gratuities but were instead murdered.
Development of the city continued. By 1903 Taichū Park was complete and the first market, situated along JiGuang road, was functioning by 1908. Both the park and market are still popular city locations today. Taichung Middle School was founded in 1913 and Taichū Train Station began operation in 1917. It was 1920 when the Japanese gave the city its official charter and City Hall was complete in 1924.
Taichū enjoyed a period of prosperity, becoming a centre of Taiwanese culture and providing a home for the Taiwanese Cultural Association in 1927. Such prosperity was relatively short-lived with the arrival of WWII marking a downturn in the national economy.
On 25 October 1945, China regained control of Taiwan with the assistance of Allied forces and Japanese troops were forced to submit. The post-war era was a tumultuous time for Taiwan with various groups vying for control over the island. Organised crime became prevalent with many seemingly honest businesses becoming implicated.
In 1949, Taichung was declared a special municipality by the Republic of China. It has since remained one of China’s official political divisions, but enjoys a large degree of autonomy and a percentage of the population supports a move towards independence.
Weather
Taichung experiences a milder climate than that of other major cities on the island. With an average temperature of 23°C, conditions are usually comfortably warm. Humidity levels are high, averaging at 80 per cent and annual rainfall can reach 1,708mm. There are two distinct seasons; the dry and wet seasons, plus two less pronounced transitional periods in between.
The wet season runs from May to August and sees generous rainfall. The dry season from October to February lives up to its name, seeing little or no rain for the duration. The dry season is typically the best time to make a trip to Taichung although holidays can be scheduled for any time of the year provided you pack appropriate clothing.
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