23°51′04″N 120°40′39″E / 23.851°N 120.6775°E / 23.851; 120.6775

Mingjian Township
名間鄉
Nama
Mingjian Township in Nantou County
Mingjian Township in Nantou County
LocationNantou County, Taiwan
Area
 • Total
83 km2 (32 sq mi)
Population
 (February 2023)
 • Total
36,127
 • Density440/km2 (1,100/sq mi)
Mingjian Township
Chinese名間鄉
Hanyu PinyinMíngjiān Xiāng
Wade–GilesMing2-chien1 Hsiang1
Tongyong PinyinMíngjiān Siang
Pha̍k-fa-sṳMiàng-kiên-hiông
Hokkien POJBêng-kan-hiong

Mingjian Township[1] is a rural township in western Nantou County, Taiwan. It is the second smallest township in the county, after Jiji Township.

Name and etymology

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The name Mingjian originates from a Japanese transliteration of the original Taiwanese Hokkien name, Làm-á (Chinese: 湳仔; pinyin: Nǎnzǎi), with literal meaning "a very wet place".[2] In 1920, during Japanese rule, the name was changed to Nama (名間) which closely matched the Taiwanese pronunciation but with different kanji (Chinese characters) for the name. This written form was retained after the Kuomintang takeover of Taiwan in 1945; the characters are pronounced Bêng-kan and Míngjiān in Taiwanese and Mandarin Chinese, respectively.

History

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Mingjian was a hunting ground for the Taiwanese aborigines.[2]

In 2008, the 100th congregation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Taiwan was organized in Mingjian.[3]

A leaning unused electrical pylon damaged in the 1999 Jiji earthquake, has been turned into an earthquake memorial.[4]

Administrative divisions

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Mingjian Township office

Mingjian includes the villages of Buxia (廍下), Chishui (赤水), Dakeng (大坑), Dazhuang (大庄), Donghu (東湖), Kanjiao (崁腳), Nanya (南雅), Puzhong (埔中), Renhe (仁和), Sanlun (三崙), Songbo (松柏), Songshan (松山), Tanliao (炭寮), Tianzi (田仔), Wandan (萬丹), Xincuo (新厝) Xinguang (新光), Xinjie (新街), Xinmin (新民), Zhongshan (中山), Zhongzheng (中正), Zhuoshui (濁水), Zhuwei (竹圍).

Transportation

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Notable natives

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References

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  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 25 July 2017. (in Chinese)
  2. ^ a b 歷史沿革 [Historical evolution] (in Chinese). Mingjian Township Government. Retrieved 2008-06-03. [dead link]
  3. ^ "100th Mormon Congregation Created in Taiwan". LDS Newsroom. 2008-05-22. Retrieved 2008-06-03.
  4. ^ Tilting Electric Tower in Mingjian. 2 May 2008.