Antong Traversing

The Yu-Chang Highway, which runs through Hualien County and Taitung County, was excavated in 1875. The highway stretches mainly along the Antong Valley and deep into the coastal mountains. After passing through a tunnel, it then follows the road between the Lujiao Creek and Ningpu Creek that leads to Ningpu Village in Changbin Township.

The construction of the Yu-Chang Highway was actually based on the Antong Traversing Historic Trail. At that time (Qing period), General Wu Guangliang, who was stationed in Yuli, led the soldiers to excavate Pushige Chengguang’ao passage. This became the outer port of the middle section of the Huadong Rift Valley on the other side of the Coastal Mountains. During the Japanese occupation, the Government-General in Taiwan renamed the place Hongzuo Traversing Trail. Later, when the route was changed from Antong to Zhuhu, the trail was renamed to Antong Traversing Trail.

Yuli Township is located in the south-central section of Hualien County. It became a village in 1875 and was called Pu-Shi-Ge during the Qing period. There are many saying how the name originated. First, Pusiko is how Bunun people describe dust and sand that they saw flying above Xiuguluan riverbank. Secondly, Paheko is how Amis people describe ferns because the riverbank plain was covered with ferns. Third saying was when General Wu Guangliang opened the road in 1875, he saw pure white jade all over Xiuguluan river and named the place Pu Shi Ge, namely the unpolished gem pavilion.

At the end of the Qing period, Pushige village was already a military powerhouse and a Han settlement, with an area equivalent to the current urban Yuli.