| Official Name: | Puli Township 埔里鎮 |
| Subdivision Type: | Country |
| Subdivision Type1: | County |
| Subdivision Name: | Taiwan |
| Subdivision Name1: | Nantou |
| Leader Title: | Magistrate |
| Leader Name: | Zhou Yixiong |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 100.80 |
| Area Total Km2: | 162.22 |
| Population As Of: | February 2023 |
| Population Total: | 77299 |
| Elevation M: | 445 |
| Website: | http://www.puli.gov.tw |
| Other Name: | Hori |
Puli Township is an urban township in Nantou County, Taiwan.[1] The township is located within the Puli Basin. It is the geographic center of Taiwan.
In the 19th century the city was known as Posia or Po-li-sia[2] . The Atayal name of the settlement was Sabaha Bakalas, meaning "house of stars".[3] From 1920, during the Japanese era, the town was administered as,, Taichū Prefecture.
In 1870, a native of Po-li-sia named Khai-san received treatment for a medical issue in a missionary hospital in Taiwan-fu (present-day Tainan) and learned about Christianity. When he returned home, he spread information about Christianity to the people of the area. In July 1871, two native preachers were sent to the area after reports concerning the spread of Christianity in Po-li-sia were heard of in Taiwan-fu. They reported back that "a movement, favourable to Christianity, had really taken place" in the area. Members of the Canada Presbyterian Mission visited the area in March 1872. In late 1872, William Campbell was part of an armed party that traversed the jungle, mountains and streams between Toa-sia and Po-li-sia to participate in examining candidates for baptism who lived in Po-li-sia.[2]
In 1999, this town was damaged by the 921 earthquake. The damage was especially severe in Taomi Village a small rural village located within Puli Township. 10 years on, the village has since re-invented itself to be the pride of Taiwan's eco-tourism industry. Especially after the opening of the Paper Dome, now a major attraction in Puli Township, Taomi Village[4] was transformed from a sleepy agricultural village to one that is busting with activities related to community redevelopment and eco-tourism. Since then, Taomi Village has seen vibrancy unprecedented since its glory days in the 1970s as an agricultural hub.
Tungmen, Pacheng, Pipa, Shuitou, Qilin, Zhuge, Xinan, Ximen, Nanmen, Beimen, Beian, Beimei, Taian, Danan, Wugong, Tongsheng, Qingxin, Xunhua, Dacheng, Lancheng, Taomi, Chenggong, Nancun, Ailan, Tieshan, Fangli, Xiangshan, Yixin, Gecheng, Guangcheng, Shigang, Fuxing and Niumian Village.
There is a TTL brewery in the township. One of the main economic activities in Puli is tourism. It is located in the mountainous center of Taiwan, and many tourist destination spots, such as Sun Moon Lake are nearby.
Puli is at one end of National Highway 6 which provides a connection with west Taiwan towards Taichung and Nantou City. At the eastern end of the Highway the Puli exit connects to the Hehuanshan mountain pass, at its highest point 3275 meters above sea level, before the road continues to Hualien on the east coast. By this combination of roads, Puli is located along the only east-west coast to coast route crossing the central portion of the island.