Because water in the area is extraordinarily pure, Puli was chosen as the production center for the rice-based shaohsing wine, the name of which was borrowed from a city in Chekiang province on the Chinese mainland, which is best known for this type of liquor.
民國卅九年，中央重行劃分地方行政區域，埔里鎮隸屬於南投縣，成為南投縣的十三個鄉鎮之一。近年來發展神速埔里鎮東接仁愛鄉，南鄰魚池鄉，西北毗鄰國姓鄉，面積一六二平方公里，約有三分之二的土地是農田。埔里雖然是個老鎮，但由於地位僻塞，附近又沒有大都市，發展的步調比較緩慢。