Immigrants during the Qing Dynasty who crossed the straits in boats passed by the Qilaibi Point. They saw how as the river water flowed into the ocean waves the currents would eddy, or "huelian" in Hokkien. This is the origin of the name Hualien.
清代乘舟破浪登陸的移民，途經奇萊鼻岬角，望見溪水奔注與海浪衝激呈迴旋狀，脫口而出「洄瀾」（Huelian），是為「花蓮」地名由來。