It kept this name until the Japanese occupation of Taiwan, when a Japanese prince stopped at the town on a tour. When the train pulled in and he heard the name of the town announced, he misheard the Japanese pronunciation of the name, Kadankyaku, as kadoukyaku, or "low-class passenger."
直至日治時期一位日本親王巡視地方，火車停靠時，站長喊出站名，親王誤以為與日語的「下等客」同音，相當不悅，為此才改名為與日語「茄苳」同音的「花壇」。