Fenglin was once known as Maliwu, an Atayal word meaning "a slope." Located in central Hualien County, it is bounded by the Shoufeng River and Shoufeng Township to the north, the Matai-an River and Kuangfu Township to the south, the Coastal Mountain Range and Fengpin Township to the east, and by Wanjung Township and the Central Mountain Range to the west.
鳳林舊名「馬力勿」，是泰雅族「上坡」的意思，位於花蓮縣境內最中間地帶，北以壽豐溪與壽豐鄉為界，南以馬太鞍溪與光復鄉為鄰，西接萬榮鄉及中央山脈，東隔海岸山脈與台東縣豐濱鄉毗鄰。