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Western Taiwan and Fujien are separated by the Taiwan Strait. In light of both warm and cool currents, it has become an excellent fishing area with abundant aquatic animals. The Taiwan Strait has been a place frequented by merchant ships and fishermen since the late Ming dynasty. Kaohsiung, one of the then important fishing areas, has a plentiful catch of Common Mullet from December to January every year. More and more Mainland seasonal immigrants are coming to Kaohsiung and due to the fishermen's frequent visits between the Mainland and Kaohsiung, they have learned a great deal about the geography of Kaohsiung, so there is an increasing number of businessmen and farmers.
Kaohsiung used to be called “Takau” or “Takou” and both names were used in the historical records of the Ming and Qing dynasties. Regarding the name of “Takau,” as the Makatao of the Pingpu Tribe used to live along Kaohsiung harbor before the 15th century, it was called Takau by the bamboo forest tribe (pronounced Takau in the language of the Pingpu Tribe). Takau means "bamboo forest" and Takau is its transliteration, but as the pronunciation sounds like "dagou"(hit the dog) in Chinese, many people mistakenly believe the name comes from this.
In Tianqi 4th year of the Ming dynasty (1624), after the Dutch had been defeated by the troops of the Ming government in Penghu, they retreated to Taiwan and set up the East India Company to implement colonialism. The Han people were encouraged to immigrate to Taiwan for development and the whole province was divided into 5 areas. The north-west region which Kaohsiung City currently belongs to was also one of the places for development at that time, when it belonged to the southern meeting area.
In Chongzhen 3rd year of the Ming dynasty (1630), Fujien was stricken by a severe drought. Zheng Zhilong, who had accepted the amnesty of the Qing government, suggested to Xiong Wencan, the then governor, to recruit tens of thousands of famine victims and ship them to Taiwan to open up and cultivate its hinterlands. This was the beginning of a planned and organized migration of Han people to Taiwan. Kaohsiung, being the best area in the southern plains, was thus a major area for the immigrants to open up and cultivate. Therefore, it was not a coincidence for Zheng Chenggong, who drove the Dutch out of Taiwan , to be stationed at and carry out development in this city.
In Yongli 15th year (1661), Zheng Chenggong led his troops into Taiwan and the Dutch surrendered. Zheng renamed Taiwan as Dongdu, or the Eastern Capital, and instituted one prefecture (fu) and two counties, i.e. Chengtian Prefecture, Tianxing County, and Wannian County. The government of Wannian County was situated in the current Zuoying District of Kaohsiung City and the administrative area of Wannian County included the current Kaohsiung City, Kaohsiung County, Pingtung County and part of Tainan County.
After Zheng Chenggong had heroically expelled the Dutch and recovered Taiwan, he used Taiwan as the base for the anti-Qing movement and restore Ming. He gave lessons to his troops, required them to take up farming and adopted a policy of settling the land. Cianjhen, Houjin, Zuoying, Cianfong and Youchong (the current Youchang) of this city were the places where Zheng settled and developed. In Yongli 16th year, Zheng Chenggong passed away due to illness and was succeeded by his son, Zheng Jing, who had always wanted to restore the Ming government. In Yongli 18th year (1664), Dongdu was renamed as Dongning and Tianxing and Wannian were upgraded from county to prefecture under the administration of Chengtian Prefecture. In Yongli 35th year, Zheng Jing passed away due to illness and was succeeded by his son, Zheng Keshuang. In the 37th year (1683), Shi Lang, the navy military governor of Fujien of the Qing government, led his troops into Taiwan and Zheng Keshuang surrendered. The 23-year-long Ming Zheng Era thus finally came to an end.
Chengtian Prefecture was abolished and replaced by Taiwan Prefecture during the Qing Occupancy and Wannian Prefecture was divided into Taiwan County and Fengshan County under the administration of Taiwan Prefecture. As the government of Fengshan County was situated in Pizaitou, the administration of Kaohsiung City was shifted from Wannian County to Fengshan County. In Qianlong 53rd year (1788), its government was shifted to Pitou Street, i.e. the current Fengshan City, due to the Lin Shuangwen Incident. In the Sino-French War in Guangxu 10th year (1884), as Jilong (the current Keelung), Huwei (the current Tamshui), etc. were attacked by French troops, the Qing government recognized the importance of Taiwan’s coastal defence. In Guangxu 13th year (1887), the administrative region was revamped to three prefectures and one subprefecture incorporating 3 cantons and 11 counties and this city was still under the administration of Fengshan County.
In Guangxu 20th year (1894), China was defeated in the Sino-Japanese War and the Treaty of Shimonoseki was signed in the following year, in which Taiwan and Penghu were ceded to Japan. During the Japanese colonization, the Office of the Taiwan Governor-General was established by Japan for the governing of Taiwan and Taipei County, Taiwan County, Tainan County and Penghu Canton were set up in June. Kaohsiung City belonged to Fengshan sub-canton of Tainan County and the administrative unit had undergone a number of reforms at a later time. In 1920 (Taisho 9th year), Denkenzirou, the 8th Governor General, carried out another revamping of the administrative regions and cantons were abolished and replaced by administrative divisions. The ten cantons in the west were revamped to five administrative divisions including Taipei, Hsinchu, Taichung, Tainan and Kaohsiung. It was the first time that the name of “Kaohsiung” appeared on the list of administrative regions. Nine prefectures (jun) such as Kaohsiung and Fengshan were established under the Kaohsiung administrative division and a total of 6 streets, 44 zhuang and 126 she(mountain region) were put under its administration. The office of the administrative division was situated in Kaohsiung Street (the current Kaohsiung District Court).
In 1924 (Taisho 13th year), the prefecture and street of Kaohsiung were abolished and replaced by a prefecture-governed city. Kaohsiung City was established and the city affairs office was situated at the current Daitian Temple in Gupo Street, which was under the administration of Kaohsiung administrative division. This was the beginning of establishing a city in Kaohsiung. In 1939, the city affairs office was moved to Sakaemachi of Yenchengpu, i.e. the former Kaohsiung City Government (at No. 272, 4th Jhongjheng Road, Kaohsiung, i.e. the current Kaohsiung Museum of History).
After Taiwan was restored on 25 October 1945, Lian Mou was assigned by the Taiwan Provincial Governing Council to take charge of Kaohsiung City on 8 November. Kaohsiung City Government was formally established on 6 December and the government office was still situated at the former city government. Lian Mou was made the first mayor. In January 1946, the establishment was compressed into ten districts including Yencheng, Gushan, Zuoying, Nanzih, Sanmin, Sinsing, Cianjin, Lianya (renamed as Lingya in 1952) Cianjhen and Cijin. In May 1947, the Taiwan Provincial Governing Council was revamped to a provincial government and Kaohsiung City was put under the administration of Taiwan provincial government to become a provincial city.
By 1 July 1979, the population of the city already exceeded one million. Siaogang Town of Kaohsiung County was incorporated as Siaogang District and upgraded to a municipality. The city has added 11 administrative regions since then, measuring a total area of 153.6029 kms. In order to cope with the fast-growing population and the industrial and commercial growth, the city government office building was moved from ZhongZheng 4th Road to the current address at #2, Sze-Wei 3rd Road, Lingya District on 18 January 1992. It was hoped that the service quality would be enhanced.
In order to cope with the social changes, strengthen local construction and take into consideration the balanced growth between the central and local authorities, the municipality autonomous law was passed in July 1994. The first public-elected municipal mayor was elected on 3 December 1994 in accordance with this law.
