Sitou, Taiwan

The Han Chinese began arriving in the area during the reign of Qianlong Emperor. Members of the Zhang clan from Zhangzhou as well as the Jian, Lin and Xiao clans from Nanjing County in Zhangzhou were among the early settlers. A yamen was established in 1759 near the present Nantou Elementary School. In 1898, Nantou Commandery was organized. After the retrocession of Taiwan to the Republic of China, Nantou County was organized out of Taichung County in 1950, and, in October of the same year, Nantou Township was organized with the county government seated in it. On July 1, 1957, the Taiwan provincial government moved to Jhongsing Village, making Nantou the location of the provincial government. In 1981, Nantou became a county-controlled city. Due to its location along the Chelungpu Fault, Nantou was strongly affected by the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake: 92 people died and over 1000 buildings were damaged.