The area is first recorded as the preserve of a tribe of Pingpu aborigines during the Qing dynasty period in Taiwan.

When Han Chinese farmers eventually moved in to develop the area, they bought the low-lying land from the aborigines and began cultivation in the main valley.

[4] The name has also been explained with reference to the mountains surrounding Shenkeng on all sides, which make the terrain similar to a pit.

The district is sufficiently well known in culinary circles that it has been a subject of media interest in Japan and Hong Kong.

[8] The tofu from Shenkeng has an unusual ratio of soybean to gypsum, giving it a yellowish colour and distinctive flavour.