Before the Dutch and Han Chinese invaded, this region was home to a community of Taiwanese aborigines, the Siraya.

In the past, the Siraya indigenous tribe called this place Tavocan ("land of hill and forest").

Tavakan was a village of about a thousand people; the name was also written Taffacan, Tavocan, Tavacang, and Davocan in Dutch records.

[6] The village grew into the market-town of Twa-bak-kang (Chinese: 大目降; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: Tōa-ba̍k-kàng),[7] about 2 miles (3.2 km) southeast of Sin-kang (modern-day Sinshih).

The Taiwan High Speed Rail track passes through the western part of the district; no station is planned, however.