These three units used to be the main economic driving force, but their importance diminished gradually as Fongshan has established itself as a conjunction between Pingtung City and Kaohsiung.During the Dutch era, the current location of Fongshan was called Pongsoya (see Linbian, Pingtung), a group of eight Makatao villages and one of the most populous areas of Taiwan.During Qing rule, Fengshan District (Formosa) [zh] included areas south of Tainan (then called "Taiwan-fu") and west of the mountains.After the colonial government started to develop Takao Harbor in the early 20th century, the importance of Fongshan declined.The district consists of Xiankou, Chenggong, Guangming, Xingzhong, Nanxing, Hede, Fenggang, Zhonghe, Zhenbei, Xianya, Wenying, Zhenxi, Zhentung, Beiding, Zhongzheng, Zhennan, Laoye, Ruizhu, Zhongyi, Chengyi, Xinxing, Haiguang, Zhongcheng, Xinjia, Wuhan, Zhengyi, Yijia, Fuxing, Tungmen, Ruixing, Tianxing, Xinjiang, Guotai, Fengtung, Xinfu, Guoguang, Guolong, Wende, Guobei, Caogong, Xingren, Wufu, Zhongxiao, Shengming, Hexing, Xiehe, Wenshan, Fucheng, Chengde, Sanmin, Beimen, Fujia, Nancheng, Wenhua, Dade, Wusong, Wenheng, Wenfu, Chengxin, Chengzhi, Guofu, Wuqing, Haiyang, Xinwu, Xinle, Xintai, Zhonglun, Zhongrong, Zhongmin, Erjia, Longcheng, Furong, Shanmei, Nanhe, Fuxiang and Baoan Villages.