In 1624, the Dutch colonized southern Taiwan in order to trade with mainland China. Before the fort was built, the place was a center of commercial trade. The fort was built by the Dutch to prevent another rebellion after the local people, led by Guo Huai-yi, went against the Dutch in 1652. The fort was still used as a trade center. The Dutch made the fort with red bricks and mortar, which were a mixture of water, sugar, sticky rice and oyster shells.