[ Dadaocheng pier ]
The Dadaocheng pier was built aside the Danshui river at the present  5th. Water 
Gate located at the intersection of Huanhe North Road and Minsheng West Road. 
The whole development histry of Dadaocheng has a close relation with this tiny 
pier. Sometimes the Dadaocheng is also called Daojiang for it is connected to 
the Danshui river that flows along its western border while the Chinese people 
call rivers as He or Jiang.
In 1860 ( the 10th year of Xien Feng),  the Second Opium War came to an end 
with Chinese Qing Dynasty forced to sign the Treaty of Peiking.  According to 
the clauses, southern Anping port and northern Danshui basin among other ports 
in Mainland China were opened to international trade. This eventually benifited the 
Dadaocheng residents and boosted economy. Many foreign companies set up 
offices here. People became wealthy and shops and streets were filled with 
exotic and romantic atmosphere. Nowadays, harbour facility has been replaced 
by Keelung and people would rather choose buses and trains as transportation 
tools. So the tiny Dadaocheng pier is gradually losing its glow.

[ River and Civilization ]
Human civilization always derived near the rivers they lived by.
Danshui river combines Dahan river, Xindien river, and Keelung 
river and flows through Taipei basin. 
Harbour piers along river side brought to the residents with job 
oppotunities and ignited the life of Taipei city.

[ Commercial activities ]
During Yong Zheng reign (1723-1735), population of Banqiao
and Xin'Zhuang area neighboring Taipei had grown up. Some
people moved across the Danshui river to the opposite side 
Mongga. Commercial activities between mainland immigrants 
and the aborigines became prevalent.
The aborigines rowed canoes with their hunts to deal with 
immigrants. They called their canoes as Mongga and so was 
the place name; Mongga; came from.
Most of the Mongga residents were Tongan and Sanyee 
immigrants from Quanzhou county and some others were
from Zhangzhou county, both in Fukien provice. They 
worked hard together throughout the Kien Long (1736-1795)
and Giar Qing(1796-1821) years. 
By the years of Dao Kwang reign, Mongga had already more
than 4 thousands shops in town and became the 3rd. biggest 
town in Taiwan as what people said "First Tainan, 2nd Lukang, 
and 3rd Mongga" while Dadaocheng itself remained quiet with
no much people there.

[ Business boom]
The developing of Dadaocheng not only stayed far behind 
Mongga in the southern neighborhood but even later than the 
Dalongtong in northern neighborhood. 
In 1851 ( the 1st year of Xien Feng ), a merchant man called
Lin Lan-Tien who had been living in Keelung harbour; aware of 
family safety from pirate; moved here and built three shops. 
That was the first shop in Dadaocheng.
Two years later, a fighting for harbour benefit happened 
between immigrants in Mongga. Tongan immigrants were 
expelled by Sanyee immigrants. The losing side following 
their grand old man Lin Yo-Zao moved away from Mongga 
and came to Dadaocheng. They built up their own shops 
and harbour here. More immigrants from other places came 
to join them. Thus, the first street in Dadaocheng began.

[ Replacing Mongga ]
Years later, Dadaocheng were lucky enough to take over 
business from Mongga where river water had already been over 
sanded. The prosperity of Mongga began when the water-way 
of  Xinzhuang harbour was over sanded, and ended when the 
same thing happened to itself. 
In 1860 or the 10th year of Xien Feng, the Second Opium War 
came to an end with Qing Dynasty forced to sign the Treaty of 
Peiking. According to the clauses, southern Anping port and 
northern Danshui basin among other ports in Mainland China  
were open to international trade. This eventually benifited the
Dadaocheng residents and boosted economy. 
An official log book of Danshui bureau in 1871 ( the 10th. year 
of Tong Chi during Qing Dynasty ), showed up a map  on which 
the name of Dadaocheng had already been there.