During Ming and Qing Dynasties, Kaohsiung was a small fishing village named “Takao”, derived from the local aboriginal name meaning “bamboo forest”. The name was changed to "Kaohsiung" by the Japanese in 1920, also pronounced "Takao" in Japanese. In 1858, the Qing Dynasty lost the Second Opium War to Britain and France, and signed the Treaties of Tianjin. According to the treaties, the Qing government opened Anping Port in the south, as well as Tamsui Port in the north of Taiwan, for foreign trade. In 1863, the Qing government set up Tamsui Customs and Keelung branch. In the same year, a branch customs office in Chihou, Kaohsiung, was established. This was the beginning of the history of Kaohsiung Customs.
