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The area was originally inhabited by the Pakalana people of the Siraya tribe. In the third year of the Xianfeng Emperor's reign, people from Quanzhou built a street north of Fangli village. During its heyday, the town produced 2,000 dan of salt annually, and the dyeing industry was also very developed. For the convenience of the residents of Fangli in conducting business activities, the main streets were paved with stone slabs, and the houses were all covered with rain canopies, forming a unique "covered street" (or "blind street") that was bustling with activity. In the fifth year of the Xianfeng Emperor's reign, gentry Chen Zhidong and Cai Xichou took the initiative to donate money to build a city. The city of Fangli was about three li in circumference, with earth and stone structures for city walls, and four city gates to the east, west, south, and north. Outside the city, thorny bamboo was planted, and there was a moat outside the bamboo, with nail-studded wooden barrels placed at the bottom of the moat, showing considerable development momentum. However, this prosperity was short-lived. In the second year of the Guangxu Emperor's reign, Fangli suffered a great fire, and the street market was abandoned. Furthermore, with the construction of the coastal railway and a station in Yuanli town, business activities shifted, and Fangli Street gradually declined. Today, the city walls are no longer visible, but the remnants of a large drainage channel on the north side still give a glimpse of the town's former prosperity. Although Fangli has become a part of history, the village still retains many rich historical relics, such as the Shuntian Temple, the Fangli Stream Communal Ferry Stele, and the old mansion of the Cai family, which are well worth exploring for visitors.