‘Guandu’ was originated from ‘Kantou’ in Ketagalan’s language and written as ‘Casidor’ in Spanish records. It is also named ‘Kanta’, ‘Kantou’, ‘Kantou’, ‘Jiantou’, ‘Chiantou’ and ‘Kuantu’, which were basically transliterated from Taiwanese plains aborigines’ languages. ‘Kuantu’ was first written in Taiwan chorography, which was reedited in 1760 CE in Qianlong era. ‘Kuantu’ had been once named ‘Jiangtou’ in the period of Japanese Colonial Rule and changed back into ‘Guandu’ since Taiwan Retrocession.
Guandu Temple was, according to Zhuluo County Chorography, founded in 51 of Kangxi era (in 1712). It is written that ‘Tianfei Temple Temples: One was on Bengan Street, Waijiou Village. It was constructed by inhabitants in 39. Another was on xian sui gang street. It was constructed by inhabitants in 55. The other was in Kantoumen, Tamsui. A governor, Lai Ke, led people to construct it in 51.’ The main deity of Guandu Temple was Mazu, Saintly Mother of Heaven; it had a longest history except Chaotian Temple, Beigang in Northern Taiwan. A proverb ‘There is Mother of Beigang in the South and Mother of Guandu (Kantou) in the North’ was spread among believers accordingly. Mr. Lai Ke, who led people to construct the temple, was a governor who managed Natives in ‘ki-maurri’ (Keelong and North Taiwan along the coast). He, as a representative of the government, was in charge of taxing Natives and detaching Natives to labor, which was why he could dispatch Natives to construct Guandu Temple. It is written in Zhuluo County Chorography that “Lingshan Temple: in Kantoumen, Tamsui, faced a huge port. Feng Zai Zhi from the east and Bai Jie from the west interflowed and poured into sea waves; tides surged greatly. The temple was built to worship Tianfei Temple in 51 of Kangxi era.” to describe the hustle and bustle when Tianfei Temple Temple was just completed.