Madou

Mádòu (麻豆), deriving its name from the Siraya Indigenous word Mattau, was one of the four core Sirayan villages during Dutch colonial rule. It was the site of significant conflict in 1635–1636 when Dutch forces attacked the settlement, ultimately leading to the February 1636 landdag ceremony that formalized Dutch sovereignty over parts of the island. The district developed as a port along Daofeng Lagoon (倒風內海) until siltation rendered it inaccessible in the 1730s, with the old ferry docks now preserved as an archaeological site.

During the Japanese colonial era the Madou Sugar Factory was established and operated until 1990, with its grounds now redeveloped as Tsung Yeh Arts and Cultural Center (總爺藝文中心). Madou is home to the Dianji Theater (電姬戲院), one of the last remaining Japanese colonial era cinemas in Taiwan, established in 1938 and narrowly saved from demolition around 2020. The district also features the Madou Daitianfu Temple (麻豆代天府), an elaborate temple complex with a heaven-and-hell amusement park that hosts one of the five major folk religious festivals of coastal Tainan.