The City was totally divided into 18 controlled districts in the Japanese Colonial Period. The District was formed after consolidation of Dongmen and Jhuwei in whole and Kaishan and Jhaohe in part in 1945. The District Office was founded in Mituo Temple on Dongmen Road, and the Supervisor was Okeguti Mituo appointed by the contemporary City Government, and Cai, Ai-Ren as well as Matumine Gayu was Vice Supervisors as the East District was established initially. At that time, there were 173 classes in 19 self-government organizations in the whole District. One chairperson was nominated per self-government organization and one assistant was nominated per class to promote the district affairs. The District was transformed into an autonomous region with the same border in the early days after Taiwan was restored.
The City Government appointed Su, Ding-Shou to be the first Supervisor, and Ceng, Hong-Cih and Ye, He-Tian as the Vice Supervisors. In April 1946, the District Representative Council was founded, and the supervisor and vice supervisors of the District were elected in the Council then. Meanwhile, the administrative districts of the City were readjusted and Jyunwang, Kaishan and Dapu of Central District and Fahua, Wufei and Gongming of South District were included into the District, that made the villages governed by the District become 26 villages in total. In order to help promotion of the district affairs, the District Office was moved to Jyunwang Temple on Kaishan Road in July of the same year. In October of the same year, the election for Supervisor and Vice Supervisor of the 1st term was carried out. As a result, Mr. Ceng, Hong-Cih was elected to be the Supervisor, and Mr. Han, Hao-Chuan was elected to be the Vice Supervisor. In March, 1948, Dalin and Jhusi of South District were consolidated into the District. As a result, the District governed a total of 28 villages covering 240 neighborhoods with a population of 15,073. In November of the same year, Ceng and Han were reelected to be Supervisor and Vice Supervisor of 2nd term. In September 1950, Taiwan enforced municipalism. In November of the same year, citizens in the District voted to elect the Supervisor. As a result, Mr. Ceng, Hong-Cih was still reelected to be the Supervisor in charge of the district administration. At the end of 1953, the administrative districts of the City were adjusted and Jhusi, Wefei and Gongming were governed by South District, and Damiao Village from the north of Sihwei Street was governed by North District. In February 1954, the villages were reorganized, and Annei, Anwai, Jioupu and Dapu were consolidated into Longshan, Cyuannan, Cyuanbei and Siaonan, and Siaodong, Dalin and Ludong subdivided into Cianfong, Dongan, Sinsheng, Dafu and Daming. As a result, the District governed a total of 26 villages by then. In February 1960, because the district office of a city under the jurisdiction of Province Government was not a corporation, the Supervisor was designated, and Mr. Ceng, Hong-Cih was still designated to assume the Supervisor until he was assigned to assume the secretary of the City Government in June 1962, and then the Supervisor was succeeded by Lin, Chao-Yuan. In March 1964, because the City Government renovated scenic spots of historical significance, the District Office was moved to No. 1, Weimin Street. In November of the same year, Lin was assigned to assume a position in the City Government, and then the Supervisor was succeeded to by the secretary, Mr. Li, Huei-Zong on a part-time basis. In June of the next year, Mr. Ceng, Hong-Cih was reassigned to succeed to the position. Upon adjustment in 1967, the District governed a total of 30 villages covering 483 neighborhoods. In February 1972, Ludong and Siaodong were subdivided into four villages after the addition of Dasing and Dasyue. As a result, the District governed 32 villages in total covering 597 neighborhoods. In September 1973, each of Cianfong, Dalin and Dafu was subdivided into two villages, and Yule, Dajhong and Dade were added. As a result, the District governed 35 villages in total covering 638 neighborhoods. In July 1974, Degao was subdivided into Degao, Dajhih and Renhe, and Houjia subdivided into Houjia and Dongguang, and Dongan subdivided into Dongan and Sindong. Upon adjustment, four villages were added. As a result, the District governed 39 villages in total covering 652 neighborhoods. In 1978, Huwei was subdivided into Huwei and Fuciang. As a result, the District governed 40 villages in total covering 664 neighborhoods.
Because the population was increasing and the original office rooms were old and unable to accommodate workers, the new office rooms were built on the land used for government authorities occupied an area of about 1,400m2 in the 4th readjusted region by the City Government and completed in June 1979. Then, the District Office was moved to the existing premises, at No. 100, Chongsyue Road. In March 1981, Huwei was subdivided into Huwei and Zihciang, and Chonghuei was subdivided into Chonghuei and Weiguo. After the adjustment, the District governed 42 villages in total covering 912 neighborhoods. In May of the same year, Ceng, Hong-Cih was ordered retire, and the Supervisor was succeeded to by Mr. Hong, Ming-Lun from Central District transferred by the City Government. Because Hong had a health problem, he was assigned to resume the Central District in June of the same year, and the Supervisor was succeeded to by the secretary, Wu, Chun-Hua on a part-time basis until the Supervisor of North District, Wang, Jia-Chen was assigned by the City Government in September. In April 1982, the City Government adjusted the administrative districts, and Jyunwang, Fahua, Siaonan, Chuannan and Kaishan was consolidated into Central District, and Dalin, Sinsheng, Daen and Dajhong was consolidated into South District, and Gongjheng and Guangcih originally governed by North District was consolidated to Central District. In August of the same year, Degao with more than thousands of households was ordered to be subdivided into Degao, Chongshan and Chongsyue, and Dongguang was subdivided into Dongguang, Jhuangjing and Yunong, and Fuciang was subdivided into Fuciang and Fuyu, and Jhongsiao was subdivided into Jhongsiao and Chongming, and Renhe was subdivided into Renhe and Heping. As a result, a total of 7 villages were added, and the District governed 40 villages in total covering 883 neighborhoods. In October 1988, Supervisor Wang Jia-Chen was promoted to be the Chief of Labor Section of the City Government, and the Supervisor was succeeded to by the Supervisor of West District, Liou, Zih-Jian. In September 1993, Liou, Zih-Jian was retired because of sickness, and the Supervisor was succeeded to by the secretary, Wu Chun-Hua. In May 1994, Chongshan was subdivided into Chongshan and Chongcheng, Dajhih subdivided into Dajhih and Dongjhih, and Guangsheng subdivided into Guangsheng and Dongsheng. After the adjustment, the District governed 45 villages in total covering 1,105 neighborhoods. In January 1995, Supervisor Wu Chun-Hua reached the retirement age, and was succeeded to by the Chief of Civil Affairs Section (Cai, Kuan-Yu). In July 1999, Supervisor Cai, Kuan-Yu was promoted to be the Director-General of Social Affairs Bureau, and the Supervisor was succeeded to by the Director of the household registration office of the District, Liou, Cyong-Ying, who became the first female Supervisor in the City. In October 2000, Liou, Cyong-Ying was transferred to be the Supervisor of Central District by the City Government, and the Supervisor was succeeded to by Deputy Director-General of Civil Affairs Bureau, Jeng, Min-Jhih. After the adjustment on February 4, 2002, the District governed 45 villages in total covering 1,207 neighborhoods. In January 2003, Supervisor Jeng was transferred to be a specialist of Bureau of Labor Affairs by the City Government, and the Supervisor was succeeded to by the supervisor of North District, Lin, Fu-Shan. In February 2004, Supervisor Lin was promoted to be Deputy Director-General of Civil Affairs Bureau, and the Supervisor was succeeded by the director of household registration office of West Central District, Liou, Chun-Huei. On January 9, 2006, Guangsheng was subdivided into Guangsheng, Wensheng and Nansheng. As a result, the District governed 47 villages in total covering 1,279 neighborhoods. In July, 2008, Supervisor Liou was promoted to be Secretory of the City Government and Secretory Wu, Ming-Hsi of the District succeeded to the post. On July 27, 2010, owing to Chunghsing Village, and Fuguo Village being incorporated in Houjia Village, the District governed 45 villages covering 1240 neighborhoods. On December 25, 2010 Tainan County and Tainan City combined into a single city, but the District still kept its name. On January 29 2018, villages and neighborhoods were adjusted, and the District governs 45 villages covering 877 neighborhoods in result. In November, 2017, Supervisor Wu, Ming-Hsi was transferred to be Deputy Director-General of Bureau of Labor Affairs. On January 31, 2018 Supervisor Chen Shen-nan, Supervisor of the West Central District succeeded to Supervisor of the East District.