In 803AD, the Tang Dynasty government set up five horse ranches in Quanzhou in China’s Fujian Province. One of the ranches was in Wuzhou (known today as Kinmen or Quemoy). Chen Yan was appointed the superintendent of the horse ranches; he arrived in Wuzhou with people from 12 different families to develop this island. He was later upheld as a pioneer in developing Wuzhou.
Back then, Wuzhou was a major salt producing area, with many salt farms set up across the island. As a result, the population started to grow rapidly, and the island enjoyed unparalleled prosperity.