According to historical records, before ethnic Chinese entered the area by force, such groups as the Atayal, the Bunun, the Sau, the Pufan (related to the Bunun), and the Meifan (related to the Atayal) lived in the valley and the surrounding mountains. After the middle of the Qing dynasty, ethnic Chinese and plains aborigines continuously moved into the Puli basin.
根據文獻資料記載，漢人勢力未進入埔里前，總共有泰雅、布農、邵族、埔番（屬布農系統）、眉番（屬泰雅系統）等原住民在盆地附近及山區居住，清朝中葉以後，漢人及平埔族陸續進入埔里盆地。