At the time, the Paiwan people were fierce and practiced headhunting. On top of that, Langchiao's climate was blistering hot in summer and subject to chinook winds in winter. In just 46 years, eight out of nine assistant magistrates assigned to the then Fengshan County died of disease. The county magistrate made an official request to the Qing court to abandon its jurisdiction over the Hengchun Peninsula.
由於當時琅嶠排灣族民風強悍且有「出草」的殺人習俗，加以夏天炎熱、冬天又有落山風，短短 46 年間，派駐當地的 9 名縣丞，8 人因病而亡，鳳山知縣於是上奏清廷，主張放棄恆春半島。