The place name "Dongsha" is first seen in Hai Lu, a book authored by Xie Qinggao in 1820 (the twenty-fifth year of Jiaqing). "Dongsha is a stretch of sand in the sea, so named because of its location to the east of the Wanshan Mountain. Lying in the inevitable route to Luzon and Sulu, it consists of the eastern and western sections separated by a small navigable harbor. Xisha the western section is slightly higher in altitude, but is only a little more than 3 meters above water. North-bound seafaring vessels are often lost here in the event of gusts and rains. Ships bound for Chaozhou, Fujian, Jiangxi, Zhejiang and Tianjin may seek refuge in the harbor when the northern gust becomes unbearable. Drinking water can be obtained by digging a well. To the due south of the sand beach, there lies Shitang, which should be avoided by ships seeking shelter from the wind."
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