明初剛值建國不久，因沿海地區遭到倭寇的侵擾，洪武帝遂令江夏侯周德興前往福建進行海防的建設工作。洪武二十年(1387) 周在抵達後，便衡度福州城及其周邊的地理形勢，對福州城進行兵防的佈署，其內容主要有四：一、為增強福州城及其周邊的防衛力量，增設鎮東、福寧和福州右三衛，以及梅花、萬安、大金和定海四守禦千戶所，並構築堡城，兵力來自於強徵沿海民戶，「三丁取一，納編軍籍」。二、在衛、所的縫隙增設巡檢司，徵調附近壯丁擔任弓兵，以彌補衛、所兵防之不足。此次佈防的重點，放在福州城東北方的福寧，共增設水澳等六個巡司，並構建了五座堡城，以增強該處禦敵的能力。三、調整擴大福州衛的編制，以強固福州城防衛能力。同時，並將北鄉、西臼巡司改為梅花、大金千戶所，使其充分發揮扼敵阻寇的功能。四，設立南日水寨， 佈署寨軍和兵船，負責福州海域偵敵作戰的任務，並和陸岸上的衛、所相配合，一以控海，一以制陸，用以備禦入犯的敵寇。

In the early years of the Ming Dynasty, because the Japanese pirates robbed the coastland of China, the Emperor Hung-Wu assigned the General De-Shing Zhou to the task of the military disposition and defense in the Fu-Zhou City of Fu-Jian. Based on the geography of Fu-Zhou City, the tasks of the military disposition were to build many fortresses garrisoned by troops around the coastline and to dispose warships to intercept the pirates on the sea. The tasks focused on four dimensions. First, enhance the military defense in the Fu-Zhou City and its vicinity. Second, establish the police to support the military. Third, expand the military force of the Fu-Zhou City. Last, build the Navy in the Nan-Jih to guard the waters close to the Fu-Zhou City.