In the Neolithic Age, the area currently surrounding Qinghu Village in Longhua District was already inhabited. People of Miao ethnicity migrated to the area during the Ming Dynasty and later moved away.

During the Qing Dynasty (1862-1874), Hakka people from Mei County and Dongguan settled down here.

Longhua had a township office during the Republic of China period.

After the liberation of Bao’an County in October, 1949, the local government took charge of the district and township within its jurisdiction and set up three jointly-built people’s townships, 10 townships and one county. Longhua Township, together with Minzhi Township, were later merged as Longzhi Township.

In April, 1950, several administrative zones were designated in Bao’an County. Longzhi Township was in the county’s zone No. 3 jurisdiction.

In 1951, when the division of the township took place, Bao’an County was divided into four districts, 69 townships and one county. Among them, the zone No.3 governed Longhua, Dalang, Qingsong, Minzhi townships among others.

In August, 1955, zone No.3 was renamed Guanlan District. In October, 1956, the jurisdication of Guanlan District was adjusted to include the Longhua and Yousong townships.

In March, 1958, Guanlan District was divided into Longhua and Guanlan townships, respectively. In October of the same year, the two townships merged to establish a “Red People’s Commune,” which was later renamed “Guanlan People’s Commune.”

In July, 1961, Longhua was separated from Guanlan People’s Commune and established as Longhua People’s Commune. The commune has jurisdiction over six brigades including Dalang, Longhua, Longsheng, Minzhi, Sanlian, and Yousong.

In January, 1963, Longhua People’s Commune was merged into Guanlan People’s Commune; In August, 1975, it was separated from Guanlan People’s Commune and Longhua People’s Commune was established again which included six brigades.

In July, 1983, Longhua People’s Commune was transformed into Longhua District with six townships and 45 natural villages under its jurisdiction, including Dalang, Longhua, Minzhi, Sanlian, Qingsong, and Longsheng.

In October, 1986, Longhua District was changed to Longhua Township, which belonged to Baoan County, and the townships under its administration were changed to seven administrative villages. There is a total of seven administrative villages, including Dalang, Longhua, Minzhi, Sanlian, Qinghu, Yousong, and Longsheng with one resident committee.

In January, 1993, Bao’an County was divided into the Bao’an and Longgang districts. Longhua Town was in the jurisdiction of Bao’an District with eight administrative villages, 52 natural villages including Dalang, Longhua, Minzhi, Sanlian, Qinghu, Yousong, Longsheng and Shangtang, and two resident committees.

On January, 2004, Longhua was designated as one of the pilot areas of urbanization in Shenzhen was created, including one subdistrict office, namely, the Longhua Subdistrict Office, and 13 communities including Shangtang, Niulanqian, Minzhi, Xinlong, Sanlian, Jinglong, Longyuan, Qinghu, Yousong, Dalang, and Tong Sheng. Each community has a resident committee.

In April, 2006, two more subdistricts were established in Longhua as a result of a zoning adjustment and an administrative system innovation in Shenzhen. The three subdistricts were Longhua, Minzhi, and Dalang.

On October 27, 2011, the Shenzhen Municipal Government announced the establishment of a new functional area in Bao’an District, which is Longhua New Area. The newly established Longhua New Area including four subdistricts including Guanlan, Dalang, Longhua, and Minzhi.

On December 30, 2011, Longhua New Area was officially established.

On April 28, 2015, the former Guanlan Subdistrict of Longhua New Area was split into the subdistricts of Guanlan, Guanhu and Fucheng.

On September 14, 2016, the State Council approved the People’s Government of Guangdong Province plan to officially establish Longhua as a district in Shenzhen. Longhua, Dalang, Minzhi, Guanhu, Fucheng and Guanlan subdistricts, which formerly belonged to Bao’an District, were put under the jurisdiction of Longhua District. The district’s government is located at 1 Yanhe Road, Guanlan Subdistrict.

On January 7, 2017, an inauguration ceremony was held to mark the official establishment of Longhua District.