In the last years of South Song Dynasty, Lu Xiufu and his son Lu Nanda, famous national heroes, stationed in Mulu area to train a cavalry force for fighting against the invasion of army forces of the Yuan Dynasty. In the year 1279, Lu Xiufu, prime minister of South Song Dynasty, failed in the battle against armies of the Yuan Dynasty in Yashan (presently new Huinan of Guangdong) and was forced to retreat. In the end, when he stayed in a desperate state, he resolutely carried Zhao Bing, the last little emperor of South Song Dynasty, on his back and threw into the river in expressing his firm decision of no submission to the Yuan Dynasty. Afterwards, his son Lu Nanda, chief of cavalry forces, removed to this place and referred it where Prime Minister Lu ever stationed to as 'Malu', in always commemoration of this loyal and honest figure. Malu therefore got its name.
　　In the tenth year when Ningzong, emperor of South Song Dynasty (the year 1218) reigned, five counties were lined out from the east border of Kunshan County and formed a new county, which is named with the title of the emperor's reign as 'Jiading', subject to Pingjiang prefecture (currently Suzhou). Malu of today is actually then Chunshen Village of Jiading County. In the next year, Chunsheng was renamed Shouxin. In the tenth year when Kangxi, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty (the year 1671) reigned, the county magistrate of Jiading established a congee plant in Sixiang Village to give sufferers of natural calamities in charity. Later, plant, instead of village, exerted the function of administration of local administrative affairs and consequently 'Malu Plant' got its name. In the first year of Emperor Xuantong's reign (the year 1909), plant was renamed village. After liberation, Malu District was established in 1949 and renamed Malu Village again in 1957. January 1959, with the approval of the State Council, Malu become the prefecture of Shanghai city. September 1958, Malu People's Commune was founded, which realized the unified administrations for administrative and commune affairs. May 1959, Malu Commune was divided into three people's communes as Malu, East Malu (Jiangbang), West Malu (Jiaxi). In 1980, Malu Commune was name Shanghai Osaka Good-Will People's Commune and in 1983, with the duly foundation of Malu Village, the Commune was renamed Shanghai Osaka Good-Will Village. In 1993, the administrational division of the village was withdrawn and towns were set up instead, Malu Town was thus built and Shanghai Osaka Good-Will Village was renamed Shanghai Osaka Good-Will Town. In July 2001, Jianbang Town was integrated into Malu Town.
　　In the fourth year of Emperor Zhengde of the Ming Dynasty reigned (the year 1509), in the south of current Malu Town, a post station was established, which was called Nanjing Booth. In the tenth year of Emperor Kangxi of the Qing Dynasty reigned, Malu Congee Plant was set for flood relieving drive. In the last years of the Qing Dynasty, with Daotie Bridge in Malutang as the center, streets of some dozens of meters in the south, north, east and west round the bridge formed a small bazaar. In 1935, Huyi Road was open to traffic and Malu has been gradually growing up and become a town.