Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
the Dutch and so subject to taxation, education and military service. The raw were
those living free of imperial obligations. To separate the two, the Qing literally drew
a line down Taiwan: on one side was the civilised world, on the other the savage.
This policy lasted until 1875, at which point the Qing, anxious to show the world
they controlled all of Taiwan, reversed direction and attempted to open the interior
and east coast by force.
Throughout the Qing era, cooked aboriginals were required to participate in the
defence of Taiwan. Under a military habitation system (tuntian) young healthy ab-
originals were conscripted to serve in self-supporting garrisons. In their dual role
as farmer and soldier these aboriginals provided an invaluable service shielding
Taiwan from both internal and external conflict.
After the second Opium War ended (1860), for example, Taiwan was opened to trade
with the West. Into the now free ports of Tamsui, Keelung, Anping and Kaohsiung
flowed Western merchants, missionaries, soldiers, diplomats and scholars. Foreign trade
increased rapidly, merchant houses such Jardine, Matheson & Co flourished, and
Taiwan's economy became linked to global trade. The island became the largest camphor
supplying region in the world, and its excellent teas were traded widely.
Nearly all the major Western powers also had some kind of skirmish or 'incident' on
Taiwan soil in the 19th century. The most significant was the Mudan Incident (1874) in
which Japan sent 3600 troops on a punitive mission to the south over the butchery of 54
Japanese sailors by Paiwan aboriginals in Mudan, Pingtung County, three years earlier.
The incident revealed to the world both the weakness of the Qing government and
their limited control over Taiwan (the Japanese had tried to bring their grievances to the
Qing court only to be told that Paiwan aboriginals were outside Chinese control). A dec-
ade later French troops invaded and occupied Keelung during the Sino-French War. At
last recognising the strategic importance of Taiwan, the Qing began to shore up its de-
fences and spur development. Taiwan was made a province in 1885, with Liu Mingchuan
the first governor.
Liu, a former general who had fought the French in Vietnam, believed in Taiwan self-
reliance. Among his many initiatives were building cross-island roads (the present High-
way 9 from Taipei to Ilan mostly follows his route), pacifying mountain aboriginals, and
improving the economy. He implemented land reform, built the first railway from Taipei
to Keelung, established a postal system, laid a submarine cable to Fujian, and created
bureaus to handle railways, mining, telegraphs and other modern specialties.
Not all of Liu's reforms were successful, but it didn't much matter. Taiwan would not
be Chinese territory for very much longer.
