Taiwan: A People's History

During the Age of Exploration in the 16th century, European merchant ships, armed with powerful ships and artillery, swept the world. In 1543 or 1544, a Portuguese merchant ship departed from Macao, bound for Japan, and discovered Taiwan Island during its voyage. This gave the island, located in Southeast Asian waters, its common name: "Formosa - The Beautiful Island." From the Paleolithic Age to the Neolithic Age and the Iron Age, people on Taiwan Island have been moving in and out of different places at different times. Various forms of life have taken root and sprouted here. Humanity has learned, adapted, and survived here, building a unique vitality. All of this accelerated with the arrival of the 17th century, marking the beginning of Taiwan's history.

In 1624, with the tacit approval of the Xiamen general, the Dutch retreated from Penghu to Taiwan. Mainland Taiwan was not part of the Ming Dynasty at the time, so the Dutch landed again in Dayuan (near Anping, Tainan), beginning their 38-year rule. Dutch rule over Taiwan also caused concern among other powers. In May 1626, Spain dispatched troops through the waters off Sandiaojiao Bay on Taiwan's northeastern coast and held a conquest ceremony on Sheliao Island (now Heping Island). In 1628, they occupied Tamsui and built the Fort of Santo Domingo, attempting to consolidate Spanish power. It wasn't until 1642 that the Dutch replaced Spanish rule in northern Taiwan, ending Spain's sixteen-year rule. After this brief period of Dutch and Spanish rule, Taiwan began to develop island-wide interactions, leading to the emergence of the first Han Chinese regime, with the legendary Zheng Chenggong as a key figure.

When Taiwan was incorporated into the Qing Empire, the Qing dynasty was at its peak, enjoying peace and prosperity throughout the reigns of Kangxi, Yongzheng, and Qianlong. However, the Qing adopted a cautious and passive approach to governing this small, uninhabited island. In 1684, the "Ban on Crossing to Taiwan" was issued, prohibiting soldiers and civilians from bringing their families with them and requiring a permit. Consequently, most people resorted to smuggling themselves across the border. Despite the sea barrier, Han Chinese immigrants adapted to the challenging new life on the island, cultivating a life experience of hard work and perseverance that has been passed down from generation to generation. When Han Chinese first arrived in Taiwan, they were prohibited from bringing their families with them, so many married women from the plains. This served as a way to gain control of the land and, through intermarriage, to blend Han Chinese and Taiwanese aborigines.

The Opium War of 1840 marked a turning point in Taiwan's history. Following the Opium War, Taiwan's doors opened wide, attracting Western merchants, adventurers, and missionaries. Taiwanese society at the time still harbored suspicion and rejection of foreigners. As a "foreigner" spreading Western religions, walking the streets was met with spitting, orange peels, and even stones. In 1875, when the Baishuixi Church in Tainan was preparing to rebuild, it encountered opposition from local forces, leading to a six-year civil-religious conflict. Although Christianity faced persecution throughout Taiwan, the efforts of missionaries gradually spread the church's influence. From the Opium War, the Mudan Incident, and the Sino-French War, Taiwan became not only a battleground where Eastern and Western imperial powers competed to demonstrate their warships and artillery, but also a thriving island with numerous trading ports and foreign trading companies.

Although the Qing Empire decided to elevate Taiwan to a province during its final decade of rule and appointed Liu Mingchuan as its first governor, who also sought to modernize Taiwan, the Qing ultimately abandoned this remote island, once considered a foreign land. Under the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Qing ceded Taiwan and Penghu to Japan, making Taiwan a part of Japanese territory. The Japanese repeatedly used the excuse that Taiwan's history, culture, language, customs, and social structure were distinct from those of Japan, emulating the methods used by the then-powerful powers to rule their colonies.

As the Japanese Empire expanded, the shadow of war gradually loomed over Taiwan in the 1930s. To bolster its military, the Japanese Army recruited indigenous people to form the "Takasago Volunteer Corps," tasked with frontline missions more dangerous and crucial than those undertaken by the Japanese Army. Not only did men serve in the battlefields, but Taiwanese women were also mobilized to serve as caregivers. After World War II, the Kuomintang government, which took over Taiwan, viewed these Taiwanese soldiers who had previously served in the Japanese army as enemies, leaving them bewildered. "Who am I fighting for? Why am I fighting?" "Did we win or lose?" Even years after the war ended, these questions lingered in their memories.

In 1945, Japan declared its unconditional surrender, and the Nationalist government took over Taiwan. Initially, the Taiwanese people welcomed the situation with eager anticipation. However, the Nationalist takeover led to the expansion of public enterprises, which surpassed the monopoly of the Japanese colonial era. This, coupled with rampant corruption and the leadership of experts by laymen, led to poor management and uncontrolled inflation. The economy collapsed, and people's livelihoods deteriorated. Banditry and theft abounded, public security deteriorated, and violence permeated every corner. The gap and friction between mainland Chinese and Taiwanese residents deepened, and public support steadily eroded. A clash over opium led to the February 28 Incident, a major tragedy in Taiwanese history and profoundly impacting the subsequent political trajectory of the island.

In the early 1970s, Taiwan faced major changes both internally and externally. Externally, Taiwan was forced to withdraw from the United Nations. Internally, economic development gradually reached a plateau, and the Taiwanese people's demands for greater political participation grew stronger. As elections progressed, the democratic movement intensified. During this period, the opposition movement suffered several setbacks, including the Zhongli Incident and the Kaohsiung Incident. Ultimately, it gained strength, ultimately overcoming the ban on political parties and facilitating the lifting of martial law. In the process of democratization, Lee Teng-hui subsequently promoted direct elections for Taiwan's governor and president. In the year 2000, under Lee Teng-hui's leadership, Taiwan experienced its first transition of political parties. Chen Shui-bian of the Democratic Progressive Party was elected the tenth president with a clear majority.