Ming Conceptions of Taiwan: From Silhouettes to Islands

Taiwan was not part of the territory of Ming China, albeit very near the Pescadores (the P'eng-hu Islands), which was within the Chinese maritime patrol circle. Initially Ming people knew very little about the island of Taiwan, but as time progressed Taiwan gradually emerged in their mind with clearer and concrete images, though still far away from its real shape. This article aims to deal with the process through which the Ming people formed their conceptions of Taiwan and the changes of these conceptions until the time when Taiwan was occupied by the Dutch. This article first discusses the centuries-old controversies concerning the islands of Yi-chou and Liu-ch'iu, with emphases on the Ming knowledge of Liu-ch'iu (the Ryukyu islands, now Okinawa prefecture, Japan). The Ming policy of banning maritime trade provides crucial background for understanding the human activities around the China Sea (East China Sea and South China Sea) during the period from the 15th to the early 17th century. The rest of this work establishes the following points: (1) Part of Taiwan (at most a silhouette) was used as "landmark" by people on their danger-ridden way to the Ryukyu Islands. (2) During the times when southeast China coast was preyed upon by pirates, certain areas of Taiwan became the hideouts of those pirates. (3) Due to its good location, Taiwan became an important trading post for the illegal yet lucrative trade between China and Japan. As a result Japan showed interest in Taiwan and attempted to conquer it, but to no avail. (4) For the scholars and officials concerned with the security of the southeast coast, Taiwan emerged as the front-line of naval defense. Although few proposed occupying Taiwan, they held that it should not to be taken by other powers. (5) In the early 17th century, the Dutch twice occupied the Pescadores, but failed in securing it as a VOC stronghold. The Dutch initially had little interest in Taiwan, but was persuaded to occupy the port of Ta-yuan (today's An-p'ing, Tainan， Taiwan) instead. Taiwan thus became a trding post and a colony of the VOC. Only years after the Dutch occupied Taiwan did the outside world come to know that Taiwan is a big island instead of consisting of two or three islands. After the Dutch occupation, the aboriginal peoples on the island were unknowingly involved in the historical process of the larger "world", of which they knew almost nothing.