Maritime Taiwan: Historical Encounters with the East and the WestFor centuries the island of Taiwan, 100 miles off the Asian mainland, has been a crossroads for traders and settlers, pirates and military schemers from around the world. Unlike China, with its long tradition of keeping foreigners out, Taiwan has a long history of interaction, both hostile and friendly, with other seafaring nations near and far. "Maritime Taiwan" captures the full drama and details of this remarkable history. It's filled with fascinating stories of foreign adventurers and echoes the bitter songs of Taiwan's aboriginal population, confronted by the convergence of different maritime cultures and values on the island.Here are accounts of the legendary pirate Koxinga, the Chinese junk trade, the mighty Dutch East India Company, British opium traders and Scottish tea merchants, Jesuit priests and Presbyterian missionaries, A French fleet commander, a Japanese colonial administrator, an American aid official, and many more. Here too is an extraordinary view of Taiwan over the centuries, as its distinct identity, culture, and values were shaped by its unique history. Today, with a population of only 23 million, Taiwan is the world's nineteenth largest economy, a vibrant, relatively free society on the strategic route between China and Southeast Asia. Maritime Taiwan also discusses the significant impact of American military, economic, educational, and technological aid on Taiwan's developments and addresses the island's continued importance in maintaining the U.S. hegemony in East Asia. |
Contents
The Dutch the Spaniards | 19 |
Taiwan Southeast Asia and Coastal China | 45 |
Consulates Trading Firms | 63 |
Copyright | |
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Other editions - View all
Maritime Taiwan: Historical Encounters with the East and the West Shih-Shan Henry Tsai Limited preview - 2014 |
Maritime Taiwan: Historical Encounters with the East and the West Shih-Shan Henry Tsai Limited preview - 2014 |
Common terms and phrases
aboriginal Academia Sinica American Amoy April Asian Beijing British camphor cargo century Ch'en Ch'ing Chiang China Chinese Chinese government coal coast coastal colonial government commander Communist consul Courbet customs December defense diplomatic Dutch economic established European fleet Foochow forces foreign Formosa Fort Zeelandia French Fukien Gendre Goto governor governor-general governor-general of Taiwan History Hong Kong Ibid imperial Iquan Island of Formosa Japan Japanese colonial June junks Kaohsiung Keelung Keelung Harbor Koxinga Liu Ming-ch'uan Lukang mainland Manchu mandarins maritime merchants military million Ming missionaries Morse National Nationalist natives navy northern Taiwan October officials opium percent Pescadores piculs pirates political port rice Robert Swinhoe sailed September Shanghai ships shipwrecked Sinkan Southeast Asia southern Spanish sugar T'ai-wan tsao-ch'i taels Taipei Taiwan Historical Taiwan Strait Taiwanese Taiwanfu Tamsui River Tayouan Tokyo trade treaty troops Tsai Ch'ien U.S. Congress United University USNA vessels warships William Zeelandia