Taiwan Prefecture

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Taiwan Prefecture (Chinese: 臺灣府; pinyin: Táiwān Fǔ) was a prefecture of Taiwan under Qing rule.[1] The prefecture was established by the Qing dynasty government in 1684,[2] after the island "became an integral part of the Chinese Empire" in 1683.[3] The Taiwan Prefecture Gazetteer (臺灣府志; Taiwan Fu Zhi)[4] documented it as part of Fujian Province.[5] The Taiwan Prefecture Gazetteer was completed by Gao Gonggan in 1695, the 34th year of the reign of the Kangxi Emperor.[6]

1684–1723

When the Qing wrested the island from the control of the Kingdom of Tungning in 1683, Taiwan was made a prefecture under the administration of Fujian Province. The new Prefecture "was divided into three hien or districts":[7]

The aboriginal lands on the east coast were not under Qing jurisdiction (this area was called Behind the Mountains by the Qing).[8] The seat of government, referred to as "Taiwan-fu" (臺灣府城; Táiwān fǔchéng), was located in modern-day Tainan, "which city had been in turn the capital of the Dutch, Koxinga, and the Chinese".[9]

1723-1875

Four Prefectures, Two Seaboard Divisions

Prefectures (from south to north):[10]

  • Fongshan hien: one town, 8 Chinese villages, 73 uncivilized native villages, 8 civilized native villages
  • Kagi hien: one town, 4 Chinese villages, 22 uncivilized native villages, 8 civilized native villages
  • Changhwa hien: one town, 16 villages

Seaboard Divisions:

  • Pescadores ting
  • Tamsui ting: one town, 132 farms, 70 native villages

1875-1887

An administrative change occurred in 1875, when Imperial Commissioner Shen Pao-chen demanded that another prefecture be added in Taiwan to revamp the administrative organization of the northern area of the island.[11] As a result, Taipeh Prefecture was created from part of Taiwan Prefecture.

1887-1895

Taiwan Province (officially "Fujian-Taiwan-Province") was established in 1887. The new province was reorganized into four prefectures: Taipeh, Taiwan, Tainan, and Taitung.[9][12] Tainan Prefecture was created from part of Taiwan Prefecture.[13][14] Thus Taiwan Prefecture was reduced to the area of central Taiwan only, composed of the modern-day Miaoli County, Taichung City, Nantou County, Changhua County, and Yunlin County.

The new prefecture was divided into four counties and one subprefecture: Taiwan County (臺灣縣), Changhua County, Yunlin County, Miaoli County, and Puli Subprefecture (埔里社廳).[9] The new prefecture seat was located at the central city of Dadun (大墩), which was also designated as the site of the new provincial capital, or Taiwan-fu. However, during construction of the new Taiwan-fu, the provincial capital was temporarily relocated to the city of Taipei.[15] One of the administrators of Taiwan Prefecture was Raymund Tu, a native priest of Taiwan.[16]

Four years after development of Dadun began, Taipei was officially declared the provincial capital.[17]

In 1895, with the Treaty of Shimonoseki and the successful Japanese invasion of Taiwan, Taiwan Prefecture was abolished. Under Japanese rule, the province was abolished in favor of Japanese-style divisions.

See also

References

  1. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ Davidson (1903), p. 63.
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  6. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  7. ↑ Davidson (1903), p. 64:"Taiwan was divided into three "hien" or districts, known as Choolo, Taiwan, and Fangshan, under civil magistrates, and one ''ting" or maritime division, Panghoo (Pescadores) under a marine magistrate. These magistrates submitted themselves to the Taiwanfu or prefect, who in turn was under the authority of the censor of Taiwan, afterwards known as the Taotai, who was the highest authority in Taiwan, and was to make a circuit of the departments once annually."
  8. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 Davidson (1903), p. 244.
  10. ↑ Davidson (1903), p. 93.
  11. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  12. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  13. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  14. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  15. ↑ Davidson (1903), p. 245: "...the seat of government (which had been formerly at the old town of Taiwan-fu in the south, which city had been in turn the capital of the Dutch, Koxinga, and the Chinese,) was now removed temporarily to the new city of Taipeh, which had been lately in course of construction...In connection with this, it is necessary to go further and explain that it was the intention of the government to build a new capital city in the centre of the island near Changwha. Accordingly, the new city was laid out and the construction of official yamens commenced. The name of the new city became Taiwan-fu, or the capital city of Taiwan (Formosa), and it was also to be the seat of a new prefecture called Taiwan."
  16. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  17. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

Bibliography

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.

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