An unforgettable lesson, information.

Taiwan Province Map Taiwan is an inalienable part of China’s sacred territory. Historically, Taiwan has been occupied by Spain, the Netherlands, and Japan. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Taiwan returned to China's territory. After 1949, due to well-known reasons, Taiwan was separated from the motherland. Over the past 50 years, Taiwan's politics, economy, culture, and society have undergone tremendous changes. Taiwan Island is China's largest island, located on the continental shelf off the southeast coast of the motherland. Taiwan straddles the center of the Western Pacific Waterway and is an important transportation hub for maritime connections between China and other countries in the Pacific region.

Chinese name: Taiwan Province

Foreign name: Taiwan

Alias: Liuqiu

Administrative region category: Province

< p>Region: China

Regions under jurisdiction: Taipei County, Taoyuan County, Hsinchu

Government location: Taipei City

Geographical location: Southeast of mainland China Sea area

Area: 36,000 square kilometers

Population: 18,834,593 people (July 2009)

Famous attractions: Alishan, Sun Moon Lake

< p>Table of contents

Basic information Administrative divisions

Origin of name

Historical summary

Tourist attractions and tourism resources

Flavors and delicacies

Local literature and art

Geography, humanities and geographical location

Demography

Geomorphological features

Climate types< /p>

Natural resources

Economic development

Historical evolution from ancient times to the 16th century

The Dutch colonial period

The Zheng family The period of rule

The period of the Qing government

The period of Japanese rule

Return of sovereignty

Basic information Administrative divisions

Origin of the name

Historical summary

Tourist attractions and tourism resources

Cuisine

Local literature and art

Geography Human geography Location

Demographics

Landform Characteristics

Climate Type

Natural Resources

Economic Development

Historical evolution from ancient times to the 16th century

The Dutch colonial period

The Zheng family period

The Qing government period

Japan Period of rule

Return of sovereignty

Expand basic information

Administrative divisions

Taiwan is located on the continental shelf along the southeast coast of mainland China, at longitude east 119°18′03″ to 124°34′30″, between 20°45′ north latitude Taiwan

25″ to 25°56′30″. It covers an area of ??36,000 square kilometers, including Taiwan Island (an area of ??35,800 square kilometers), Penghu Islands, Green Island, Diaoyu Island, Orchid Island, Pengjia Island, and Chiwei Island. In terms of administrative divisions, Taiwan Province originally governed five provincial cities: Keelung, Hsinchu, Taichung, Chiayi, and Tainan, Taipei, Yilan, Taoyuan, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Taichung, Changhua, Nantou, Yunlin, Chiayi, Tainan, Kaohsiung, Pingtung, Taitung, Hualien, and Penghu 16 counties. Later, the Taiwan authorities designated Taipei City as a "city under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan" in 1967. Later, in 1979, Kaohsiung was established as a city under the jurisdiction of the Executive Yuan. In addition, there is also the so-called "Fujian Provincial Government", which governs two counties: Kinmen and Lianjiang (Matsu).

Origin of the name

According to well-documented historical data, the name "Taiwan" only appeared more than 300 years ago. However, historical records prove that people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have long called Taiwan's treasure island. There have been nearly ten names for Taiwan in history. The different names reflect the concern and expectations of the Chinese nation for Taiwan's treasure island. When the state apparatus appeared in ancient China, China was divided into nine states for management. This historical fact is recorded in one of China's earliest historical books, "Shang Shu Yu Gong Pian". The jurisdiction of Yangzhou among the nine states extends to the Huaihe River in the north and the sea to the east. The "Daoyi Huifu" in the book refers to Taiwan. In the "Taiwan Prefecture Chronicle" written by Gao Gongqian in the 33rd year of Kangxi (1642), it was stated that Yangzhou during the Xia and Shang Dynasties included Taiwan. Japanese scholar Ozaki Hidema also believes that "Daoyi" is the earliest name for Taiwan. "Daoyi" is the first name for Taiwan. People's knowledge of the sea gradually increased, and humans who came out of the water began to use the sea for human use. During the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, offshore transportation developed, resulting in many legends about the sea. Among them, the legend of the alchemist Xu Fu seeking the elixir of immortality for Qin Shi Huang has been passed down to this day. "Historical Records: The Chronicles of the First Emperor of Qin" records that Xu Fu's letter mentioned that there are three sacred mountains on the sea: Penglai, Fangzhang, and Yingzhou. Later generations believed that "Yingzhou" was Taiwan. Xu Fu did not come back, but cross-strait exchanges increased in the years to come. Taiwan is recorded in the "Book of the Former Han Dynasty" as a specialized historical and geographical book. Entering the Han Dynasty, records about Taiwan began to increase. There is such a record in "The Book of the Former Han Dynasty: Geography" that there are "Eastern Ai people" overseas in Kuaiji, who are divided into more than 20 countries and "come to show their respects according to the age of the year."

Later, many scholars believed that "Eastern Ai" should refer to Taiwan. In "Book of the Later Han·Biographies of Dongyi", Taiwan is divided into three parts. "Dongzhou" refers to northern Taiwan, "Yizhou" refers to central Taiwan, and "Chanzhou" refers to southern Taiwan. The map of Taiwan drawn by Dutchman Linschoten three hundred years ago also divided Taiwan into three islands. Dividing Taiwan into three parts shows that our understanding of Taiwan is deepening. A direct description of the situation in Taiwan was during the Three Kingdoms period. During the Three Kingdoms period, Soochow was located in the south of the Yangtze River, and its jurisdiction included Kuaiji and the southeastern coastal areas. Soochow has a close relationship with overseas countries. "Three Kingdoms" mentions that Sun Quan sent an army to the sea to conquer Yizhou in the second year of Huanglong (230 years). Many scholars believe that "Yizhou" is Taiwan. Shen Ying, the prefect of Linhai County in the Eastern Wu Dynasty during the Three Kingdoms period, can be called the earliest Taiwanese scholar. In his "Linhai Land Chronicles", he has a special record of the situation in Taiwan, which was called "Yizhou" at that time. However, this book has been lost, and the main content is recorded In "Taiping Yulan". Judging from the recorded content, this was the most complete written information about Taiwan at that time. Of course, some people say that "Yizhou" at this time was somewhere in Guangdong or Hainan, but based on the location, climate, topography, historical sites, products, customs, etc., it should refer to Taiwan. Through "Linhai Land Chronicles", many mainlanders far away from the Taiwan Strait have learned about the specific situation of Taiwan, which is limited but extremely rare. The ambitious Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty did not have many records worth boasting about in his administration, but he had a special preference for external and internal wars. Of course, he also raised troops against Taiwan, which had long been the concern of previous dynasties. According to the "Book of Sui: Biography of Dongyi", Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty launched an expedition to Liuqiu in the sixth year of Daye (610). Where is "Liuqiu"? It has always been controversial. However, most scholars believe that "Ryukyu" refers to Taiwan, not Ryukyu Japan. In any case, the Sui Dynasty already knew Taiwan quite well. It is clearly recorded in "History of the Song Dynasty: Biography of Foreign Countries" that the Liuqiu Kingdom is located in the east of Quanzhou. There is an island called "Penghu" with fireworks facing each other. There are similar records in Zhao Rushi's "Zhufan Zhi", but of course the recorded content is not detailed. Many people have conducted research on the name of Taiwan. Taiwanese political celebrity Lien Chan was born into a local family, and his grandfather was the famous historian Lien Heng. Lian Heng said in his representative work "General History of Taiwan" that "Taiwan's original name was 'Burial of Injustice', which was named by the Zhangquan people." Because after the Minnan people in the Ming Dynasty went through hardships to arrive in Taiwan, they died of many diseases due to the unsuitable climate and overwork, and hardship. After death, even the bones could not be transported back to the hometown, "so it was named 'Burying Wrong'." Because "Burying Wrong" is unlucky, and "Burying Wrong" has the same pronunciation as "Taiwan" in the Hokkien dialect, so the name was changed to "Taiwan" . This analysis makes sense because immigrants do have hauntingly painful experiences. However, Mr. Lian Heng’s conclusion is also far-fetched, because there are many words with the same pronunciation. Why use “Taiwan” instead of “burial of injustice”? "Burying an injustice" is unlucky, but where does "Taiwan" show its auspiciousness? This is not the origin of the name "Taiwan". Tainan is the earliest developed area in Taiwan, so the name of Taiwan originally came from the name of the Tainan area. The Raya people who originally lived in Tainan were called "Tayan" or "Tai-An" when introducing Taiwan. The Dutch spelled it "Taioan", and immigrants from the mainland pronounced it "Tai-Oan". Therefore, due to different pronunciations, they are called "Tai Yuan", "Da Yuan", "Da Yuan", "Da Wan" and "Da Yuan" in Tainan. Later, the pronunciation of "Taiwan" in the Hokkien dialect was changed to "Taiwan", and the area referred to was expanded from Tainan to the entire Taiwan area. Since the Ming Dynasty, the name "Taiwan" has officially become popular. In "Yuan Yuan Chapter: Dongfang Ji" written by Zhou Ying, a Fujianese in the Ming Dynasty, Taiwan is referred to as "Taiwan members". During the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573 to 1619), "Taiwan" appeared in official court documents. Zhang Mei's book "Ying Ru Bai Yong" in the Qing Dynasty pointed out: Zhou Ying called Taiwan "Taiwan Yuan". "This is an error caused by the Hokkien language. From then on, the name of Taiwan began to enter China." The name "Taiwan" From this, it should be relatively objective. [1]

Historical Summary

After the rise of feudal society, there were many exchanges between the dynasties of the Central Plains and Taiwan. The papermaking technology invented by the Chinese has greatly promoted the spread of human culture. Of course, it has also recorded the hard work and sacrifices of the Chinese sons and daughters working together to develop, build and defend Taiwan. It has also recorded the historical facts of cross-strait exchanges. The first expedition to Taiwan took place in 230 AD. During the Three Kingdoms period, Sun Quan, the monarch of the Wu Kingdom, sent generals Wei Wen and Zhuge Zhuge to lead 10,000 naval troops to Taiwan, which they called "Yizhou". This was the first contact between a Chinese dynasty and Taiwan documented in history. Their trip to Taiwan lasted for a year. In the end, due to the epidemic of disease and the unaccustomed climate and climate, nine out of ten officers and soldiers were killed or injured. In the end, they returned to the mainland with thousands of Taiwanese residents. In fact, this type of military expedition is not a way to kill people and gain goods, but a common method used by feudal dynasties to establish and consolidate the scope of their rule. The Taiwanese people brought back introduced many things about Taiwan. Decades later, Shen Ying, the prefect of Linhai County of the State of Wu, wrote "Linhai Land Chronicles" between 264 and 280 AD based on the information introduced by the Wu officers and soldiers who returned from Taiwan and the Taiwanese residents they brought there (see "Taiping Yulan") Volume 780) book. He called this piece of land on the sea "Yizhou is located in the southeast of Linhai, two thousand miles away from the county. The land has no snow and frost, and the vegetation is immortal. It is surrounded by mountains, and the mountains are inhabited by barbarians. On the top of the mountain, there is a pure white shot shot by the King of Yue, which is a stone. . Each of these barbarians is called a king, and the land and people are divided into different areas.

"The land is fertile, producing both grain and fish." "It also introduces the local products, people, customs, tools, historical sites, etc. Among them, "There is a white stone shot by the King of Yue on the top of the mountain, which is a stone", which proves that during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, Taiwan was the territory of the Yue Kingdom. The book The description of Zhongdi gives people a vivid understanding of Taiwan at that time: Yizhou is 2,000 miles southeast of Linhai County. The local climate is hot, there is no frost and snow, the vegetation is evergreen all year round, surrounded by mountains, the land is fertile, grains are grown, and fish is prolific. , weave fine cloth, and smelt copper and iron. In order to preserve food in the hot climate, residents stewed fish and meat in large clay pots. They not only served them as delicacies, but also used them to entertain guests. The marriage of men and women was decided by their parents, and the marriage of girls was decided. The upper front teeth must be knocked out. The residents are divided into different tribes, each with its own land and leader. When the leader summons the people, he uses a wooden stick to knock the hollow wood in the middle, and the sound can be heard by the residents four or five miles away. Later, they came one after another. During the war, they cut off the enemy's heads and hung them on the big wooden pestle in the courtyard. They did not take them off for several years to show their military exploits. This was the first time in the world that a relatively complete record of Taiwanese customs was written. By the Sui Dynasty, in the 3rd year of Daye (607), Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty sent Yuqi Lieutenant Zhu Kuan and Marine Commander He Man twice to what was then known as "Taiwan." Due to the language barrier, he brought back a Taiwanese for the first time and some cloth armor for the second time. In the 6th year of Daye (610), Emperor Yang of the Sui Dynasty sent Wu Benlang to bring Chen Leng and the officials to court. Zhang Zhenzhou led more than 10,000 troops and set sail from Ngee'an (Chaozhou), Guangdong, to Taiwan. The locals thought it was a merchant ship from the Central Plains. This shows that mainland businessmen often went there for business at that time, and it also shows that Taiwanese people were already familiar with business and trade. The local chiefs' negotiations did not go well, and they fought with swords and guns, and brought thousands of local residents back to the mainland. In Changhua City, central Taiwan, there is a street called "Chen Leng Street" in memory of this Sui Dynasty general. After a long period of evolution from the Three Kingdoms to the Sui and Tang Dynasties, the number of immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong to Taiwan also gradually increased. By the Song Dynasty, there had been more exchanges and economic activities. In order to facilitate management, management agencies began to be established in the Taiwan and Penghu areas, and Penghu was included in the list. It was the first time in the history of Taiwan's development that the Taipei-Penghu area was officially included in the territory of Jinjiang County, Fujian Province. Although dynasties changed and emperors changed in the following thousand years, Taiwan's ownership of the Chinese minority group never changed. It was the Yuan Dynasty that first controlled the Central Plains. After taking control of the Central Plains area, the Yuan Dynasty needed to march into territories it had never reached before, so in October of the 28th year of the Yuan Dynasty (1291), it sent Yang Xiang, the deputy of the sea fleet, as the Xuanfu envoy. With Wu Zhidou, a member of the Ministry of Rites, and Ruan Jian, a member of the Ministry of War, they led more than 6,000 troops to Taiwan. Due to language barriers and insufficient navigation knowledge, they returned without success. By 1335 AD, the Yuan Dynasty officially established the "Inspection Department" in Penghu. , not high-level, belonging to the ninth rank. "Professional patrol, specializing in capturing", catching criminals, and also conducting salt classes. However, this was the first administrative law enforcement agency dispatched by the central government to the Tai-Peng area. Since then, the central dynasty began to dispatch. In the Yuan Dynasty, there was a traveler named Wang Dayuan. He traveled to many places. During the Zhizheng period, he took a merchant ship to Taiwan and Penghu, and later wrote "Dao Yi Zhi Lue". The book says that Taiwan: "The terrain is dome-shaped, surrounded by trees, and the soil is moist and fertile, suitable for farming. The climate is getting warmer, and the land is produced with sand gold, millet, sulfur, yellow wax, deer and leopards... All overseas countries began here." From people's travel to Taiwan and cross-strait business activities, we can see that there were already many exchanges between Taiwan and the mainland at that time, and they had become complementary economic activities and daily social exchanges. Zheng Chenggong

The maritime ban policy of the Ming Dynasty led to the prevalence of pirates along the southeast coast. In order to protect the coastal areas from pirates, the Ming Dynasty court stationed troops in the ports of Keelung and Tamsui to prevent pirates from using the Taiwan and Penghu areas as a source of harassment. The base on the southeast coast is the first time the central government has stationed troops on the island to protect the coast. Fengshan, Kaohsiung, has a specialty "Sanbao Ginger", which was left behind when Zheng He arrived in Taiwan on his voyage to the West in the Ming Dynasty. This was the first large-scale caravan from the Central Plains to arrive in Taiwan. In order to defend Taiwan, in the following years, there were major military activities such as Zheng Chenggong's recovery of Taiwan and Emperor Kangxi's unification of Taiwan. In 1683, after the Qing government unified Taiwan, it formally established the Taiwan Prefecture in Taiwan itself, which administered the three counties of Taiwan, Fengshan, and Zhuluo. Taiwan Prefecture was under the jurisdiction of Fujian Province, which was later changed to 2 prefectures, 8 counties and 4 departments. The Qing government had established complete governance institutions and systems for effective management of Taiwan. Since the Western colonists invaded eastward, the United States, Japan, France and other powers have successively carried out military provocations in Taiwan, exacerbating China's border territorial crisis. Under this situation, the attitude and method of how the upper echelons of the Qing government governed Taiwan began to change, from "preventing internal aggression as the main priority" to "preventing external invasion as the main priority." Shen Baozhen, who later became the Imperial Envoy, and Ding Richang, the governor of Fujian, and others called Taiwan "the fence of seven provinces," "the key to the North and South Oceans," and "the first gateway to China." They repeatedly emphasized the importance of Taiwan's status. They also submitted many memorials, suggesting the establishment of a province in Taiwan to strengthen official administration, effectively manage the isolated Taiwan-Penghu region overseas, and consolidate coastal defense. The proposal to establish a province in Taiwan became possible due to the border crisis at that time. This suggestion was first put forward by Ding Richang in 1874. In November of the next year, Shen Baozhen proposed to establish a "Governor of Fujian" under the name of the Governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, "stationed in Taiwan in winter and spring, and stationed in Fuzhou in summer and autumn."

In the spring of 1876, the newly appointed governor Ding Richang was unable to stay in Taiwan as scheduled, so he petitioned the imperial court to send another important minister to stay in Taiwan and establish a "Taiwan Governor" instead. In this way, the three-year "winter and spring stationing in Taiwan" was changed to a separate governor in Taiwan. Liu Mingchuan

It was not until June 1884 that the Qing Dynasty sent Liu Mingchuan, the governor of Zhili, with the title of governor to supervise Taiwan's government affairs and defense. No matter what movies and TV shows portray him as, Liu Mingchuan is indeed a accomplished official. Not long after Liu Mingchuan took office, the Sino-French war broke out. On the whole, China, which had not failed militarily, suffered another political defeat. In the face of crisis, it was particularly necessary to strengthen Taiwan's defense. Yang Changjun, the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and Zuo Zongtang, the imperial minister supervising Fujian's military affairs, wrote again in July, demanding "separate governorships" and "provincial divisions" in Fujian and Taiwan. On October 12, the 11th year of Guangxu (1885), Empress Dowager Cixi, who was listening behind the curtain, issued an edict to create a navy. At the same time, she also issued an edict to request Zuo Zongtang's petition. The government affairs in Fujian were concurrently managed by the governor of Fujian and Zhejiang, and the governor of Fujian was changed to As the governor of Taiwan, he officially issued an edict to establish a province in Taiwan. By 1888, the division of Fujian and Taiwan was officially realized, and Taiwan was established as a separate province. The original 2 prefectures, 8 counties, and 4 offices were expanded to 3 prefectures, 11 counties, 4 offices, and 1 Zhili Prefecture. Later, Nanya Office was added. The first governor of Fujian and Taiwan was Liu Mingchuan. It was this governor who opened the door to Taiwan's modern economic development. History has followed the trajectory it should have to the present. After 550 years of ups and downs with the establishment of the "Inspection Department", Taiwan became the 20th province of the Qing Dynasty. The establishment of Taiwan Province's organizational structure was mainly to consolidate the southeastern coastal defense, defend against the invasion of foreign powers, and strengthen military defense; internally, it began the process of modern industrialization, and mining, postal services, transportation, land reclamation, and education were developed one after another. Since then, Taiwanese society has entered a period of large-scale development. It is the historical exchanges between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait that connect the hearts of the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwan and the mainland are inseparable. The sea tells us that so many of the "firsts" of mainland China in Taiwan are not just in terms of time, but also contain the courage of the pioneers, the hardships of the pioneers, and the sacrifices of the strivers; how much Taiwan's contribution to the hinterland of the Central Plains is contained. yearning, how many mainland people care about our Taiwan compatriots. It also tells us that it is during this millennium-long exchange that Chinese culture has permeated Taiwan; in the environment of continuous and lasting Chinese culture, Taiwanese compatriots have also become part of this Chinese culture that surprises the world and is even somewhat incredible. One of the creative groups. Therefore, the relationship between Taiwan and the mainland has profound historical roots and cultural deposits. [2]

Tourist Attractions

Tourist Resources

Its landforms are complex. It is located in the Pacific volcanic and seismic belt. It also has karst landforms and sea erosion landforms, so it has many mountains and rivers. Scenic spots, volcanoes and hot springs. The west coast has gentle beaches and many bathing beaches, while the east coast has steep cliffs and strange rocks. With dense forests and rich animal and plant resources, it is also known as the "Kingdom of Butterflies". In the Qing Dynasty, there was a saying of "Eight Scenic Spots and Twelve Scenic Spots", including: Alishan Cloud Sea, Shuangtan Autumn Moon, Yushan Cumulus Clouds, Qingshui Cliff, Penghu Fishing Fire, Datun Spring Scenery, Lugu Gorge, Anping Sunset and Caoshan Mountain, Xindian, Datun Xi, Wuzhi Mountain, Bagua Mountain, Hutoupi, Shitou Mountain, Taiping Mountain, Dali Tong, Qishan and Wushe. There are rich cultural relics resources, which may be related to the resistance against the Dutch and Japanese invaders, or they may bear witness to the history of the relationship between Taiwan and the mainland. Such as the Red Chian Tower, Anping Castle, Ming Yanping Prince's Temple, Zhannan Palace Lingxiao Hall, Yunlin Beigang Mazu Temple, Taipei and Tainan Confucius Temples, etc. The Gaoshan ethnic group has a population of more than 300,000, and is divided into nine ethnic groups, including Ami, Atayal, Paiwan, Saixia, Bunun, Cao, Rukai, Beinan and Yami. The hair swinging dance and boat carving skills of the Yami people, the counterpoint singing and colorful dances of the Ami people, the embroidery and carving of the Paiwan people, the 'ear-tapping ceremony' and 'adult ceremony' ceremonies of the Bunun people, the Saisiyat people's The "Dwarf Festival" and the dance with jingling bells, the embroidered clothes and sowing festival of the Atayal people, the "Monkey Festival" and the "Hunting Festival" of the Peinan people are all so colorful. In order to develop tourism, some measures have been taken, such as the construction of "Lilliput" in Taoyuan County, which has enriched tourism resources.

Special dishes

Similar to Fujian and Guangdong, but modified to have Taiwanese characteristics: commonly used condiments include sand tea, curry, peanut butter, etc., with a heavier sweetness, and are often stewed in clear soup. There are many varieties of snacks. Taipei Xindian Bixitan Xiangyu, Keelung Douchi Soup, 'Sweet and Not Spicy', Taoyuan Shimen Casserole Fish Head, Taichung Genxiang Original Beef, Hsinchu 'Gong Balls', Chiayi 'Sichen Soup' and Mushroom Shark's Fin Soup, Tainan 'Coffin board' (fried stuffed pasta), Kaohsiung Liuhe night market shellfish and 'Shanhe meat' (mountain rat meat), etc., are all mouth-watering.

Local literature and art

There are praise songs and tea-picking songs in the Fujian-speaking area, and Hakka folk songs in the Cantonese-speaking area, which are more popular. Nanguan, on the other hand, is more elegant. Operas are mostly inherited from Fujian and Guangdong, including Liyuan Opera, Gaojia Opera, Cantonese Opera, Shadow Play, etc. The literature and art of the Gaoshan people are colorful and colorful. [3]

Geography and Humanities

Geographical Location

The Taiwan Strait runs from northeast to southwest, connecting the East China Sea to the north and the South China Sea to the south. It is about 200 nautical miles long and wide. It is about 70 to 221 nautical miles, with an average width of about 108 nautical miles. It is an important maritime traffic thoroughfare and an important international maritime traffic thoroughfare. It borders the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Ryukyu Islands to the northeast, about 600 kilometers apart; it borders the Bashi Strait to the south, about 300 kilometers away from the Philippines; it faces Fujian across the Taiwan Strait to the west, with the narrowest point being 130 kilometers.

Taiwan Island

As Taiwan straddles the center of the Western Pacific Ocean Channel, it is an important transportation hub for maritime connections between countries in the Pacific region. Not only ships traveling between the East China Sea and the South China Sea pass here, but ships from Europe, Africa, South Asia and Oceania to China's eastern coast also pass here. Ships from the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Persian Gulf and Indian Ocean to the Sea of ??Japan generally pass here.

Demographic Statistics

According to relevant statistics in Taiwan, as of August 1998, the population of Taiwan Province was more than 21.81 million. Adding the populations of Kinmen and Matsu, the total number was more than 21.86 million; The annual population growth rate is approximately 7.31%. The population is mainly concentrated in the western plains, with the eastern population accounting for only 4% of the total population. The average population density is 568.83 people per square kilometer. The population density of Taipei City, the political, economic, and cultural center and the largest city, has reached 10,000 people per square kilometer. Among Taiwan residents, the Han people account for about 98% of the total population; ethnic minorities account for 2%, about 380,000 people. According to differences in language and customs, Taiwan's ethnic minorities are divided into nine ethnic groups: Ami, Atayal, Paiwan, Bunun, Beinan, Rukai, Cao, Yami and Saixia, and they live in various parts of the province.

Geomorphological Features

Taiwan Island is mountainous, with mountains and hills accounting for more than two-thirds of the entire area. The Taiwan Mountain System runs parallel to the northeast-southwest direction of Taiwan Island and lies vertically east of the central part of Taiwan Island. It forms the topographic features of the island with mountains in the east, hills in the center, and plains in the west. Taiwan Island has five major mountain ranges, four major plains, and three major basins, namely the Central Mountain Range, Snow Mountain Mountain Range, Yushan Mountain Range, Alishan Mountain Range and Taitung Mountain Range, Yilan Plain, Chianan Plain, Pingtung Plain and Taitung Longitudinal Valley Plain. Taipei Basin, Taichung Basin and Puli Basin. The Central Mountain Range runs from north to south. Yushan Mountain is 3,952 meters above sea level and is the highest peak in eastern my country. Taiwan Island is located in the Pacific Rim Seismic Belt and the Volcanic Belt. The crust is unstable and it is an area prone to earthquakes.

Climate Type

Taiwan’s climate is warm in winter, hot in summer, with abundant rainfall, and there are many typhoons and heavy rains in summer and autumn. Since the Tropic of Cancer passes through the central part of Taiwan Island, the northern part of Taiwan has a subtropical climate and the southern part has a tropical climate. The average annual temperature (except mountains) is 22°C, and the annual precipitation is more than 2,000 mm.

Natural Resources

Although Taiwan produces only a small amount of coal and natural gas as its own energy, and also has few metal minerals, gold, silver, copper, iron, etc. are mainly stored in the northern volcanic rock areas and the Central Mountains. , but Taiwan has abundant water, forest, and fishery resources. Fresh water resources Abundant rainfall has created good conditions for the development of rivers on the island. There are 608 large and small rivers that flow into the sea alone. The water is rapid, there are many waterfalls, and the water resources are extremely rich. Among them, the rivers with a length of more than 100 kilometers include Zhuoshui River (186.4 kilometers), Gaoping River (170.9 kilometers), Tamsui River (158.7 kilometers), Dajia River (140.3 kilometers), Zengwen River (138.5 kilometers), and Wuxi (116.8 kilometers). kilometer). Cultivated land resources Taiwan's agricultural area accounts for about a quarter of the land area. It is rich in rice, with two to three crops a year. The rice quality is good and the yield is high. Sun Moon Lake

The main cash crops are cane sugar and tea. There are more than 90 varieties of vegetables, and the planting area is second only to rice. Taiwan is known as the "Fruit Kingdom" with a wide variety of fruits. The value of flower production is also considerable. Forest resources Taiwan’s forest area accounts for about 52% of the entire territory. Taiping Mountain in Taipei, Baxian Mountain in Taichung, and Alishan in Chiayi are the three famous forest areas, with timber reserves of up to 326 million cubic meters and nearly 4,000 tree species. Among them, Taiwanese fir, red cypress, camphor, nan and other precious woods are world-famous. The camphor tree extract ranks first in the world, and the production of camphor and camphor oil accounts for about 70% of the world's total. Fishery Resources Taiwan is surrounded by the sea, with a total coastline of 1,600 kilometers. Because it is located at the junction of cold and warm currents, Taiwan is rich in fishery resources. The waters along the eastern coast are steep and deep, and the fishing season is endless all year round; the seabed in the western part is an extension of the continental shelf and is relatively flat, with abundant bottom-dwelling fish and shellfish, and offshore fisheries and aquaculture are relatively developed. Distant ocean fisheries are also relatively developed.

Historical evolution

Ancient times ~ 16th century

In ancient times, Taiwan was connected to the mainland. Later, due to crustal movement, the connected parts sank into the sea, forming a strait. , the island of Taiwan appears. King Wu Sun Quan once sent 10,000 officers and soldiers to Taiwan

Most of the early residents of Taiwan immigrated directly or indirectly from mainland China. In 1971 and 1974, the earliest human fossils in Taiwan were discovered twice in Zuozhen Township, Tainan County, and were named "Zuozhen Man". Archaeologists believe that the "Zuozhen Man" came to Taiwan from the mainland 30,000 years ago. Together with the "Qingliu Man" and "Dongshan Man" discovered by archeology in Fujian, they belong to the late Homo sapiens in the southern region of the Paleolithic Age in China. They have * They all have different origins and have inherited some characteristics of Homo erectus in China. Among the early residents of Taiwan, there were also a small number of dwarf blacks belonging to the Negrito race and the Langqiao people of the Ryukyu race. The above-mentioned early residents of Taiwan are the ancestors of today’s ethnic minorities in Taiwan. Taiwan's recorded history can be traced back to 230 AD. At that time, Sun Quan, King of Wu of the Three Kingdoms, sent 10,000 officers and soldiers to "Yizhou" (Taiwan). Wu Shen Ying's "Linhai Land Chronicle" left the earliest record of Taiwan in the world.

During the Sui and Tang Dynasties (589-618 AD), Taiwan was called "Liuqiu". The Sui Dynasty visited Taiwan three times. According to historical records, in 610 (the sixth year of Sui Dynasty), Han people began to immigrate to the Penghu area. By the Song and Yuan Dynasties (AD 960-1368), there were already a considerable number of Han people in the Penghu area. After the Han people opened up Penghu, they began to develop into Taiwan and brought with them the advanced production technology of the time. In the middle of the 12th century AD, the Song Dynasty placed Penghu under the jurisdiction of Jinjiang County, Quanzhou, Fujian, and sent troops to guard it. The Yuan Dynasty also sent troops to Taiwan. The governments of the Yuan and Ming dynasties established an inspection department in Penghu, responsible for patrolling, detecting criminals, and also conducting salt classes. In the late Ming Dynasty, the scale of development became larger and larger. During the years of war and famine, the Fujian authorities of the Ming Dynasty government and the Zheng Zhilong Group once organized immigrants to Taiwan.

The Dutch Colonial Period

In the 16th century, Western colonial forces such as Spain and the Netherlands developed rapidly and began to extend their tentacles to the East. At the beginning of the 17th century, the Dutch colonist Zheng Chenggong recovered Taiwan

Taking advantage of the peasant uprising in the late Ming Dynasty and the growing power of the Manchus in the Northeast, when the Ming government was in a difficult situation, he invaded Taiwan. Soon, the Spanish invaded and occupied some areas in the north and east of Taiwan. They were driven out by the Dutch in 1642, and Taiwan became a Dutch colony. The Dutch colonists implemented coercive rule, taking the land as their own, forcing the people to pay various taxes, plundering Taiwan's rice and sugar, and re-exporting the Chinese raw silk, sugar and porcelain they acquired through Taiwan to other countries, making high profits. The rule of the Dutch colonialists aroused the resistance of the Taiwanese people. In September 1652, peasant leader Guo Huaiyi led a large-scale armed uprising. Although this armed uprising was suppressed, it showed that the Dutch colonial rule was in crisis.

The Zheng family period

In 1644, the Qing army entered the customs and established the Qing Dynasty regime in Beijing. In April 1661, Zheng Chenggong led 25,000 soldiers and hundreds of warships to march from Kinmen to Taiwan in the name of recruiting generals from the Southern Ming Dynasty. When Zheng Chenggong entered Taiwan, he told the Dutch colonists that Taiwan "has always belonged to China" and that "the residents of the two islands of Taiwan and Penghu are all Chinese, and they have occupied and cultivated this land since ancient times." The Netherlands "should It was restored to its original owner." After fierce fighting and siege, in February 1662, Zheng Chenggong forced the Dutch Governor Ku Yi to sign a surrender. Zheng Chenggong regained the Chinese territory of Taiwan from the Dutch colonists and became a great national hero, respected by the majority of the people.

During the rule of the Qing government

In 1684, the Qing government set up the Taiwan-Xiamen Military Preparatory Road and Taiwan Prefecture, which were affiliated to Fujian Province. By 1811, Taiwan's population had reached 1.9 million, most of whom were immigrants from Fujian and Guangdong. A large number of immigrants reclaimed wasteland, turning Taiwan into an emerging agricultural region. They provided a large amount of rice and cane sugar to the mainland, as well as daily consumer goods and building materials imported from the mainland, which enabled Taiwan's economy to develop to a considerable extent. During this period, Taiwan had very close contacts with Fujian and Guangdong, and Chinese culture was introduced to Taiwan more comprehensively. As Western powers invaded China's borders, China experienced a border crisis. During the Sino-French War of 1884-1885, the French army attacked Taiwan and was severely damaged by Liu Mingchuan's army. By the signing of the "Sino-French New Treaty" in June 1885, the French army was forced to withdraw from Taiwan. After the Sino-French War, in order to strengthen coastal defense, the Qing government classified Taiwan as a single province in 1885, making Taiwan the 20th province of China.

Japanese rule

In 1894, Japan launched the Sino-Japanese War of 1894. The Qing government was defeated the following year and was forced to sign the humiliating Treaty of Shimonoseki on April 17, ceding Taiwan to Japan. . After the news came out, the whole country was indignant and opposed the cessation of Taiwan; the whole province of Taiwan "wept loudly" and went on strike. Liu Yongfu, the general of the Qing army who assisted in Taiwan's military affairs, led the army and the people to resist the Japanese occupation. They persisted in the battle for more than five months and went through more than a hundred battles. The Japanese invaders paid a heavy price, but they were ultimately defeated. From then on, Taiwan became a Japanese colony for 50 years. The people of Taiwan have never surrendered to Japanese colonial rule. In the early days of the Japanese occupation, the anti-Japanese armed forces, with farmers as the main body, waged a 20-year struggle. Later, the Cultural Association, the People's Party, the Communist Party, etc. also organized and led the national resistance movement against Japanese colonial rule. Celebrating the liberation of Taiwan

In July 1937, Japan caused the "July 7th Incident", and the Chinese people began the nation's anti-Japanese war. During the Anti-Japanese War, many Taiwan compatriots returned to the motherland to participate in the Anti-Japanese War and contributed to the victory of the Anti-Japanese War and the recovery of Taiwan. After the outbreak of the Pacific War in December 1941, the Chinese government issued the "China's Declaration of War against Japan" on December 9, clearly announcing to China and foreign countries: "All treaties, agreements, and contracts involving relations between China and Japan will be abolished. ."

Return of sovereignty

In August 1945, Japan was defeated in World War II and announced its unconditional surrender on August 15. After eight years of heroic anti-Japanese war, the Chinese people finally regained Taiwan. Taiwan compatriots celebrated their return to the motherland with great joy. On October 25, the surrender ceremony of Taiwan Province in the Allied China Theater was held in Taipei. The surrender officer announced on behalf of the Chinese government: From now on, Taiwan and the Penghu Islands have officially reentered the territory of China, and all land, people, and political affairs have been placed under control. under Chinese sovereignty.

At this point, Taiwan and Penghu returned to China's sovereign jurisdiction.