Taiwan: Island at the Crossroads
Evan Dawley
Goucher College
Baltimore, MD

Session 1: Taiwan’s History to 1945



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Questions about Accounts of Aborigines:
1)What aspects of aborigine life do the authors focus on?
2)How do they describe these characteristics? What words do they use?
3)What is their general opinion of aborigine life, culture, and society?
4)Why do the different authors hold their views of the aborigines?
5)How do the different accounts compare to each other? Are they similar or different? Why?




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Images from Encyclopedia of China’s Peoples, presented to Qianlong Emperor, 1770s











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Map of China, Ming Dynasty


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Map of Taiwan, 18th Century


Map of Taiwan, Late 19th Century



Itō Hirobumi to Wu Tingfang, after first attempt at peace talks failed (February 1895):
“As soon as you return home, convey to Viceroy Li [Hongzhang] this message…that our refusal to
continue negotiations with these particular Chinese envoys is not prompted by any love of war or
distaste for peace…we are therefore fully prepared to resume negotiations whenever China becomes
sincerely desirous of peace and appoints properly qualified plenipotentiaries. China remains the
repository of many old customs and traditions, and the Peking government frequently seems unable to
observe the universal practices of international intercourse. Nevertheless, on this particular
issue we insist that China act in accordance with the prevailing rules of international law.”

Summary of Comments made by Li Hongzhang during Talks at Shimonoseki (March 1895):
“At least, he declared, the current war had had two beneficial consequences. First, Japan’s
remarkable success in the utilization of European-style military organizations had given the world
practical proof that the yellow races were in no way inferior to the white man. And second, the war
had fortunately awakened China from her long slumber. By encouraging China to rouse herself, Japan
made made a great contribution to China’s future progress. Hence, while many in China hated Japan
bitterly, Li felt there was much for which Japan should be thanked. He reiterated that Japan and
China were the two great powers of Asia; and as Japan was second to none of the powers in her
knowledge and ability, while China possessed inexhaustible natural resources, he insisted that the
two would find it easy to oppose the Western powers if only they joined hands together in common
cause.”

Commentary on Li’s Remarks by Mutsu Munemitsu:
“These words were little more than the daily fare we have now come to expect from Asian statesmen,
but it was still interesting to see how he attempted to win our sympathy by his long and fluent
discourse, and to watch how he tried to conceal the humiliating position in which China’s defeat
had placed him by offering amicable analyses of the world situation. It made the old rogue a bit
lovable and showed that we was truly worthy of his rank as the greatest man of his era in China.”




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