Dongcha Jilue is a five-volume collection of notes written by the Qing scholar Yao Ying during his tenure in Taiwan. Yao Ying, courtesy name Shifu and literary name Mingshu, was a leading figure of the Tongcheng School. He served as deputy commissioner for Taiwan’s coastal defenses, magistrate of Gamalan, and acting administrator of Taiwan, giving him firsthand experience of the island’s administration and society. This book brings together his observations and reflections from thirteen years in office, covering changes to institutions, local governance, social customs, and historical events.
The first several volumes describe the establishment and institutions of the Gamalan region, including the administration of Indigenous communities, the selection of interpreters, regulations governing tenant farming, and methods of tax collection. Yao also lays out key principles of governance, showing his efforts to use institutions to ease tensions between Han Chinese and Indigenous people. The fourth volume collects his memorials and correspondence on Taiwan’s administration, military service, and defense. His writing criticizes long-standing abuses in local government and proposes reforms to military and civil administration. The fifth volume gives a detailed account of the Chen Zhouquan Rebellion in the sixtieth year of the Qianlong reign, from its causes and course to its suppression. It recounts events while also reflecting on them, bringing to light tensions within Taiwanese society and problems with its institutions.
Dongcha Jilue is both a record of government affairs and an account of society. It offers detailed descriptions of the terrain, local customs, and the lives of Indigenous communities, in plain, practical language. It is a valuable source for later generations studying society and governance in Qing-era Taiwan, while also reflecting the sense of responsibility and depth of thought of a Tongcheng School scholar serving on the frontier.
