Centered on Taiwan, this sweeping history follows the island from the Ming Zheng era onward, spanning several regimes, connecting the people on both sides of the strait, and weathering generations of change. It focuses on the interplay between individual destinies and the tides of history, depicting the hardships faced by pioneers from every social class, the strategies of rulers, the joys and sorrows of ordinary people, and the unbreakable historical and cultural ties between Taiwan and mainland China.
Key historical sources:
The Veritable Records of the Former King, also known as The Record of the Expedition: Written by Yang Ying, an official in charge of revenue under Zheng Chenggong, it is the most important firsthand source for studying the era of Zheng Chenggong.
2. Modern and contemporary academic works:
Cao Yonghe: Studies in the Early History of Taiwan
Yang Yanjie: The History of Taiwan under Dutch Rule
Chen Kongli: An Outline of Taiwan History
The Veritable Records of the Qing Dynasty, relevant entries from the reigns of the Kangxi, Yongzheng, Qianlong, and Guangxu emperors
The Taiwan Case Records series
Provincial Regulations of Fujian, sections concerning Taiwan Prefecture
The Course of the French Invasion of Taiwan
The Taiwan Governor-General's Office Official Document Collection, especially files concerning the military, police, and Indigenous affairs
Japanese Diplomatic Documents, concerning the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Yiwei War, and international reactions
Taiwan Resistance War Archives, held by the Second Historical Archives of China
Kondo Masami: Total War and Taiwan: A Study of the Collapse of Japanese Colonial Rule, translated into Chinese as Total War and Taiwan
Deng Xiangyang: The Scarlet Cherry Blossoms in the Wind: The Truth about the Wushe Incident and the Story of Hanoka Hatsuko
Xu Peixian: Modern Schools in Colonial Taiwan
Edited by Wei Yongzhu and Li Xuanfeng: A Collection of Historical Materials on the Yiwei Resistance against Japan
The changes in Taiwan's history are truly difficult to put into words. Let us begin with Zheng Chenggong's recovery of Taiwan. Perhaps every chapter will bring those who study history a wealth of memories. The Chinese people will never forget!
