A General History of Taiwan (2 Volumes) cover

A General History of Taiwan (2 Volumes)

Rating 4.4
Word count
487K words
Chapters
244
ISBN
9787100152655

Tags

Summary

Taiwan Tongshi (A General History of Taiwan) is the representative work of Lian Heng, a renowned Taiwanese historian and grandfather of Lien Chan. Drawing on decades of effort, the author collected Chinese and foreign documents, archives, and oral traditions concerning Taiwan and wrote this book modeled on the biographical style of Sima Qian's Records of the Grand Historian. The work spans from the Sui dynasty to the late Qing, ending with Japan's occupation of Taiwan, and covers Taiwan's politics, military, economy, products, customs, and figures. It pays particular attention to the mainland people's opening up of Taiwan and the Taiwanese people's resistance against the imperialist invasions of the Dutch, British, French, and Japanese. Reading the book, one can readily see Mr. Lian Heng's patriotic devotion.

Editor's review

Written by Lian Heng through private effort and modeled on the biographical annals of the Records of the Grand Historian, this general history is an indispensable classic for understanding Taiwan's past. Spanning from the Sui and Tang to the cession of Taiwan in the late Qing, it fits political evolution, military campaigns, economy and products, customs and figures into a complete framework, with particular attention to the mainland pioneers who opened up Taiwan and the Taiwanese people's resistance to Dutch, British, French, and Japanese invaders—between the lines one feels the author's love of homeland. This Commercial Press edition in two volumes is convenient for desk reference. It is both historical source material and a history with a pulse, conveying a traditional scholar's deep feeling for his native land. Suitable for readers interested in Taiwan's history who are willing to settle into classical Chinese historical writing. Reading it alongside modern scholarly studies is recommended: you can appreciate the original standpoint while supplementing it with new research, avoiding the mistake of taking one man's account as the whole conclusion.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • History enthusiasts seeking a systematic understanding of Taiwan's historical development
  • Literary and historical researchers and editors who need to consult sources on Taiwan from ancient times to the late Qing
  • Readers comfortable with classical Chinese biographical narrative who are willing to read slowly and closely
  • Readers concerned with cross-strait historical ties and patriotic historiography

Not a good fit for

  • Beginners accustomed to fast-paced popular narrative who are intimidated by classical Chinese
  • Readers looking only for analysis of contemporary Taiwan social issues
  • Readers hoping for abundant charts, data, and recent archaeological discoveries

Reading tips

  1. Read the preface and table of contents first to grasp the biographical structure, then read the biographical and political sections according to interest.
  2. Keep a reference book or chronology at hand to look up classical place names and official titles, reducing reading friction.
  3. Read the two volumes in stages, making brief notes after each period to trace the development of Taiwan.
  4. Read alongside modern studies of Taiwan history to compare source selection and narrative standpoint.

About the publisher

The Commercial Press China · Founded in 1897

The Commercial Press is a publisher known for classic works and academic publishing, with titles spanning Eastern philosophy, foreign literature, world history, social culture, and applied psychology. Its list includes classical commentaries such as Zhu Xi's Collected Commentaries on the Analects and Wang Bi's Commentary on the Zhouyi, as well as modern annotated translations like Zhuangzi with Modern Notes and Translation. In foreign literature it offers War and Peace and Crime and Punishment, while in world history it carries Braudel's The Mediterranean and the Mediterranean World in the Age of Philip II. Applied psychology is represented by Irvin D. Yalom's Existential Psychotherapy, and ethical texts include a Greek-Chinese-English edition of the Nicomachean Ethics. Its authors and translators include Zhu Xi, Wang Bi, Yalom, Braudel, and translators such as Huang Zheng, Zhang Yiling, Shen Dongyu, and Tang Jialong, balancing the editing of original texts with academic translation.

Contents

  1. 版权信息
  2. 徐炳昶先生序
  3. 徐仲可先生序
  4. 林南强先生序
  5. 自序
  6. 凡例
  7. 卷一 开辟纪(起隋大业元年终于明永历十五年)
  8. 卷二 建国纪(起明永历十五年终于三十七年)
  9. 延平郡王世系表
  10. 卷三 经营纪(起清康熙二十二年终于光绪二十年)
  11. 卷四 独立纪(起清光绪二十一年终于是年九月)
  12. 卷五 疆域志
  13. 安平县
  14. 嘉义县
  15. 凤山县
  16. 恒春县
  17. 澎湖厅
  18. 淡水县
  19. 新竹县
  20. 宜兰县
  21. 基隆厅
  22. 南雅厅
  23. 台湾县
  24. 彰化县
  25. 云林县
  26. 苗栗县
  27. 埔里社厅
  28. 台东州
  29. 坊里
  30. 卷六 职官志
  31. 郑氏中央职官表
  32. 郑氏台湾职官表
  33. 清代职官表
  34. 民主国职官表
  35. 卷七 户役志
  36. 卷八 田赋志
  37. 官庄
  38. 隆恩
  39. 抄封
  40. 番租
  41. 屯租
  42. 隘租
  43. 卷九 度支志
  44. 卷十 典礼志
  45. 庆贺
  46. 接诏
  47. 迎春
  48. 藉田
  49. 祭社
  50. 释菜
  51. 祭纛
  52. 大操
  53. 旌表
  54. 乡饮
  55. 祀典
  56. 嘉义县
  57. 凤山县
  58. 恒春县
  59. 澎湖厅
  60. 台北府(附郭淡水)
  61. 新竹县
  62. 宜兰县
  63. 南雅厅
  64. 台湾府(附郭台湾)
  65. 彰化县
  66. 云林县
  67. 苗栗县
  68. 台东直隶州
  69. 卷十一 教育志
  70. 台湾儒学表
  71. 台湾书院表
  72. 卷十二 刑法志
  73. 卷十三 军备志
  74. 郑氏武官表
  75. 郑氏各将军表
  76. 郑氏陆军各镇表
  77. 郑氏水师各镇表
  78. 郑氏台湾及各岛守将表
  79. 清代台湾水陆营制表
  80. 清代台湾水陆汛防表
  81. 台东勇营驻防表
  82. 屯丁
  83. 隘勇
  84. 凤山县辖隘藔沿革表
  85. 淡水厅辖隘藔沿革表
  86. 噶玛兰厅辖隘藔沿革表
  87. 乡勇
  88. 师船
  89. 炮台
  90. 郑氏澎湖炮台表
  91. 清代台湾炮台表
  92. 卷十四 外交志
  93. 日本聘问
  94. 吕宋经略
  95. 英人之役
  96. 美船之役
  97. 牡丹之役
  98. 法军之役
  99. 卷十五 抚垦志
  100. 郑氏各镇屯田表
  101. 台湾抚垦局管辖表
  102. 台湾抚垦局局制表
  103. 卷十六 城池志
  104. 衙署
  105. 局所
  106. 卷十七 关征志
  107. 郑氏征收杂税表
  108. 卷十八 榷卖志
  109. 盐
  110. 硫磺
  111. 煤
  112. 煤油
  113. 樟脑
  114. 沙金
  115. 阿片厘金
  116. 卷十九 邮传志
  117. 陆运
  118. 前山道里表
  119. 后山道里表
  120. 前山至后山道里表一
  121. 前山至后山道里表二
  122. 前山至后山道里表三
  123. 前山至后山道里表四
  124. 中路道里表
  125. 航运
  126. 邮电
  127. 灯台
  128. 卷二十 粮运志
  129. 仓储
  130. 台湾官仓表
  131. 台湾社仓表
  132. 台湾番社仓表
  133. 卷二十一 乡治志
  134. 台湾善堂表
  135. 台湾义冢表
  136. 卷二十二 宗教志
  137. 神教
  138. 道教
  139. 佛教
  140. 景教
  141. 回教
  142. 卷二十三 风俗志
  143. 岁时
  144. 宫室
  145. 衣服
  146. 饮食
  147. 冠婚
  148. 丧祭
  149. 演剧
  150. 歌谣
  151. 卷二十四 艺文志
  152. 表一
  153. 表二
  154. 表三
  155. 卷二十五 商务志
  156. 各国立约通商表
  157. 卷二十六 工艺志
  158. 纺织
  159. 刺绣
  160. 雕刻
  161. 绘画
  162. 铸造
  163. 陶制
  164. 煅灰
  165. 烧焿
  166. 竹工
  167. 皮工
  168. 卷二十七 农业志
  169. 台湾各属陂圳表
  170. 卷二十八 虞衡志
  171. 卷二十九 列传一
  172. 颜思齐、郑芝龙
  173. 宁靖王
  174. 诸臣
  175. 诸老
  176. 陈永华
  177. 林圯、林凤
  178. 刘国轩
  179. 卷三十 列传二
  180. 施琅
  181. 吴球、刘却
  182. 朱一贵
  183. 欧阳凯
  184. 蓝廷珍
  185. 杨文魁、殷化行、阮蔡文、王郡
  186. 卷三十一 列传三
  187. 王世杰
  188. 吴凤
  189. 施世榜、杨志申、吴洛、张振万
  190. 林成祖、胡焯猷、张必荣、郭元汾
  191. 台东拓殖
  192. 吴福生、黄教
  193. 林爽文
  194. 孙景燧
  195. 福康安
  196. 杨廷理
  197. 郑其仁、李安善
  198. 陈周全、高夔
  199. 卷三十二 列传四
  200. 海寇
  201. 王得禄
  202. 谢金銮、郑兼才
  203. 吴沙
  204. 姜秀銮、周邦正
  205. 许尚、杨良斌
  206. 姚莹、徐宗幹
  207. 张丙
  208. 方振声
  209. 李石、林恭
  210. 郑勒先
  211. 郭光侯、施九缎
  212. 卷三十三 列传五
  213. 戴潮春
  214. 林文察
  215. 丁曰健
  216. 林奠国
  217. 林占梅
  218. 罗冠英、陈澄清
  219. 沈葆桢
  220. 袁闻柝
  221. 刘铭传
  222. 刘璈
  223. 林平侯
  224. 卷三十四 列传六
  225. (一)循吏
  226. (二)流寓
  227. (三)乡贤
  228. (四)文苑
  229. 卷三十五 列传七
  230. (一)孝义
  231. (二)勇士
  232. (三)货殖
  233. (四)列女
  234. 卷三十六 列传八
  235. 邱逢甲
  236. 吴汤兴、徐骧、姜绍祖、林昆冈
  237. 吴彭年
  238. 唐景崧、刘永福
  239. 后序
  240. 连雅堂先生家传
  241. 连横先生学术年表
  242. 连横与《台湾通史》
  243. 一
  244. 二

FAQ

Is this book written in classical Chinese? Will it be hard to read?
A General History of Taiwan uses a biographical classical style modeled on the Records of the Grand Historian. The syntax is plainer than that of pre-Qin texts, but some grounding in classical Chinese is still needed. General readers can start with the table of contents and preface, then sample the biographical sections, gradually adapting with the help of chronologies and reference books. If you have no experience with classical Chinese at all, it is best to read an introductory vernacular history of Taiwan first, then return to the original.
What time period does the book cover?
According to available information, the book begins with the Sui dynasty and ends with Japan's occupation of Taiwan in the late Qing, covering politics, military, economy, products, customs, and figures, with particular attention to the mainland people's opening up of Taiwan and the Taiwanese people's resistance against Dutch, British, French, and Japanese invaders.
In what order should the two volumes be read?
Reading through in the original order is recommended to build a chronological framework first. If time is limited, start with the chapters on Taiwan's development and resistance to invaders, then go back to the sections on customs and products. There is no need to finish both volumes at once; proceed in stages and take notes to avoid giving up midway through the dense classical narrative.

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About the author

Lian Heng Author · Chinese · 1878–1936

Lian Heng (1878–1936), courtesy name Yatang and style name Jianhua, was a modern Chinese historian and poet. His ancestral home was Longxi in Zhangzhou, Fujian, and he was born in Tainan, Taiwan. Over ten years he completed The General History of Taiwan, the first comprehensive history of Taiwan, for which he has been called the Grand Historian of Taiwan. His other works include A Dictionary of the Taiwanese Language and Taiwan Poetry Collections, spanning history, poetry, and language studies. His writing is noted for solid use of historical sources and rigorous structure, and his work was pioneering in the writing and preservation of Taiwan's history. Twenty-three of his works are held in this collection, mostly different editions and volumes of The General History of Taiwan, along with history, classical poetry, and literary appreciation, showing how his writings have been read and transmitted.

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