Taiwan's Imagined Geography : Chinese Colonial Travel Writing and Pictures, 1683-1895

Until 300 years ago, the Chinese considered Taiwan a 'land beyond the seas', a 'ball of mud' inhabited by 'naked and tattooed savages'. The incorporation of this island into the Qing Empire in the 17th Century and its evolution into a province by the late 19th Century involved not only a reconsideration of imperial geography but also a reconceptualisation of the Chinese domain. By viewing Taiwan-China relations as a product of the history of Qing expansionism, the author contributes to our understanding of current political events in the region.