82 Boundaries and Beyond
In 1622, the Dutch retreated from Amoy and occupied Penghu but
Brigade-General Yu Zigao managed to lure the Dutch away to Taiwan,
thereby restoring Penghu to Ming control. After the expulsion of the
Dutch from the islands, a writer named Shen Tie observed that, despite
their isolated location, these islands were the gateway to the Quan-
Zhang prefectures. For this reason, he proposed a permanent military
deployment of two thousand troops equipped with large vessels, guns
and cannon and under the command of a major. He even argued that
Penghu was ten times more important than Nan’ao as a strategic location,
and the model of Nan’ao should be the blueprint to be followed to
develop Penghu into an important garrison location.^98 Yu and Shen both
thought that maritime colonization and expansion should be determined
by the factors of strategic requirements and naval capability. Indeed, the
defense perimeters were extended to Penghu as a result of the alarming
situation in offshore waters. Confronted by Dutch nava l prowess, the
Chinese found it expedient to keep them as far away as their own naval
capability allowed. This point was the farthest to which the late Ming
authorities expanded their maritime defense perimeters. They had not
cast their sights as far as Taiwan and this vision explains their tolerance
of the Dutch presence there, but not in the Penghu Archipelago.
After the paciβication of Taiwan, the Qing continued to value Penghu’s
strategic position, as the islands would be needed as a stepping-stone
should it become necessary to direct offensives against Taiwan.^99
Hainan. Dan’er and Zhuyai prefectures were established in Hainan in
110 ćĈ, during the reign of Emperor Wu of the Han, but abandoned in
46 ćĈ when the sea routes were severed.^100 Around Ćĉ 43, when General
Ma Yuan reconquered Jiaozhi, Zhuyai prefecture was reinstated. The Sui-
Tang eras witnessed expansion and consolidation around the coastal belt
of the island.^101 During the Sui, Yai prefecture consisted of ten districts. By
the early seventh century, four prefectures, namely, Qiongzhou, Danzhou,
Wan’anzhou and Zhenzhou (later changed to Yaizhou), were formed on
the four shores of the island, encircling the central part inhabited by
the Li people.^102 In the early Qing, Qiongzhou prefecture consisted of 13
departments and districts.
- Penghu tingzhi 澎湖廳志, comp. Lin Hao 林豪 編撰, in TWWXCK, no. 164,
pp. 407–8. - Yu Yonghe, Pihai jiyou, in TWWXCK, no. 44, p. 32.
- LWDD, 1: 18a.
- YMXSJL, 3: 35a–36a.
- LWDD, 1: 18a.
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