86 Boundaries and Beyond
prefectures on the mainland and became involved in attacks on Zhang-
Quan during the Three Feudatories Rebellion. These events led to the
Kangxi emperor’s decision to resolve the problem once and for all. The
emperor decreed that the maritime territories would never achieve
a state of peace and tranquility until the rebels in the island had been
paciβied. While court ofβicials hesitated, uncertain about the feasibility of
launching an attack by sea as they were anxious about the island’s distant
location and the natural threat posed by winds and storms, the Kangxi
Emperor accepted the recommendation for prompt action.^118
The military campaign was a success and Taiwan was captured in 1683.
The Qing government established its prefecture-district administration
in the conquered territory, an arrangement that was facilitated by the
presence of Chinese settlements on the west coast that had been there
for some time and the earlier activities of the Zheng regime. An ofβicial
during the later Qianlong Reign (r. 1736‒95) viewed the administration
of a remote island as unprecedented.^119 In fact, the Kangxi emperor was
initially uncertain about the merits of retaining what he perceived as an
island “beyond the seas”. He once commented,
Taiwan is located overseas and is unimportant to the country
[of China].... It was only because it caused great disruption and
hence the coastal people had not been able to enjoy peace that
the court decided to send an expeditionary force to suppress it.
Even if Taiwan had not submitted itself, it would not have been
detrimental to the governance of the country.^120The emperor’s hesitant attitude toward the future of Taiwan elicited a
lengthy comment from Admiral Shi Lang, who was responsible for the
conquest of the island. He submitted a memorial in which he strongly
urged retention of the island. He said:
For more than sixty years, the place has aroused enormous
imperial attention and concern.... I have personally inspected the
place.... It is indeed a fertile and strategic land.... It is Heaven that
grants this unexplored land to this country for the protection of
Your Majesty’s southeast coast and as a result it will permanently
terminate the trouble on the maritime frontier.- Qingdai guanshu ji ming taiwan zheng shi wang shi 清代官書記明台灣鄭氏亡事,
in TWWXCK, no. 174, pp. 34–5. - Zhu Jingying 朱景英, Haidong zhaji 海東札記, in TWWXCK, no. 19, p. 1. Zhu was
appointed Taiwan maritime subprefecture in 1769. - Qing Shilu: Shengzu/Kangxi chao 清實錄：聖祖朝 [Veritable records of the Qing
Dynasty: Shengzu/Kangxi Reign], juan 112, in TWWXCK, no. 165, p. 130.
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