Maritime Frontiers, Territorial Expansion and Haifang 97
routes in the southeast would have been obstructed. Then how
could Quanzhou have remained at peace?^144After their encounters with the Dutch in Zhongzuosuo (Amoy) and
Penghu during the 1620s, the Fujian governor, Nan Juyi, received
suggestions that some one thousand troops be sent to garrison Penghu,
which was then considered the frontline for the defense of Fujian against
the Dutch, and that a dozen or so large-sized war junks be built, each
equipped with a dozen or more cannon.^145 By that time, the method of
casting the “Red-haired barbarian cannon” had become widely known
and the βiring of the folangji (here referring to cannon) has also become
a common skill.^146
In the early eighteenth century, the threatening maritime situation
continued to loom large in the minds of Chinese observers. Lan Dingyuan
again showed his rare insight into the danger. Commenting on Western
nations inclu ding England, Spain, Portugal, France and Holland, he said
their ships were solidly built and feared no great storms at sea, their
cannon and weaponry were better than those in China and they were
extremely βierce people, violent, treacherous and unpredictable. They all
cast covetous eyes at other countries, that was why, among the “island
barbarians” in the world, the “Red-haired barbarians”, the “barbarians
in the Western Ocean” and Japan would cause China the most trouble.
He mentioned Batavia, that had previously belonged to the Malays. It
had traded with the Dutch and was later occupied by them. The Spanish
had also occupied Luzon, while Japan had been a thorn in the side since
Ming times.^147 In the wake of these external threats, Lan saw Taiwan as a
bastion against foreign intrusions. He said,
Taiwan, located beyond the seas, is a natural defensive barrier
(haiwai tianqian) and a place toward which Japan and Holland
had cast their covetous eyes. It takes only little more than ten
days to reach Guandong (Liaodong). It is in as close proximity
[to the mainland], as lips are to teeth. One should not treat it as a
faraway deserted island. Even though peace is prevalent, military
preparations should not be neglected.^148- Shen Yourong, Minhai zengyan, TWWXCK, no. 56, pp. 34–5.
- TXJGLBS, 26: 29a–32a.
- Dong Yingju, CXJXL, in TWWXCK, no. 237, p. 119.
- XFHZYDCC, 10: 502a–b.
- Lan Dingyuan, Pingtai jilüe, in TWWXCK, no. 14, p. 41.