臺灣的故事 Taiwan Story

Taiwan

What you see here is a new history of Taiwan—one that draws from the latest currents in academic research while moving beyond the conventional framework of dynastic succession. It traces a narrative shaped not by rulers alone, but by the rhythms of the ocean, the contours of the island, and the movement of peoples. Indigenous cultures and everyday life, colonial ambition and modern transformation, the upheaval of successive wars, and the long arc toward democracy are all woven into a single, fluid tapestry. The result is a history rich in intersecting communities, entangled human and natural worlds, and enduring ties between Taiwan and the wider globe.

Story

Introduction

For a long time, the telling of Taiwan’s history has been steeped in sorrow and struggle. But the people of this island have also dared greatly—pursuing dreams, standing up in defiance, and holding fast to hope. There have been moments of laughter, of courage, of possibility. On March 23, 1996, for instance, as Taiwan held its first-ever direct presidential election, many may have felt, in their hearts, that they were not just casting a vote—they were making history……

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The Ocean, the Island, and the First Peoples

Where should the story of Taiwan begin? Where does the story of Taiwan begin? Perhaps with the birth of the ocean, the rise of the island, and the arrival of its earliest peoples. Every stage reveals the resilience and ingenuity of those who have lived here—adapting to their environment and developing new technologies. Through archaeological discoveries, we are able to reconstruct the ways early inhabitants lived, how their societies were organized, and what they believed in. These findings also invite us to reflect on the connections between those ancient cultures and the Indigenous peoples of Taiwan today.

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Many Realities of the Island (Before the 17th Century)

The history shaped by written records and the Indigenous traditions rooted in lived experience belong to different ways of seeing the world. Long before outsiders arrived, how did the island’s original inhabitants make sense of their surroundings? From legends passed down through generations, to the interplay of oral traditions and early texts, and the faint traces preserved in historical records—what does Taiwan look like through Indigenous eyes?

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An Age of Maritime Rivalries (17th Century)

The 17th century marked the arrival of European powers in Asia—and with it Taiwan’s entry into the early currents of global trade. But long before the Europeans set sail for these shores, the waters of Asia were already alive with local powers and thriving maritime activity. Merchants and pirates, fishermen and migrants—all became part of an intricate network that grew with European involvement. Together, they opened a new chapter in Taiwan’s history—one shaped by encounters, exchanges, and contest over the sea.

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The Great Crossing (18th Century)

At the end of the 17th century, the Qing Empire began its rule over Taiwan. In doing so, it drew a boundary known as the fanjie (番界), or the "barbarian border"—dividing the island into two worlds: one governed, one left beyond. As waves of Han settlers pushed steadily inward, Indigenous communities saw their lands encroached upon and their ways of life disrupted. The official policy was meant to separate, but life rarely stayed within borders. Those who crossed the line—settlers, traders, interpreters, and go-betweens—wove together Taiwan’s fragmented spaces. How did they reshape the island’s identity?

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Old Empires, New Empires (1860–1900)

In the 19th century, the waves of the Industrial Revolution swept across the globe. European imperialism reached its height, shaking the foundations of existing political and economic systems in East Asian waters. Taiwan, too, was drawn into the currents of global change. Ports were opened, treaties signed, and foreign powers arrived one after another, each seeking a foothold. As new empires displaced the old, what transformations did they bring to this island, and how did Taiwan navigate the shifting tides of imperial ambition?

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The Shock of Colonial Modernity (1900–1930)

In 1895, Taiwan was transformed from a remote frontier of the Qing Empire into Japan’s first overseas colony. The new rulers brought with them electricity, railroads, and the machinery of modern governance, fueling economic development while unsettling local ways of life. Under imperial rule, Taiwanese society began to experience both the promises and the contradictions of modern life. As cities grew and industries rose, so too did questions—unspoken or urgent—about culture, belonging, and identity in a rapidly changing world: Who were they, in a world remade by empire?

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An Age of Unending Wars (1930-1950)

The 1940s cast a long shadow over Asia, as war swept across the region—World War II, the Chinese Civil War, the Korean War, and the beginnings of the Vietnam conflict. For many nations, 1945 marked the "end of the war" and the beginning of the "post-war" era. However, for East Asian countries, the flames of conflict never truly subsided. One conflict bled into the next, reshaping the region’s power structures and redrawing its political map. How did this cascade of wars reshape Asia’s postwar order—and what did it mean for Taiwan, caught in the shifting winds of empire and revolution?

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Between Imagination and Reality (1950-1980)

Amid the global tensions of the Cold War, Taiwan's rulers raised the banner of anti-communism, mobilizing the people to resist external enemies and internal insurgents. For a time, many lived for the dream of "retaking the mainland"—an imagined future that shaped everyday life. Yet as the international landscape shifted and Taiwan’s isolation grew, the illusion began to fray. Confronted with a changing world, the people of Taiwan were forced to ask: where do we stand now—and who are we becoming?

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People and Freedom (1980-2000)

The common people and street movements can drive the wheels of change. Nearly forty years of martial law finally ended in the late 1980s, and Taiwan began its journey towards democratization. But democracy is never granted overnight—it must be negotiated, contested, practiced, and learned. The road to freedom was shaped by struggles both inside and outside the system, marked by trial and error, tension and hope. How did this democratic transformation unfold—and what new challenges did freedom bring?

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Team

Explore

Organizer

StoryStudio

Taiwan's first and currently largest new media platform specializing in history, StoryStudio has accumulated over 5,000 articles and more than 100 in-depth features. Through engaging, informative, and stylish content, we bring history into everyday life, providing trustworthy knowledge suitable for all readers. We invite you to join us in rediscovering the world through a historical lens.

Taiwan Bar

Taiwan Bar is dedicated to communicating cultural and educational topics through visual storytelling. We believe that compelling content can foster consensus. Adhering to the "Big Zhua Zhou" philosophy—"instead of giving a child a fishing rod, make them crave the taste of fish"—we continue to cultivate innovation in education.

Authors

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作者

Yeh Chang-geng

PhD in [Archaeological] Anthropology, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Assistant Research Fellow, National Museum of Prehistory, Taiwan

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作者

Nakao Eki Pacidal

PhD Candidate in History, Leiden University, Netherlands

Writer

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作者

Hsi Ming-yen

Master of Arts in Taiwan History, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Project Manager, Taipei City Archives, Taiwan

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作者

Tseng Ming-te

Master of Arts in History, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Cultural and Historical Worker

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作者

Chang Chun-hao

Master of Arts in Taiwan History, National Chengchi University, Taiwan

Director, Island Documentary Culture Studio, Taiwan

Ch.06

作者

Ban Yu-tang

Finalist, Taiwan Historical Novel Prize

Historical Novelist and Cultural and Historical Translator

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作者

Liao Pin-yen

Master of Arts Candidate in History, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Ch.08

作者

Yao Hui-yao

PhD Candidate, Department of History, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Chairperson, Taiwan Sex Industry Labor Rights Advocacy Association, Taiwan

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作者

Hsu En-en

Master of Arts in Sociology, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

Writer, Social Movement Organizer and Researcher

Editorial Board

Wu Yi-jui

PhD in the History of Medicine, University of Oxford, UK

Associate Professor, Interdisciplinary Program, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

Lu Mei-chin

PhD, Graduate School of Language and Society, Hitotsubashi University, Japan

Associate Professor, Department of Taiwanese Languages and Literature, National Taiwan Normal University, Taiwan

Lee Jui-yuan

PhD in History, National Cheng Kung University, Taiwan

Project Assistant Professor, Indigenous Studies Program, National Chi Nan University, Taiwan

Hung Kuang-chi

PhD in the History of Science, Harvard University, USA

Associate Professor, Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Tu Feng-en

PhD in East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University, USA

Founder, StoryStudio, Taiwan

Chen Kuan-jen

PhD in History, University of Cambridge, UK

Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

Chen Kuan-fei

PhD in History, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong

Assistant Professor, Department of History, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Liu Wen

PhD in Psychology, Graduate Center, City University of New York, USA

Assistant Research Fellow, Institute of Ethnology, Academia Sinica, Taiwan

Hsieh Ai-lun

PhD in Archaeology, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Associate Professor, Institute of Anthropology, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

Su Feng-nan

PhD in Taiwanese History, National Chengchi University, Taiwan

Assistant Research Fellow, National Palace Museum, Taiwan

Consultants

Leonard Blussé

Emeritus Professor of History, Leiden University, Netherlands

Shu-mei Shih

Professor of Comparative Literature, Asian Languages and Cultures, and Asian American Studies, University of California, Los Angeles, USA

Ronald Po

Associate Professor of International History, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK

Seiji Shirane

Associate Professor of History, City University of New York, USA

Wu Mi-tsa

Taiwanese Historian

Tu Cheng-sheng

Academician, Academia Sinica; Former Minister of Education, Taiwan

James Lin

Assistant Professor of History, University of Washington, USA

Howard Chiang

Professor of East Asian Studies and Director of the Center for Taiwan Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara, USA

Hung Yu-ju

Professor, Graduate School of Sociology, Hitotsubashi University, Japan

Masahiro Wakabayashi

Advisor, Taiwan Research Institute, Waseda University, Japan

Wayne Soon

Associate Professor of Medical History, University of Minnesota, USA

Chang Lung-chih

Director, National Museum of Taiwan History, Taiwan

Christine Moll-Murata

Head of the Research Unit Taiwan Cultural and Literary Studies, Institute of East Asian Studies, Ruhr-University Bochum, Germany

Chen Tsui-lien

Professor of History, National Taiwan University, Taiwan

Liu Liu shu-chin

Professor, Graduate Institute of Taiwan Literature, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Tsing Hua University, Taiwan

Hsieh Jo-lan

Professor, Department of Ethnic Relations and Cultures, College of Indigenous Studies, National Dong Hwa University, Taiwan