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Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan
For over 400 years, Taiwan has suffered at the hands of multiple colonial powers, but it has now entered the decade when its independence will be won or lost. At the heart of Taiwan's story is the curse of geography that placed the island on the strategic cusp between the Far East and Southeast Asia and made it the guardian of some of the world's most lucrative trade routes. It is the story of the dogged determination of a courageous people to overcome every obstacle thrown in their path. Forbidden Nation tells the dramatic story of the island, its people, and what brought them to this moment when their future will be decided.
288 pages, Hardcover
First published October 14, 2005
152 people are currently reading
1575 people want to read
About the author
Jonathan Manthorpe
6 books13 followersJonathan Manthorpe is the author of three books on international relations, politics, and history. Over his forty-year career as a journalist, he has been the foreign correspondent in Asia, Africa, and Europe for Southam News, the European Bureau Chief for the Toronto Star, and the national political reporter for The Globe and Mail. For the last few years, he has been based in Victoria, British Columbia.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 73 reviews
March 19, 2019
A lot of research went into this book. There’s a ton of fact, data, dates, political analysis, etc. But it is history the way men tend to write it. All the attention is on political leaders (mostly men), government (mostly men), battles and wars (waged by men). There’s practically nothing in here about Taiwan’s women, children, Indigenous, queer, poor, migrants, etc. The very people who can tell us THE MOST about so-called nation because they sit at the borders being policed. There is too the issue that this is written by a white man. That the book ends on this sentence says it all: “Taiwan will always carry the curse of geography that has placed it at the crossroads of other people’s journeys.” As a Taiwanese American, I didn’t appreciate this.
I would say, read the book, take it for what it’s worth. But remember this is not a true people’s history of Taiwan and there are many, many voices ignored.
I would say, read the book, take it for what it’s worth. But remember this is not a true people’s history of Taiwan and there are many, many voices ignored.
June 25, 2018
I was looking for a history of Taiwan and this delivered without being too detailed to be a slog. Story starts off like a spy novel with the assassination attempt of Chen and Lu, leaders of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP). Though you quickly realize that this is normal political life in Taiwan. Taiwan is caught between wanting independent democracy and China’s threat of ownership and rule. The only fear of China is a military invasion. Though they have a strong relationship with the US. If anything goes wrong internally, they call the US, not China, because China is whom they fear and resist. This constant fear means years of a harsh and uncertain political environment. How can you ever become comfortable when a neighbor is constantly threatening to own you? Though, based on the latest elections, their population is torn between close relations with China and full independence.
Their geographic location is so important that it may be an unlucky situation; permanently. Their history is full of fighting between the local natives, the Chinese, the Dutch, and the Japanese; eventually leading to internal fighting and civil war. It’s a country that has been in constant battle.
What I learned is that Taiwan has been in a state of tug-of-war with surrounding countries for many years. This isn’t likely to end anytime soon. It’s curse is it’s location.
Their geographic location is so important that it may be an unlucky situation; permanently. Their history is full of fighting between the local natives, the Chinese, the Dutch, and the Japanese; eventually leading to internal fighting and civil war. It’s a country that has been in constant battle.
What I learned is that Taiwan has been in a state of tug-of-war with surrounding countries for many years. This isn’t likely to end anytime soon. It’s curse is it’s location.
February 10, 2015
Fantastic recount of the history of Taiwan. Jonathan Manthorpe is a masterful story teller,who skillfully put his focal point on this tiny island of intriguing strategic importance, and then examined a confluence of anecdotal and incidental narratives that weave into the tapestry of Formosa. Slightly selective in his materials and fictional from time to time, he nonetheless never oversell his views, and manage to magnify without exaggerating. The book however spent a disproportionate number of pages on the koxinga and those pre-Japanese colony times, which is somehow disappointment to those who are more interested in the modern history of Taiwan, especially the forging of Taiwanese identity through the rapid changing tides of colonization, imperil rule, white terror, and the republic. Overall a pleasant read.
August 15, 2020
I thoroughly enjoyed this immensely readable overview of Taiwanese political history, although there wasn't quite as much on Taiwan post-1945 as I would have imagined. It's also worth noting that this was published in 2005, and is thereby fairly outdated (especially from my vantage point in 2020, with the "one country, two systems" idea currently dying a miserable death in Hong Kong while Taiwan and the rest of the world looks on). Highly recommended - I learned a lot!
December 5, 2017
This is the best book on Taiwan I've read so far.
Mr. Manthorpe is a journalist and a good writer. He renders the early history of Taiwan into an exciting story, but he relies on a small number of English-language studies, all of them several decades old. He is more original when writing about recent events that he has observed and people he has interviewed.
His explanation for Taiwanese democratization is that it was a response to the US's switching diplomatic recognition from the ROC to the PRC (mainland China), born purely out of Chiang Ching-kuo's calculation that the US needed to be given a sentimental reason to support Taiwan. I continue to be unsatisfied with this explanation. For that matter, the subject of relations with the US, and US foreign policy perspectives, are overstressed here, to the neglect of the Taiwanese perspective, except that of Chiang Ching-kuo. My desire to understand Taiwanese democracy remains largely unfulfilled.
Mr. Manthorpe is a journalist and a good writer. He renders the early history of Taiwan into an exciting story, but he relies on a small number of English-language studies, all of them several decades old. He is more original when writing about recent events that he has observed and people he has interviewed.
His explanation for Taiwanese democratization is that it was a response to the US's switching diplomatic recognition from the ROC to the PRC (mainland China), born purely out of Chiang Ching-kuo's calculation that the US needed to be given a sentimental reason to support Taiwan. I continue to be unsatisfied with this explanation. For that matter, the subject of relations with the US, and US foreign policy perspectives, are overstressed here, to the neglect of the Taiwanese perspective, except that of Chiang Ching-kuo. My desire to understand Taiwanese democracy remains largely unfulfilled.
October 31, 2011
The idea that Taiwan province is not part of China is silly. Taiwan is officially known as the Republic of China.
Taiwan province is just a Chinese province. Taiwan was never recognized as an independent country before.
The people in Taiwan speak Chinese dialects, and all have their Chinese names and they observe Chinese traditions. They are culturally and ethnically Chinese.
It is just the fantasy of some western racists who are anti-China that want to split Taiwan province from China. Of course this will never happen.
Taiwan province is just a Chinese province. Taiwan was never recognized as an independent country before.
The people in Taiwan speak Chinese dialects, and all have their Chinese names and they observe Chinese traditions. They are culturally and ethnically Chinese.
It is just the fantasy of some western racists who are anti-China that want to split Taiwan province from China. Of course this will never happen.
June 16, 2010
Informative history of Taiwan, starting from the earliest aboriginal settlers several thousand years ago, up through mainland Chinese interest in the island, through Dutch and Japanese occupation periods, through the authoritarian period under the KMT, ending with the perilous democracy of the present. The interest of this book owes itself to the subject matter - Manthorpe tells the tale without much flair, tossing aside such astounding tales as that of George Psalmanazar, a French vagabond who gained notoriety in 18th century England for claiming to be Formosan (Taiwanese) despite knowing nothing of the place. He also focuses on large scale political issues to the detriment of exploring the inner worlds of his subjects, the people of Taiwan. Furthermore, he tells the story with a clear bias toward the Taiwanese independence movement, even going so far as to make excuses for Chen Shui-bian's recent acts of corruption. That said, the book is a good point of departure for exploring the long and twisted history of Taiwan.
April 2, 2022
I found this book was stylistically engaging, intended for a lay-audience, but more of a long form opinion journalism piece than proper work of history. That is not surprising, given that the author's background is journalism, not academia.
The chapters of the book outlining prehistory through the twentieth century are relatively free of bias, though speculative commentary by the author detracts from the book as history.
The later portions of the book, covering the twentieth century to present, is much less balanced. I found many of the author's claims about popular motivations to be simplistic with limited basis in fact. I believe the author is framing topics such Tiananmen Square, Chinese trade policy and motivations of individual PRC officials through an ideological lens, rather than providing disinterested assessments.
The chapters of the book outlining prehistory through the twentieth century are relatively free of bias, though speculative commentary by the author detracts from the book as history.
The later portions of the book, covering the twentieth century to present, is much less balanced. I found many of the author's claims about popular motivations to be simplistic with limited basis in fact. I believe the author is framing topics such Tiananmen Square, Chinese trade policy and motivations of individual PRC officials through an ideological lens, rather than providing disinterested assessments.
December 21, 2024
(5.0) Learned a ton from this
As ignorant as I was, I could only detect a strong (pro-independence) bias in the historical chapters that established a long history of separateness from the Chinese dynasties and esp Communist Party. Undoubtedly more bias exists, as a mainland point of view would not have produced such a book. :)
But so much history and context is packed into these pages, including colonialism up through US-Chinese relations from late 90s through early 2000s. Well written and consumable, and shorter than it could have easily been to write this scope of history.
I hope I retain at least 5% of this book to put all news from the Taiwan Strait (and indeed Japan, as well as any international moves by China) into context.
Only criticism is that endnotes were unenlightening citations of secondary (or tertiary?) sources, even historical quotations. Would be nice to connect the threads back to their sources. And eliminate quotations from modern historians entirely, which happens a few times.
As ignorant as I was, I could only detect a strong (pro-independence) bias in the historical chapters that established a long history of separateness from the Chinese dynasties and esp Communist Party. Undoubtedly more bias exists, as a mainland point of view would not have produced such a book. :)
But so much history and context is packed into these pages, including colonialism up through US-Chinese relations from late 90s through early 2000s. Well written and consumable, and shorter than it could have easily been to write this scope of history.
I hope I retain at least 5% of this book to put all news from the Taiwan Strait (and indeed Japan, as well as any international moves by China) into context.
Only criticism is that endnotes were unenlightening citations of secondary (or tertiary?) sources, even historical quotations. Would be nice to connect the threads back to their sources. And eliminate quotations from modern historians entirely, which happens a few times.
April 20, 2021
This book is really bad. Don't read it. Denny Roy's Taiwan: A Political History, is a thousand times better than this one. Even Gary Davison's is better researched than this one, and that one came out earlier and actually uses Chinese-language sources. It's almost funny how unnecessary this book is. It rehashes points that have already been made many times over elsewhere, and adds nothing new to the discussion that we haven't already heard.
September 8, 2022
Taiwan
This was a very good book on Taiwan.
In fact, I learned a lot.
One of the better books on Taiwan I have read lately.
Probably will read more too, as it's still an ongoing subject in the news lately.
4.6/5
This was a very good book on Taiwan.
In fact, I learned a lot.
One of the better books on Taiwan I have read lately.
Probably will read more too, as it's still an ongoing subject in the news lately.
4.6/5
January 31, 2025
I wish I could give it a higher rating, since I really enjoyed the pre-1945 history in the first two-thirds of the book. But the last third that deals with the ROC period is much more focused on Washington and Beijing than it is with Taiwan’s political, social, and economic evolution, which ultimately makes it less a history of Taiwan than a history of how Taiwan influenced US-China relations
February 20, 2017
Jonathan Manthorpe doesn't hide his bias with the title of this book implying that Taiwan has been historically forbidden from asserting its independence. Despite this, the book is an excellent political history of the island. There are detailed accounts of Koxinga who was like Taiwan's George Washington, his father and his successors. The description of the famous Siege of Fort Zeelandia are almost amusing in how incompetent the Dutch were at defending their colony from Koxinga's invasion. The modern portion of the book bleeds with resentment against the KMT and all their misdeeds on the island. The entire history is almost jaw dropping when you consider the amount of violence that has been inflicted on the island by outside forces, particularly on the aboriginal people of the island.
My own amateur interpretation of the politics around Taiwan's independence is that is an invented political issue put forward by those who stand to gain votes by bringing it to the forefront. Taiwan would probably be fine for the next 100 years under the status quo established by the "One China Policy" and the "Taiwan Relations Act". The author seems to ignore how much flexibility the "One Chine Policy" provides in that it allows the US and it's allies to work very closely with Taiwan and has maintained stability for more than 40 years. Taiwanese people have not been suffering or starving during this period. In fact Taiwan has thrived.
Because this book was written in 2005 it does not address the current (as of 2017) issues facing Taiwan: a working age population that is shrinking every year, expensive housing and cost of living, young people not having children and an unsustainable social security system. Tsai Ing Wen and her lot like to bring up the issue of "independence" to the forefront of the political debate because it helps them to bury these more pressing and complicated issues that require very difficult choices. One obvious solution to their demographic timebomb would be to (gasp) allow more immigration from mainland China.
Another criticism that I have of this book, is that while it is a history of Taiwan, it only focuses on politics. Taiwan has much more to offer that politics: it has great parks, people, food, movies, television programs, literature as well as clean and friendly cities.
Having said all that, this is a great book to read for anybody who has visited or has any interest in Taiwan.
My own amateur interpretation of the politics around Taiwan's independence is that is an invented political issue put forward by those who stand to gain votes by bringing it to the forefront. Taiwan would probably be fine for the next 100 years under the status quo established by the "One China Policy" and the "Taiwan Relations Act". The author seems to ignore how much flexibility the "One Chine Policy" provides in that it allows the US and it's allies to work very closely with Taiwan and has maintained stability for more than 40 years. Taiwanese people have not been suffering or starving during this period. In fact Taiwan has thrived.
Because this book was written in 2005 it does not address the current (as of 2017) issues facing Taiwan: a working age population that is shrinking every year, expensive housing and cost of living, young people not having children and an unsustainable social security system. Tsai Ing Wen and her lot like to bring up the issue of "independence" to the forefront of the political debate because it helps them to bury these more pressing and complicated issues that require very difficult choices. One obvious solution to their demographic timebomb would be to (gasp) allow more immigration from mainland China.
Another criticism that I have of this book, is that while it is a history of Taiwan, it only focuses on politics. Taiwan has much more to offer that politics: it has great parks, people, food, movies, television programs, literature as well as clean and friendly cities.
Having said all that, this is a great book to read for anybody who has visited or has any interest in Taiwan.
January 28, 2018
In preparation for spending three months in Taiwan, I finally decided to read the Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan. A quick note (before the review). I had purchased this book in early 2014, but had not had a chance to read it. My daughter, not knowing I had it, but that I had an interest in Taiwan, gave me another copy (the one I kept) for Christmas 2016.
This book’s title sums up very nicely some of the challenges that Taiwan has faced over the course of some 350 to 400 years. Highlighting the theme of the title, the author talks about the times when Taiwan was a country unto itself, starting when Koxinga (a very interesting character, with Chinese father and Japanese mother) was able to oust the Dutch from Taiwan (Anping) in 1661. He became the first “king” of Taiwan (or at least the west coast), and together with his son (until 1681) and to a small extent his grandson ruled Taiwan until 1683. At that time, the Qing dynasty in China reclaimed Taiwan.
There is other occasion where Taiwan was “self-ruled”: shortly before the Japan assumed occupation from China of Taiwan in 1895 there was a named republic, which existed less than a year.
Today, of course, Taiwan is self-governed, but walks the tightrope of balancing relationship with China – not allowed to say it is “independent”. In this sense, it is a forbidden nation.
The book gives a very nice overview of the history of Taiwan. It takes the perspective of a Taiwanese, a person belonging to the island. I felt the book, started strong, grew even stronger as it moved towards the current time. The book was initially published in 2000. At that time, it had experienced open elections only recently. Now Taiwan has transitioned through several changes in government and is a very participatory democracy.
The author also gives what I believe is an objective (but I suspect some would object) view of the transition from the Japanese colonial rule to the KMT rule. At least during my stay in Tainan I have picked up on the ongoing tensions of the ingestion of millions from the mainland coming to Taiwan around 1949. The KMT’s (another word for mainland Chinese only) domination (dictatorship) of Taiwan is still having repercussions in Taiwan politics.
This is a third book a read about Taiwan (the other two are Why Taiwan Matters, by Shelley Rigger; and Ghost Month, by Ed Lin – just reviewed). The next on the night stand is Formosan Odyssey, by John Grant Ross. This is a strong book, worth reading, with an author that is passionate about Taiwan and its future.
This book’s title sums up very nicely some of the challenges that Taiwan has faced over the course of some 350 to 400 years. Highlighting the theme of the title, the author talks about the times when Taiwan was a country unto itself, starting when Koxinga (a very interesting character, with Chinese father and Japanese mother) was able to oust the Dutch from Taiwan (Anping) in 1661. He became the first “king” of Taiwan (or at least the west coast), and together with his son (until 1681) and to a small extent his grandson ruled Taiwan until 1683. At that time, the Qing dynasty in China reclaimed Taiwan.
There is other occasion where Taiwan was “self-ruled”: shortly before the Japan assumed occupation from China of Taiwan in 1895 there was a named republic, which existed less than a year.
Today, of course, Taiwan is self-governed, but walks the tightrope of balancing relationship with China – not allowed to say it is “independent”. In this sense, it is a forbidden nation.
The book gives a very nice overview of the history of Taiwan. It takes the perspective of a Taiwanese, a person belonging to the island. I felt the book, started strong, grew even stronger as it moved towards the current time. The book was initially published in 2000. At that time, it had experienced open elections only recently. Now Taiwan has transitioned through several changes in government and is a very participatory democracy.
The author also gives what I believe is an objective (but I suspect some would object) view of the transition from the Japanese colonial rule to the KMT rule. At least during my stay in Tainan I have picked up on the ongoing tensions of the ingestion of millions from the mainland coming to Taiwan around 1949. The KMT’s (another word for mainland Chinese only) domination (dictatorship) of Taiwan is still having repercussions in Taiwan politics.
This is a third book a read about Taiwan (the other two are Why Taiwan Matters, by Shelley Rigger; and Ghost Month, by Ed Lin – just reviewed). The next on the night stand is Formosan Odyssey, by John Grant Ross. This is a strong book, worth reading, with an author that is passionate about Taiwan and its future.
October 14, 2014
It doesn't take long to see that Manthorpe leans green in the politics of Taiwan, but he does provide plenty of reasons to explain his unstated preference. And to say that he leans green doesn't mean that he doesn't have plenty of criticism for Chen Shui Bian and how he ran his administration while in office. In that sense, the book is a fair assessment of Taiwan's modern political situation.
But this book is a history of Taiwan, so it goes much farther back than either the KMT or the DPP. There were many interesting things learned about the colonial past. He makes a pretty strong case for the stance that China never really had control of all of Taiwan, that it willingly abandoned the island to the Japanese, and that at the end of WWII the victorious allies never really gave the island to the Republic of China. What was to be done with Taiwan was put on the back burner, which led to the current ambiguous status of the island on the world stage. He makes clear that he feels that China has no rightful claim to the island.
Starting the book with the assassination attempt the day before the election for A-bian's second term helps draw the reader into the story of the island. I felt that was very well done. He also brought to light a lot of the history of Chiang Jing Guo that I wasn't previously aware of.
Where does Taiwan's history go from here. Have the last two terms of KMT rule led to economic ties with the PRC that are so close that Taiwan will be forced economically to make political concessions to Communist China? Has the DPP matured to the point that it could be ready to handle Taiwan economic issues, ready to move beyond political grandstanding and really start governing? The elections over the next few years could have a huge impact on how the history of this forbidden nation proceeds.
But this book is a history of Taiwan, so it goes much farther back than either the KMT or the DPP. There were many interesting things learned about the colonial past. He makes a pretty strong case for the stance that China never really had control of all of Taiwan, that it willingly abandoned the island to the Japanese, and that at the end of WWII the victorious allies never really gave the island to the Republic of China. What was to be done with Taiwan was put on the back burner, which led to the current ambiguous status of the island on the world stage. He makes clear that he feels that China has no rightful claim to the island.
Starting the book with the assassination attempt the day before the election for A-bian's second term helps draw the reader into the story of the island. I felt that was very well done. He also brought to light a lot of the history of Chiang Jing Guo that I wasn't previously aware of.
Where does Taiwan's history go from here. Have the last two terms of KMT rule led to economic ties with the PRC that are so close that Taiwan will be forced economically to make political concessions to Communist China? Has the DPP matured to the point that it could be ready to handle Taiwan economic issues, ready to move beyond political grandstanding and really start governing? The elections over the next few years could have a huge impact on how the history of this forbidden nation proceeds.
May 22, 2020
A rich and well-written political history of Taiwan and the many people who have played a part in its story. Perhaps because it's written by a journalist, this history book sucked me in more than most and was hard to put down. While it could benefit from having more sources and perhaps moderating its perspective at times, it nonetheless paints a fair picture throughout, and finds itself built around a compelling theme: that Taiwan has always been its own unique culture and state, long-defined by a historical struggle to assert its independence and maintain its freedom. The argument is strongly supported and proves an important read for anyone interested in better understanding the relationship between the modern-day PRC and Taiwan in particular.
November 24, 2017
After the more anecdotal and chatty history o Taiwan i read recently, this was a more detailed and rigorously historic look at what has made Taiwan what it is toay. The last chapter(s), about contemporary Taiwan seemed a bit more like journalism than history, but the earlier chapters present a fascinating and elucidating view of Taiwan's past.
Overall a very good read, and quite information, about a place tat has overcome tremendous odds to become an economic miracle story, a nascent democracy, a magnet for expats due its superior organzation,the kindness of the people, and the fascinating options for visitors. Well worth reading.
Overall a very good read, and quite information, about a place tat has overcome tremendous odds to become an economic miracle story, a nascent democracy, a magnet for expats due its superior organzation,the kindness of the people, and the fascinating options for visitors. Well worth reading.
April 9, 2019
The author does a good overall survey of the history of Taiwan from the prehistoric through the turn of the 21st Century but is so in the tank for Taiwanese Independence that he can't help inserting asides to it even when discussing the distant past where its a stretch to apply to the argument. I am all for keeping one's editorial voice but as a consistent theme to a topic that long predates present day dynamics it makes for a bit of an irritant. Still, for a short one volume history of Taiwan this is still a pretty good book.
February 16, 2020
This is a good introduction to the history of Taiwan. It is one of only a few histories of Taiwan published in English, and the focus is to cover the entire modern political history of Taiwan from the 1600s to the present day (2008, with a few updates in the epilogue). The focus is definitely political, with little discussion of history of infrastructure (rail all around Taiwan, HSR, and the metro system in Taipei), food, or culture.
January 2, 2012
Not a bad introductory overview of Taiwanese political history, which is all I was looking for when I picked this up on my first visit to the island. The historical sections are quite derivative, though it's clear Manthorpe has spent some time in Taiwan doing political reporting (in English).
June 25, 2017
Great read
Phenomenal overview of the history of the island. Clearly written with an angle, but the writer presents a fairly compelling case for the existence of a unique Taiwanese identity. Excellent primer on past history with less focus on contemporary society
Phenomenal overview of the history of the island. Clearly written with an angle, but the writer presents a fairly compelling case for the existence of a unique Taiwanese identity. Excellent primer on past history with less focus on contemporary society
October 19, 2017
Forbidden Nation is a pretty decent and objective book on the history of Ilha Formosa, now known as Taiwan. It's very detailed and I learned a lot about the history of the island and nations around it.
September 4, 2020
For a subjective historical accounts of Taiwan, this book makes a very engaging and informative read. After this, I am inspired to find a book written by a native to gain the perspective from an insider.
July 15, 2010
Excellent history of Taiwan. If you want to know the interesting history of Taiwan, including why this country and its people do not belong to China, this is a must read.
November 18, 2017
Not the synopsis I was looking for; too detailed and hard to follow.
April 7, 2019
Focuses on Taiwan's geopolitical status throughout history, very little about its people and culture outside that context. Reads like a boring textbook.
December 25, 2024
Just what I was looking for. At just under 300 pages, Forbidden Nation does an excellent job of conveying the history of migrations, governments, possessions, and dispossessions that have led to the modern Taiwanese identity and political status. This includes the development of the somewhat bizarre (from an outsiders perspective) notion of "One China," a concept with at least 3 completely different interpretations that really only share the same name to maintain the status quo.
Other things that will stay with me
1) The history of the aboriginal Taiwanese, and their various struggles with the Hakka, Hoklo, mainlander Chinese, and imperial Japanese.
2) The fascinating story of how piracy helped shape Taiwan, from the exploits of Captain China to his son, Koxinga, freeing Taiwan from the Dutch. I mostly spent this portion of the book envisioning an HBO show I've titled "Pirates of Formosa" (although this would immediately turn into a propaganda war between Taiwan and the CCP, so I'm not sure how this would ever get made).
2b) This passage:
"There has always been a fine line between commerce and piracy. Profit, after all, is simply recompense for risk. Whether an entrepreneur is willing to put only monetary investment at risk or if he is prepared to venture life, limb, and liberty is largely a matter of desperation or other circumstance."
3) The origin of the Triads from Ming Empire loyalists / Qing Empire resistance, and their eventual role in shaping Chinese revolutionaries
4) How relatively unimportant the island was to major powers until the last century, and how the Qing dynasty was seemingly "reluctantly colonial," at least for parts of its history. Strange to think of now!
"When news of Shih Lang’s victory in Taiwan reached Beijing, courtiers suggested to Emperor Kang-hsi that he incorporate a reference to the conquest of the island among his many titles. The emperor dismissed the idea. “Taiwan is outside the empire and of no great consequence,” he replied. That was the prevalent view of the island in Beijing at the time. China was seen as a complete nation and empire in itself... conquest and empire building in the European style were not the Chinese way. There were even tentative overtures made to the Dutch to see if they were interested in buying Taiwan back."
5) How the Taiwanese were in more or less constant revolt under the Qing dynasty and then eventually the Japanese - a complete refusal to be anything but a pain in the ass for any unlucky conqueror!
Like the Qing dynasty before, the Japanese parliament looked into selling off Taiwan (in this case, to the French).
6) The unbelievable brutality and corruption of the Kuomintang while ruling Taiwan. Basically caused an economic collapse through theft alone - a dramatic departure from the ruthless yet decidedly incorruptible Japanese.
7) The analysis on how land reform helped shape Taiwan's economic miracle
8) The idea of China "operating on a different time-scale" from the much younger Western powers
"This message to Kissinger that he was dealing with a culture that viewed objectives in a very different time frame from that of the United States was reinforced in the meeting with Mao... Mao added that he believed China could “do without” Taiwan for a hundred years."
9) This observation: "Politics in Taiwan tend to be highly theatrical, a common characteristic in new democracies."
Why is this the case?
My Only Qualm
This is no fault of the author, but the fact that this was originally published in 2005 and then re-published in 2009 means that some aspects of the book seem outdated or missing even based on cursory research (e.g. the impact of the relatively recent dominance of Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing on US - Taiwan - China relations, the ratio of people that speak Mandarin as opposed to Minnan/Taiwanese, etc.). A lot has changed in 15 years!
Other things that will stay with me
1) The history of the aboriginal Taiwanese, and their various struggles with the Hakka, Hoklo, mainlander Chinese, and imperial Japanese.
2) The fascinating story of how piracy helped shape Taiwan, from the exploits of Captain China to his son, Koxinga, freeing Taiwan from the Dutch. I mostly spent this portion of the book envisioning an HBO show I've titled "Pirates of Formosa" (although this would immediately turn into a propaganda war between Taiwan and the CCP, so I'm not sure how this would ever get made).
2b) This passage:
"There has always been a fine line between commerce and piracy. Profit, after all, is simply recompense for risk. Whether an entrepreneur is willing to put only monetary investment at risk or if he is prepared to venture life, limb, and liberty is largely a matter of desperation or other circumstance."
3) The origin of the Triads from Ming Empire loyalists / Qing Empire resistance, and their eventual role in shaping Chinese revolutionaries
4) How relatively unimportant the island was to major powers until the last century, and how the Qing dynasty was seemingly "reluctantly colonial," at least for parts of its history. Strange to think of now!
"When news of Shih Lang’s victory in Taiwan reached Beijing, courtiers suggested to Emperor Kang-hsi that he incorporate a reference to the conquest of the island among his many titles. The emperor dismissed the idea. “Taiwan is outside the empire and of no great consequence,” he replied. That was the prevalent view of the island in Beijing at the time. China was seen as a complete nation and empire in itself... conquest and empire building in the European style were not the Chinese way. There were even tentative overtures made to the Dutch to see if they were interested in buying Taiwan back."
5) How the Taiwanese were in more or less constant revolt under the Qing dynasty and then eventually the Japanese - a complete refusal to be anything but a pain in the ass for any unlucky conqueror!
Like the Qing dynasty before, the Japanese parliament looked into selling off Taiwan (in this case, to the French).
6) The unbelievable brutality and corruption of the Kuomintang while ruling Taiwan. Basically caused an economic collapse through theft alone - a dramatic departure from the ruthless yet decidedly incorruptible Japanese.
7) The analysis on how land reform helped shape Taiwan's economic miracle
8) The idea of China "operating on a different time-scale" from the much younger Western powers
"This message to Kissinger that he was dealing with a culture that viewed objectives in a very different time frame from that of the United States was reinforced in the meeting with Mao... Mao added that he believed China could “do without” Taiwan for a hundred years."
9) This observation: "Politics in Taiwan tend to be highly theatrical, a common characteristic in new democracies."
Why is this the case?
My Only Qualm
This is no fault of the author, but the fact that this was originally published in 2005 and then re-published in 2009 means that some aspects of the book seem outdated or missing even based on cursory research (e.g. the impact of the relatively recent dominance of Taiwanese semiconductor manufacturing on US - Taiwan - China relations, the ratio of people that speak Mandarin as opposed to Minnan/Taiwanese, etc.). A lot has changed in 15 years!
June 3, 2022
Taiwan, a nation that is not a state, or perhaps not even a ‘nation’? For a small island Taiwan has had a pretty big impact on world affairs, and has the potential to have an even bigger impact in the future. For that alone it is probably worth reading a history of Taiwan such as Jonathan Manthorpe’s Forbidden Nation: A History of Taiwan. Taiwan is an island off the coast of China. The People’s Republic of China (PRC) claims it, while many in Taiwan quite like the status quo, a sort of independence without full statehood, or even would prefer complete independence for themselves. This is complicated by Taiwan not being Taiwan but rather the Republic of China making for confusion which this book will clear up for you.
This is contested history. We may know the events but the bare facts can often be played or portrayed in different ways. And it should come as no real surprise that this happens a lot in the case of Taiwan. While the PRC has never controlled Taiwan previous incarnations – such as the Republic of China, and the Qing empire have.
It is however somewhat depressing that even the most ancient of history can be very politicised; with Japanese scholars arguing some of the earliest inhabitants came from the Japanese archipelago, Chinese scholars that they came from China, and Taiwanese (of an independence persuasion) that they came from Southeast Asia (pp.29-31). And we find this a lot throughout the book; such as the different spins that are put on Koxinga, or the line of control with the natives.
It is good that Manthorpe points these different interpretations out. However, the book does have a bias towards independence. As someone who is in favour of self-determination (which does not necessarily mean declaring independence) this does not bother me, but I can see anyone who believes strongly in the PRC’s interpretation won’t like it.
Perhaps because Taiwan is so contested this book is very focused on the politics and geopolitics. But you can’t help feeling that as a general history (and as a book in favour of independence) it would benefit by providing more on the internal side of Taiwan. Taiwan is a tiger economy but not much attention is paid to the economy except how that plays into politics. As a crossroads it has multiple cultures; the book could benefit on more about how the indigenous culture, and Japanese culture have influenced the Taiwan of today.
However I think the biggest flaw of this book is that it is almost entirely from secondary sources. Which means we don’t get much in the way of colour from quotes. It is also predominantly from English language secondary sources which is perhaps not the best guarantee of being comprehensive – which anyway is impossible in a 270 page general history.
So worth reading as a good introduction to a rather important, if neglected topic that could be the spark of wwiii. But don’t expect it to be either 100% comprehensive or free of bias.
This is contested history. We may know the events but the bare facts can often be played or portrayed in different ways. And it should come as no real surprise that this happens a lot in the case of Taiwan. While the PRC has never controlled Taiwan previous incarnations – such as the Republic of China, and the Qing empire have.
It is however somewhat depressing that even the most ancient of history can be very politicised; with Japanese scholars arguing some of the earliest inhabitants came from the Japanese archipelago, Chinese scholars that they came from China, and Taiwanese (of an independence persuasion) that they came from Southeast Asia (pp.29-31). And we find this a lot throughout the book; such as the different spins that are put on Koxinga, or the line of control with the natives.
It is good that Manthorpe points these different interpretations out. However, the book does have a bias towards independence. As someone who is in favour of self-determination (which does not necessarily mean declaring independence) this does not bother me, but I can see anyone who believes strongly in the PRC’s interpretation won’t like it.
Perhaps because Taiwan is so contested this book is very focused on the politics and geopolitics. But you can’t help feeling that as a general history (and as a book in favour of independence) it would benefit by providing more on the internal side of Taiwan. Taiwan is a tiger economy but not much attention is paid to the economy except how that plays into politics. As a crossroads it has multiple cultures; the book could benefit on more about how the indigenous culture, and Japanese culture have influenced the Taiwan of today.
However I think the biggest flaw of this book is that it is almost entirely from secondary sources. Which means we don’t get much in the way of colour from quotes. It is also predominantly from English language secondary sources which is perhaps not the best guarantee of being comprehensive – which anyway is impossible in a 270 page general history.
So worth reading as a good introduction to a rather important, if neglected topic that could be the spark of wwiii. But don’t expect it to be either 100% comprehensive or free of bias.
May 14, 2024
Really good introduction to the political history of Taiwan (definitely not cultural, linguistic, culinary history etc.).
Helped me understand the powers that be in Taiwan from 1600s-1945. 1945-2005 there was more of an agenda (pro-Taiwanese independence) and it seemed like such a cursory overview that I feel like I need to read something more in depth for recent political situation. Also note that it was published in 2005.
Brief Taiwan History Timeline
• Pre 1500s native aborigines inhabit the island. Sporadic mainland and Japanese villages. Explorer ZhengHe landed there for example.
• 1517 – Portuguese ship passes by and calls it Ilha Formosa
• 1622- Dutch land in Penghu
• 1626 – Spanish seize Jilong (near Taipei)
• 1642 – Dutch Colony. Dutch expel Spanish and control the whole island. Chinese population is considerably smaller than native population.
• 1662 – ZhengChengGong (Koxinga) expel Dutch
• 1683 – Mainland/Qing Dynasty takeover
• 1887 – Taiwan is officially a “province” of China
• 1894 – Japanese takeover (first Japanese colony). Japanese strict, but Taiwan prospers economically. Residents forced to learn Japanese.
• 1945 – WWII return of Taiwan to Republic of China with Chiang Kai shek in charge. Taiwanese view mainlanders as dirty and backwards, and Nationalist view Taiwanese as Traitors corrupted by the Japanese
• 1947 (Feb 28) – 228 incident. People have had enough. Nationalist crack down. Thousands killed
• 1949 – Communists defeat KMT and 2 million mainlanders flee to Taiwan putting a burden on the island (adding to about 6 million islanders)
• 1960s – Taiwan flourished while mainland struggles (Great Leap Forward)
• 1971 – PRC replaces ROC in the UN
• 1972 – Nixon visits China
• 1975 – Chiang dies
• 1978 – Nixon cut diplomatic ties with ROC
• 1987 – End of martial law, cross-strait relations begin, DPP and two party elections
• 1988 – Chiang Jr. dies (regarded as Taiwans best president) and Li DengHui is president
• 1996 – First Presidential election – Lee Teng-hui (KMT) Mr. Democracy, later kicked out of KMT
• 2000 – Chen Shui-bian (DPP) is first non-KMT president (regarded as a very bad president, in jail for embezzlement, although was successful in promoting Taiwanese identity)
• 2008- Ma Ying-jeou (KMT)
• 2016- Tsai Ing-wen (DPP) First female president
• 2024- Lai Ching-te (DPP) First time to have to have two DPP presidents in a row
Helped me understand the powers that be in Taiwan from 1600s-1945. 1945-2005 there was more of an agenda (pro-Taiwanese independence) and it seemed like such a cursory overview that I feel like I need to read something more in depth for recent political situation. Also note that it was published in 2005.
Brief Taiwan History Timeline
• Pre 1500s native aborigines inhabit the island. Sporadic mainland and Japanese villages. Explorer ZhengHe landed there for example.
• 1517 – Portuguese ship passes by and calls it Ilha Formosa
• 1622- Dutch land in Penghu
• 1626 – Spanish seize Jilong (near Taipei)
• 1642 – Dutch Colony. Dutch expel Spanish and control the whole island. Chinese population is considerably smaller than native population.
• 1662 – ZhengChengGong (Koxinga) expel Dutch
• 1683 – Mainland/Qing Dynasty takeover
• 1887 – Taiwan is officially a “province” of China
• 1894 – Japanese takeover (first Japanese colony). Japanese strict, but Taiwan prospers economically. Residents forced to learn Japanese.
• 1945 – WWII return of Taiwan to Republic of China with Chiang Kai shek in charge. Taiwanese view mainlanders as dirty and backwards, and Nationalist view Taiwanese as Traitors corrupted by the Japanese
• 1947 (Feb 28) – 228 incident. People have had enough. Nationalist crack down. Thousands killed
• 1949 – Communists defeat KMT and 2 million mainlanders flee to Taiwan putting a burden on the island (adding to about 6 million islanders)
• 1960s – Taiwan flourished while mainland struggles (Great Leap Forward)
• 1971 – PRC replaces ROC in the UN
• 1972 – Nixon visits China
• 1975 – Chiang dies
• 1978 – Nixon cut diplomatic ties with ROC
• 1987 – End of martial law, cross-strait relations begin, DPP and two party elections
• 1988 – Chiang Jr. dies (regarded as Taiwans best president) and Li DengHui is president
• 1996 – First Presidential election – Lee Teng-hui (KMT) Mr. Democracy, later kicked out of KMT
• 2000 – Chen Shui-bian (DPP) is first non-KMT president (regarded as a very bad president, in jail for embezzlement, although was successful in promoting Taiwanese identity)
• 2008- Ma Ying-jeou (KMT)
• 2016- Tsai Ing-wen (DPP) First female president
• 2024- Lai Ching-te (DPP) First time to have to have two DPP presidents in a row
June 8, 2022
2.5 but I'm rounding down...
Manthrope provides a lot of information in Forbidden Nation, and readers will gain a basic understanding of colonization and politics of Taiwan. However, his characterizations and commentary betray clearly that he is an outsider to Taiwan. He also focuses primarily on the 'great figures' involved in power struggles and colonization of Taiwan. I appreciate the coverage of history, but will say it reads like a 'great men of....' textbook rather than a 'History of Taiwan.'
Even a story he says has "become an idelible image in the island's story"-- of a woman rescuing her husband, names the woman only as "Ch'ao-tung's feisty wife" instead of naming her. And, a few chapters read as if you hadn't read the previous chapter, repeating information he previously stated.
He also neglects any description or detailed history of indigenous culture in Taiwan. He doesn't omit attacks on indigenous peoples, but he certainly doesn't cover indigenous history.
Some comparisons read quite lazy... "There are parallels between the Taiping rebels and the Taliban rule of Afghanistan in the 1990s. People were initially willing to put up with stern government if it meant an end to chaos"
There are some redeeming qualities, like honest portrayals of nations' interests. I wanted to finish the book, but at the same time was disappointed by the perspective and limits of this account. I learned major details from political and colonial history, but I will look for more holistic accounts by other authors.
Manthrope provides a lot of information in Forbidden Nation, and readers will gain a basic understanding of colonization and politics of Taiwan. However, his characterizations and commentary betray clearly that he is an outsider to Taiwan. He also focuses primarily on the 'great figures' involved in power struggles and colonization of Taiwan. I appreciate the coverage of history, but will say it reads like a 'great men of....' textbook rather than a 'History of Taiwan.'
Even a story he says has "become an idelible image in the island's story"-- of a woman rescuing her husband, names the woman only as "Ch'ao-tung's feisty wife" instead of naming her. And, a few chapters read as if you hadn't read the previous chapter, repeating information he previously stated.
He also neglects any description or detailed history of indigenous culture in Taiwan. He doesn't omit attacks on indigenous peoples, but he certainly doesn't cover indigenous history.
Some comparisons read quite lazy... "There are parallels between the Taiping rebels and the Taliban rule of Afghanistan in the 1990s. People were initially willing to put up with stern government if it meant an end to chaos"
There are some redeeming qualities, like honest portrayals of nations' interests. I wanted to finish the book, but at the same time was disappointed by the perspective and limits of this account. I learned major details from political and colonial history, but I will look for more holistic accounts by other authors.
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