Civilian documents and the social and economic history of Taiwan

Author: Chen Zhiping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-08-01
Features: In 1988 and 2000, the author conducted social surveys in Taiwan twice, receiving selfless assistance from Ms. Li Yanfeng of Luchiu City, Taipei County, and Mr. Yang Lianfu. They generously provided the author with access to their treasured contractual documents for reference and citation, a gesture deeply moving. Although the folk documents collected by the author on Taiwan-related issues are not numerous, most have never been cited before, making them particularly distinctive. The existing folk documents in Fujian primarily reflect the relationship between Fujian and Taiwan in their migration history. In contrast, the contractual documents privately held in Luchiu, Taipei, mostly constitute valuable materials of the ancestors and family of the renowned patriotic and anti-Japanese general Li Youbang. From these documents, we can learn about the arduous journey of the Li family in migrating from Fujian to Taiwan and their history of contributing to the nation. For this reason, the core focus of this book lies on two aspects: first, the folk relations between Fujian and Taiwan; second, through an in-depth case study of the historical development and changes of the Li family in Luchiu, Taipei, further exploring the profound patriotic sentiments of the Taiwanese people for their homeland. From this perspective, studying Taiwan's socio-economic history may contribute to deeper research on the regional history of Taiwan.