East Asian Maritime Migration: A Comparative Study of Ming and Qing Oceanic Migration to Taiwan and the Philippines

Author: Zeng Shaocong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1998-11-01
Features: This book focuses on Chinese maritime migrants as its research subject, with Taiwan and the Philippines as the scope of study. From the perspective of the history of China's maritime economy and society, it compares the similarities and differences in the social, economic, and cultural development of maritime migrants in Taiwan and the Philippines during the Ming and Qing dynasties. It breaks through the limitations of previous studies, which examined domestic maritime migrants from a regional history perspective and foreign maritime migrants from the perspective of overseas Chinese history. Instead, it places maritime migrants within the broader context of China's maritime economy and society, conducting an overall and comprehensive examination. The book consists of six chapters: Chapter 1 explains the environmental and cultural background of the migration; Chapter 2 analyzes the historical process of migration; Chapter 3 discusses the economic activities of the migrants; Chapter 4 examines the social structure of the migrants; Chapter 5 explores cultural contact; and Chapter 6 elaborates on the development models and role of Chinese maritime migrants. The maritime migration to Taiwan and the Philippines during the Ming and Qing dynasties is a specific manifestation of China's maritime economic and social development. The migrants transplanted their ancestral homeland's production methods, lifestyles, social organizational principles, and cultural traditions to their new settlements, forming common characteristics in the social and economic development of both regions. Their major feature is that the migration was (self-motivated by the people), following a path of peaceful coexistence and shared development rather than the imperialistic approach of establishing colonies overseas. Due to differences in the economic, social, and cultural contexts of the settlement areas, the development paths of the migrants in the two regions varied. This difference is a unique aspect of Chinese maritime migration, perfectly illustrating the distinct forms of development for domestic and foreign maritime migrants.