Dr. Hugh Macmillan, Ph. D., is a Canadian missionary, who has been in this Island off and on over twenty-seven years. Therefore, his knowledge of the historical background of Taiwan is of high academic value.
A young Formosan student of history has pointed out that, what he considered the most influential and far-reaching cultural impact to strike the shores of Formosa from the West came out of the Reformation begun in Germany under Martin Luther in the 16th century. This impact came in two waves, the first in the 17th century by way of Holland through Dutch colonizers and missionaries, and the second in the 19th century through missionaries from England and Canada. The purpose of this article is merely to set down very briefly a few notes on the history of these contacts and others, to serve as a background against which to evaluate western influences in the Island today.
The above mentioned were not the only impacts of Western influence, nor was that by the Dutch the first, but these remain the most outstanding. Others were only temporary and of much less significance culturally. According to a Japanese writer, Takekoshi, the way to Formosa from the west was opened by traders. European traders came to this part of the world in 1510. Sailing through the Indian Ocean they came out into "a vast ocean north of India." They called it "The Pacific" The following year, 1511, the king of Portugal sent an ambassador to China to trade. The trading expedition was well-received and the newcomers, after a few decades of commercial dealings with the inhabitants, were allowed to land and to establish themselves on an Island near the mouth of the Canton river. They called it Macao. During these sailing's through the China sea, they saw a very large island in the distance. Because of its beauty they called it "Formosa," They established trading relations with the natives in 1590 but little is generally known about any cultural impact. Their relation with the island was of brief duration for the Dutch came in 1624 (landing on the south west coast) and little further is heard of the Portuguese but the fact of having given the place its foreign name. This name remains to the present, a mark of Portuguese influence. It gave to the islanders, from a foreigner's admiration, real pride in the beauty of their native land.
Two years after the Dutch landed, came the Spaniards in 1626. They were rival traders with the Dutch. They established themselves in a trading centre in Manila in 1571 as a point from which to compete with other traders and to wrest stations from their grasp. They seized Keelung where they built a fortress called San Salvador. In 1627 they assembled a large fleet with the object of driving the Dutch out of the island, but monsoon weather prevented. However, they were able to take the port of Tamsui as a secondary point from which to attack Dutch shipping across the Formosan strait. They called Tamsui, San Domingo. They set up a permanent government, appointed civil officials and began to propagate their religion. Of the influence of that contact, the writer once heard, in this northern area, a Formosan peasant repeat a story handed down from father to son through the centuries of how "foreign conquerors once 'near here' ceremoniously worshipped their God for the first time on Formosan soil."
The Dutch, challenged by the presence of the Spanish in the north of the island, sent fleets of ships to attack the latter's positions in Tamsui and Keelung. At first they were unable to make any impression, but in the end, due to the recall of Spanish units to the Philippines for a campaign against Mindanao insurgents, the Spanish were vanquished. The few remaining Spanish soldiers in their Keelung fortifications fought gallantly and succeeded in holding out for three weeks, but were finally forced to give up. Official letters exchanged between Dutch and Spanish leaders indicate something of the spirit of these Europeans. They were traders and military minded· protectors of their trading facilities, but their cultural tradition was a proud possession; in fact, according to many students of European influence in the Far East, it was a vital element in their daring to come so far into the unknown world. Therefore, it may be said that their very presence in the island brought an influence that cannot be entirely ignored. To the islanders they showed a spirit that was “different.” As a native put it recently with particular reference to British and American prisoners of war he had seen brought here by the Japanese, but with reference to "foreigners" in general, he said, "a spirit possesses them that does not know defeat."
Brief quotations from the above letters between Dutch and Spanish commanders during the time of the 17th century conflict, reflect their cultural background. From his fortress in Zeelandia, the Dutch Governor of Formosa wrote to the Spanish Governor in Keelung:
"Since we have sent out a sufficiently strong force by sea and land to attack and take possession of your Honour’s place of residence at La Sanctissimo, situated on the Island of Kilang, either peacefully or by hostile means, we hereby, according to Christian custom warn your Honour… Do you then, Honoured Sir, avail yourself of the opportunity of avoiding bloodshed, and let us shortly have your answer, without wasting any time. We commend you to God.
In the fortress of Zeelandia,
26 August 1641.
Your Honour's friend,
Paulus Tradenius."
But the Spanish Governor in Keelung did not accept the offer. He wrote in reply:
"Your Honour's letter of 26 August of this year, we have indeed received, and read the contents. And I answer according to the law of good Christians and according to the oath which I have sworn to my king, that I neither desire nor dare to surrender what your Honour demands…So do not trouble yourself to write me letters with such demands, but let every man defend himself. We are Christian Spaniards, and God is our protector ... that we believe. God preserve you.
From our principal castle at Salvador, 6th, September 1641, Gonsalo Portilla."
The Dutch paid special attention to civilizing the island. They brought peace and order to a disturbed state of society; made more disturbed than usual by thousands of refugees fleeing from Tartar hordes, robber bands, and pirates along the coast. Dutch missionaries of the Reformed Church worked in unison with the government authorities establishing schools and churches in many centres in the south, centre and north. They put native languages into writing- and give instruction in many useful subjects through the native's own and the Dutch languages. A Dutch writer of the period stated that one of the greatest hindrances to the advancement of culture was the manifold variety of languages in the island arising from endless quarrelling of the people and their consequent want of mutual intercourse. "The Dutch missionaries says Takekoshi, "were the first to tackle the job of bringing linguistic order out of the chaos of tribal tongues, and the first to bring a measure of refinement and respectability."
The period of Dutch colonization (only 37 years, 1624-1661) ended with the conquest of the island by Chinese under Koxinga. Many missionaries and their wives suffered martyrdom. And many now-a-days would say that little remains of that colonization effort. And yet, land measurement, road building and architecture still show many a mark of Dutch influence. Nor could it be denied that artists with brush and canvas painting the old Dutch forts, "Castles of the red-haired" have influence on the thought of future generations. Neither can it be denied that the propagation of their religion became a dead issue with their passing. Only recently the chief of the Ali Mountain Tribe, where the noted, Wu Feng gave his life to cure that people of head-hunting, is reported to have said to a visiting Formosan leader:
"There hundred years ago, when the Dutch occupied Formosa, our people became Christian but after their withdrawal we unfortunately lost touch with the Christian religion. Now we want to return to the faith of our forefathers. Will you not come to teach us?"
A long period of 204 years elapsed after the Dutch were driver out before any comparative Western cultural contact was made with Formosa. But in 1865 missionaries of the Presbyterian Church of England, and in 1872 of the Presbyterian Church in Canada arrived to bring a second wave of Reformation influence. After about three quarters of a century of this influence, evidences may be seen of it almost everywhere throughout the island. Churches, schools, hospitals and other institutions modeled after Western patterns are in all parts, even among mountain tribe people. And these all are becoming more and more integrated into Formosan life. Leaders from abroad, trained in well-known English, Scottish and Canadian institutions of higher learning have already a long history of ecclesiastical, educational, medical and social service in the island.
A further Western cultural influence received during this latter period must not be omitted. It did not come directly but was none the less strong and, in spite of some camouflage was none the less markedly from the Western world. This came by way of Japan between 1895, and 1945. Though the Japanese occupation of Formosa was brought about by the assertion of military might, through the Japanese, western science, western literature, western art and architecture, and many western customs became increasingly part of the life of the Formosan people. This, though coming indirectly, has been said to have spread more rapidly in Formosa than in other islands under Japan and of similar character, due to the familiarity of Formosans with direct cultural influence. The islanders recognized this influence as something that had come to stay in this part of the world. It was an influence that would sooner or later cover the globe.
What may be said of the future? Formosa cannot claim as yet to have a culture of her own but it can at least he said of the island that it stands in a prominent position in the western Pacific, and is openly exposed to western contacts. In the past it was among the first of eastern Asiatic areas to receive European cultural influences and, though the growth of those influences has not been as demonstrative as in other parts of East Asia, nevertheless there has been observable through history a certain freedom for growth in a way peculiar to the island's climate. And this may have significance for the culture. As a. potential lighthouse of culture, therefore, Formosa may have an assured place in the cultural life of East Asia even though the seas around be stormy for many a year.