Dutch Formosa refers to the period of colonial Dutch government on Formosa (now known as Taiwan), lasting from 1624 to 1662. In the context of the Age of Discovery, the Dutch East India Company established its presence on Taiwan to trade with China and Japan, and also to interdict Portuguese and Spanish trade and colonial activities in East Asia.
The time of Dutch rule saw economic development in Taiwan, including both large-scale hunting of deer and the cultivation of rice and sugar by imported labour from Fujian in China. The government also attempted to convert the aboriginal inhabitants to Christianity and suppress some cultural activities they found disagreeable (such as forced abortion and habitual nakedness) -in other words, to "civilise" the inhabitants of the island.
However, they were not universally welcomed and uprisings by both aborigines and recent Han Chinese arrivals were quelled by the Dutch military on more than one occasion. The colonial period was brought to an end by the invasion of Koxinga's army after 37 years.
Read more about Dutch Formosa: Government, Economy, Demographics, Legacy and Contributions
Famous quotes containing the word dutch:
“Too nice is neighbor’s fool.”
—Common Dutch saying, trans by Johanna C. Prins.