Abstract：
With references to historical materials in Manchu and Chinese languages, this article analyzes how the espionage network established by the Zheng family operated during the Ming-Qing transition, and explores how the Qing Empire used intelligence from this network to acquire knowledge of islands on the southeastern coast and Taiwan before their conquest in 1683. This article argues that the Zheng espionage network conducted secret spying missions in China proper collecting detailed intelligence, which was in turned obtained by the Qing Empire, also through espionage, for learning about Taiwan and the neighboring islands prior to conquering them. The Taiwan Lue Tu (the brief map of Taiwan), archived at the National Palace Museum, was drafted under this background. This sketch map not only served military purposes but also constituted the basic understanding of the Qing Empire on Taiwan. The cartography of Taiwan included the Chinese version made by the Zheng commanders and the Manchu version constructed by the Qing court. Manchu descriptions on the map reveal that the Qing court perceived itself as a universal empire. By understanding how the Zheng espionage network operated and how the Qing Empire exploited its intelligence, this article examines how the Qing court transformed Taiwan into an imperial borderland within the context of imperial history.

Keywords：Imperial History, Zheng Family, Qing Empire, Ming-Qing Transition, Spy, Taiwan Lue Tu

Abstract：
Through tracing the journalist career of Ng Ong-seng and his participation in and observation for the operations and developments of The Taiwan Minpao, this articles explores the meaning of such a press that was born out of anti-colonial movements. The Taiwan Minpao had three characteristics: anti-colonial consciousness, modern press and colonial nature. Mechanisms behind the production and dissemination of reporting texts in The Taiwan Minpao are also discussed. Anti-colonial consciousness contained in The Taiwan Minpao had aligned the rise and fall in business of the publishing house with ups and downs of anti-colonial movements. Nevertheless, major setbacks of such movements sometimes became the turning points for survival of this colonial press. For example, the split of the Taiwanese Cultural Association and the forced disbandment of the Taiwanese People’s Party accidentally contributed to the permission from the Taiwan Governor-General Office for The Taiwan Minpao to move back to Taiwan and to issue daily newspaper. With the accumulation of experiences and personal networks in the movements, The Taiwan Minpao need not compromise with the Governor-General Office and managed to issue daily newspaper with pure Taiwanese capital. As a modern press, The Taiwan Minpao institutionalized the publishing model as an organization to support the “timeliness” of regular publications. Ng Ong-seng had good network relationship through his education, rich experience in article writing and journal editing as well as high linguistic competence in colonial Hanwen, making him an attraction and asset. Division of work and adjustment in organization of the publishing house brought promotion opportunities and also increased responsibilities for Ng. Colonial nature of The Taiwan Minpao would imply deficiency in journalistic professionalism and interference in news reporting and censorship from the colonial regime. Therefore, Ng could only rely on his own explorations and experiences to establish multiple sources for reporting materials. Following the restrictions on interviewing and reporting imposed by the Governor-General Office in the aftermath of the Hsinchu Commotion Incident, Ng attempted to report on the process and trial of the incident from various sources, bringing into full play the “contemporary nature” that closely linked The Taiwan Minpao with colonial Taiwan.

Keywords：Ng Ong-seng, The Taiwan Minpao, Colonial Modern Press, Anti-colonial Consciousness, Report Materials, Hsinchu Commotion Incident

Abstract：
Little attention has been paid to the Taiwanese in Hankou during the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. Without knowing their experience, it would be difficult to have the full picture of overseas Taiwanese living in China at that time. However, conducting research on this topic encounters the following problems. Firstly, most Taiwanese who were in Hankou before and especially during World War II preferred to keep silent on their lives and activities in those days. Secondly, materials of appeals or sentences for traitor/ war criminal cases are hard to obtain. This study has access to considerable primary source materials, such as lists of passports issued by the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan, which shed light on Taiwanese traveling to Hankou before 1937. For the postwar period, historical materials available include name lists composed by the Hankou Police Department and the Hankou Taiwanese Association; the Wuhan Daily (newspaper) with a Taiwanese chief editor after the city fell into Japanese hands; trial records kept by the Second Historical Archives of China (Nanjing) and the National Archives Administration, National Development Council (Taiwan); as well as interview records of Chuang Szu-chuan and Ko Tai-shan, two crucial persons then in Hankou. In addition to compiling a list of Taiwanese in Hankou and exploring as thoroughly as possible their activities there, this paper focuses on their postwar predicaments, such as trials of traitors/ war criminals, as well as how they overcame difficulties and returned safely to Taiwan. A careful scrutiny of the above sources revealed no more than 400 Taiwanese in prewar Hankou, including 145 soldiers recruited by the Japanese to Hankou. Most of those who went there after 1938 were either merchants, or working for the city government or Japanese companies. There were also a few physicians working for the Tung-jen Association (同仁會). After World War II, the Taiwanese there organized the Hankou Taiwanese Association. With the help from all possible sources, most of these Taiwanese were able to return home safely. However, some who worked for the Wang Ching-wei regime were arrested and tried as traitors/ war criminals. They were either found guilty and served prison terms, or cleared of all charges.

Keywords：Hankou, Chuang Szu-chuan, Ko Tai-shan, Trials of Traitors / War Criminals, List of Passports Issued by the Office of the Governor-General of Taiwan

Abstract：
Shigaku zasshi (“Historical Journal of Japan”), first published in 1889, is the most time-honored and prestigious academic journal on historical science. Its annual May issue, devoted to review articles summing up recent developments in the academic field of history within Japan, is of particular interest and a must-read to researchers of Japan history. Studies of Taiwan history has been made a sub-branch since the May issue of 2003 (Issue 112, no. 5). Literature reviews of Japan-based Taiwan studies have been available in both countries. The Japan Association of Taiwan Studies put emphasis on significant academic publications within each decade, while other organizations such as Institute of Taiwan History, Academia Sinica held symposiums with retrospect and prospect regrading certain years or specific topics in order to portray the academic activities in Japan in a more detailed manner. In view of the frequent exchanges between Taiwanese and Japanese researchers and a shared focus on the subjectivity of Taiwan and the continuity of history, this study aims to add to the cumulative efforts to demonstrate the involvements and trends in the Japanese academic circles of recent years. This study takes the year 2012, the 40th anniversary of Japan severing diplomatic ties with the Republic of China, as the starting point, and combs through the Japanese publications regarding “Taiwan study” up to 2017, as well as feedback from the Japanese academic circles, based on monographs, proceedings, and papers included in the “Retrospect and Prospect” section in Shigaku zasshi.

Keywords：Shigaku Zasshi (Historical Journal of Japan), Subjectivity of Taiwan, Continuity of History, Cultural Diversity, Transitional Justice, Taiwanese Aborigine