Zeelandia/Anping Gubao - a Dutch fortress in Taiwan

Zeelandia/Anping Gubao - a Dutch fortress in Taiwan

Wilco Roos asked for photos when I mentioned old Dutch cannons in Taiwan, so here we go: There was indeed a time when the Dutch ruled Taiwan, from 1624 to 1662. Not a lot of people know that. After attempts to establish bases around Macau and on Penghu, the Dutch decided for a settlement at what today is Tainan.

Here they built a fort named "Zeelandia", construction lasting 10 years. This fort was built right by the sea, as you can see on the painting. But these days even their forward gun position is far from salt water.

It is amazing that some of the old walls survived for so long, especially considering (by today's standards) how they were built. This settlement was established to allow trade with China and also Japan. All this went well for some time, then came Koxinga.

His real name is Zheng Chenggong, and to be honest, he was not really Chinese: While his father was Chinese (a pirate), his mother was Japanese, and he was born in Japan. Nevertheless he saw himself more as Chinese than Japanese.

He was loyal to the Ming emperor (yes, the one with all the famous porcellain), who was overthrown by the Qing. He had fought the Qing in China, and when the Ming forces were defeated he sailed to Taiwan, to establish a base there to... ah, I think one could say "retake the mainland". (Where have I heard that slogan...?)

Koxinga arrived with 25,000 men in 1661, laying siege on the Zeelandia garrison with its 2,000 men. Requested reinforcements never arrived, so after nine months(!) the Dutch had to surrender. They wre allowed to leave, but Koxinga did not get far with retaking anything, he died the same year.

Btw, I know a number of Taiwanese who really are not fond of Koxinga, because without him Taiwan may now still be somehow Dutch...

Only in 1684 did the Qing finally take possession of Taiwan - and in 1895 the island went to Japan as a result of the treaty of Shimonoseki - until 1945. So, in case you hear someone say that "Taiwan has always been part of China", that "always" is equal to 211 years. (Vietnam has been part of China for way longer.) Please imagine the Michael Caine quote once again.

So, now you know that there could have been windmills in Taiwan, but are not, thanks to a pirate who was not happy with the current overlord in a country he wasn't even born in. And if you ever make it to Taiwan: Tainan (the oldest city on the island) is always worth a visit, for many reasons.