Pescadores
Encyclopedia
The Penghu Islands, also known as Pescadores (from Portuguese
: "fishermen") are an archipelago
off the western coast of Taiwan
in the Taiwan Strait
consisting of 90 small islands and islets covering an area of 141 square kilometers.
The whole archipelago forms Penghu County, Taiwan Province
of Republic of China
("Taiwan"), the archipelago along with the island of Taiwan, composed the former Japanese territory of Formosa
.
and the archipelago were ruled by pirates, the colonial Dutch Empire
(attempts at conquest from 1622 onward), the Koxinga
kingdom, and the Qing Dynasty
, successively.
, and evacuated four months later. The Pescadores Campaign
was the last campaign of Admiral Amédée Courbet
, whose naval victories during the war had made him a national hero in France. Courbet was among several French soldiers and sailors who succumbed to cholera during the French occupation of Penghu. He died aboard his flagship Bayard
in Makung
harbour on 11 June 1885.
, the Qing government ceded the islands to Japan along with Taiwan in the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Shimonoseki
of April 1895. The Japanese suspected that they might meet resistance when they attempted to occupy Taiwan, and their invasion of Taiwan
, hastily launched in late May 1895 in response to the proclamation of the Republic of Formosa
, was preceded by an attack on Qing forces on Penghu in March 1895, in which the Japanese defeated the Chinese garrison of the islands and occupied Makung. The Japanese occupation of Penghu
prevented more Chinese troops from being sent to Taiwan, persuaded the Chinese negotiators at Shimonoseki that Japan was determined to annex Taiwan, and helped to ensure the success of the subsequent Japanese invasion of Taiwan
.
, Mako
(Makung
) was a major base for the Imperial Japanese Navy and embarkation point for the invasion of the Philippines.
of 1943, the United States, United Kingdom, and China stated it to be their purpose that "all the territories that Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Formosa
and The Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China
."
On 26 July 1945, the three governments issued the Potsdam Declaration
, declaring that "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out." In the Treaty of San Francisco
, Japan renounced sovereignty over Taiwan and Penghu but left their final disposition unsettled. The archipelago has been administered by the Republic of China
.
In the early 1990s the Penghu National Scenic Area
that comprises most but not all of the islands and islets of the archipelago was created. Tourism has since become one of the main sources of income of the county.
, a Boeing 747-200 aircraft flying from Taipei
, Taiwan to Hong Kong
disintegrated and exploded over the Islands. The wreckage slammed into the Taiwan Strait a couple of miles off the coast. All 225 passengers and crew on board were killed.
, both the Republic of China
and the People's Republic of China
agree that Penghu is a county in (their own respective) "Taiwan Province" (Taiwan Province
, Republic of China and Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China). However, geographically, the island of Taiwan
does not include Penghu, although it is closer to Taiwan than the mainland. Thus Penghu is listed separately from "Taiwan" in some contexts, e.g. the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu (the official WTO name for the Republic of China); in the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Cairo Declaration, and the Treaty of San Francisco (see above); and in the introduction to the Republic of China
article.
Altogether, there are 97 villages.
The main islands of Magong City/Husi Township, Baisha Township, and Siyu Township are the three most populous islands and are connected via bridges. Two shorter bridges connect Husi and Baisha. The bridge connecting Baisha and Siyu is the longest bridge in the Republic of China and is called the Penghu Trans-Oceanic Bridge (澎湖跨海大橋 Peng Hu Kua Hai Da Qiao).
Portuguese language
Portuguese is a Romance language that arose in the medieval Kingdom of Galicia, nowadays Galicia and Northern Portugal. The southern part of the Kingdom of Galicia became independent as the County of Portugal in 1095...
: "fishermen") are an archipelago
Archipelago
An archipelago , sometimes called an island group, is a chain or cluster of islands. The word archipelago is derived from the Greek ἄρχι- – arkhi- and πέλαγος – pélagos through the Italian arcipelago...
off the western coast of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
in the Taiwan Strait
Taiwan Strait
The Taiwan Strait or Formosa Strait, formerly known as the Black Ditch, is a 180-km-wide strait separating Mainland China and Taiwan. The strait is part of the South China Sea and connects to East China Sea to the northeast...
consisting of 90 small islands and islets covering an area of 141 square kilometers.
The whole archipelago forms Penghu County, Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province is one of the two administrative divisions referred to as provinces and is controlled by the Republic of China . The province covers approximately 73% of the territory controlled by the Republic of China...
of Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
("Taiwan"), the archipelago along with the island of Taiwan, composed the former Japanese territory of Formosa
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
.
History
'Peng-hu' was first recorded in unofficial historical records and regional logs in 1171 during the Southern Song Dynasty. From the middle of the 17th century to 1895, TaiwanTaiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and the archipelago were ruled by pirates, the colonial Dutch Empire
Dutch Empire
The Dutch Empire consisted of the overseas territories controlled by the Dutch Republic and later, the modern Netherlands from the 17th to the 20th century. The Dutch followed Portugal and Spain in establishing an overseas colonial empire, but based on military conquest of already-existing...
(attempts at conquest from 1622 onward), the Koxinga
Koxinga
Koxinga is the customary Western spelling of the popular appellation of Zheng Chenggong , a military leader who was born in 1624 in Hirado, Japan to Zheng Zhilong, a Chinese merchant/pirate, and his Japanese wife and died in 1662 on the island of Formosa .A Ming loyalist and the arch commander of...
kingdom, and the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, successively.
Sino-French War
The Penghu archipelago was captured by the French in March 1885, in the closing weeks of the Sino-French WarSino-French War
The Sino–French War was a limited conflict fought between August 1884 and April 1885 to decide whether France should replace China in control of Tonkin . As the French achieved their war aims, they are usually considered to have won the war...
, and evacuated four months later. The Pescadores Campaign
Pescadores Campaign
The Pescadores Campaign in late March 1885 was one of the last campaigns of the Sino-French War . It was fought to capture a strategically important island group off the western coast of Taiwan...
was the last campaign of Admiral Amédée Courbet
Amédée Courbet
Anatole-Amédée-Prosper Courbet was a French admiral who won a series of important land and naval victories during the Tonkin campaign and the Sino-French War .-Early years:...
, whose naval victories during the war had made him a national hero in France. Courbet was among several French soldiers and sailors who succumbed to cholera during the French occupation of Penghu. He died aboard his flagship Bayard
French battleship Bayard (1880)
The Bayard was an early stationary battleship of the French Navy, lead ship of her class. Bayard had a wooden hull and a full rigging, as well as a side armour and steam machinery.- Active service :...
in Makung
Makung
Makung is the county seat of Penghu, in Taiwan Province, Taiwan . Makung is on the western part of the main Penghu Island....
harbour on 11 June 1885.
First Sino-Japanese War
Defeated in northern China by the Japanese in the First Sino-Japanese WarFirst Sino-Japanese War
The First Sino-Japanese War was fought between Qing Dynasty China and Meiji Japan, primarily over control of Korea...
, the Qing government ceded the islands to Japan along with Taiwan in the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Shimonoseki
Treaty of Shimonoseki
The Treaty of Shimonoseki , known as the Treaty of Maguan in China, was signed at the Shunpanrō hall on April 17, 1895, between the Empire of Japan and Qing Empire of China, ending the First Sino-Japanese War. The peace conference took place from March 20 to April 17, 1895...
of April 1895. The Japanese suspected that they might meet resistance when they attempted to occupy Taiwan, and their invasion of Taiwan
Japanese invasion of Taiwan (1895)
The Japanese invasion of Taiwan was a conflict between the Empire of Japan and the armed forces of the short-lived Republic of Formosa following the Qing Dynasty's cession of Taiwan to Japan in April 1895 at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War...
, hastily launched in late May 1895 in response to the proclamation of the Republic of Formosa
Republic of Formosa
The Republic of Formosa was a short-lived republic that existed on the island of Taiwan in 1895 between the formal cession of Taiwan by the Qing Dynasty of China to the Empire of Japan by the Treaty of Shimonoseki and its invasion and occupation by Japanese troops...
, was preceded by an attack on Qing forces on Penghu in March 1895, in which the Japanese defeated the Chinese garrison of the islands and occupied Makung. The Japanese occupation of Penghu
Pescadores Campaign (1895)
The Pescadores Campaign was the last military operation of the First Sino-Japanese War and an essential preliminary to the Japanese conquest of Taiwan.- Background :...
prevented more Chinese troops from being sent to Taiwan, persuaded the Chinese negotiators at Shimonoseki that Japan was determined to annex Taiwan, and helped to ensure the success of the subsequent Japanese invasion of Taiwan
Japanese invasion of Taiwan (1895)
The Japanese invasion of Taiwan was a conflict between the Empire of Japan and the armed forces of the short-lived Republic of Formosa following the Qing Dynasty's cession of Taiwan to Japan in April 1895 at the end of the First Sino-Japanese War...
.
Second Sino-Japanese War
In the Second Sino-Japanese WarSecond Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, Mako
Mako Guard District
The was the major navy base for the Imperial Japanese Navy in Taiwan before and during World War II. Located in at Mako ), , the Mako Guard District was responsible for control of the strategic Straits of Taiwan and for patrols along the Taiwan and China coastlines and in the South China Sea...
(Makung
Makung
Makung is the county seat of Penghu, in Taiwan Province, Taiwan . Makung is on the western part of the main Penghu Island....
) was a major base for the Imperial Japanese Navy and embarkation point for the invasion of the Philippines.
Cairo Declaration
In the Cairo DeclarationCairo Declaration
The Cairo Declaration was the outcome of the Cairo Conference in Cairo, Egypt, on November 27, 1943. President Franklin Roosevelt of the United States, Prime Minister Winston Churchill of the United Kingdom, and Generalissimo Chiang Kai-shek of the Republic of China were present...
of 1943, the United States, United Kingdom, and China stated it to be their purpose that "all the territories that Japan has stolen from the Chinese, such as Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
and The Pescadores, shall be restored to the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
."
On 26 July 1945, the three governments issued the Potsdam Declaration
Potsdam Declaration
The Potsdam Declaration or the Proclamation Defining Terms for Japanese Surrender is a statement calling for the Surrender of Japan in World War II. On July 26, 1945, United States President Harry S...
, declaring that "the terms of the Cairo Declaration shall be carried out." In the Treaty of San Francisco
Treaty of San Francisco
The Treaty of Peace with Japan , between Japan and part of the Allied Powers, was officially signed by 48 nations on September 8, 1951, at the War Memorial Opera House in San Francisco, California...
, Japan renounced sovereignty over Taiwan and Penghu but left their final disposition unsettled. The archipelago has been administered by the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
.
In the early 1990s the Penghu National Scenic Area
Penghu National Scenic Area
The Penghu National Scenic Area is one of the National Scenic Areas of the Republic of China , and covers most, but not all of the islands and islets that form Penghu County. These islands have a total of 320 kilometers of shoreline. A National Scenic Area is not a National Park...
that comprises most but not all of the islands and islets of the archipelago was created. Tourism has since become one of the main sources of income of the county.
China Airlines Disaster
On 25 May 2002, China Airlines Flight 611China Airlines Flight 611
China Airlines Flight 611 was a regularly scheduled flight from Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in Taoyuan to Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong...
, a Boeing 747-200 aircraft flying from Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Taiwan to Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
disintegrated and exploded over the Islands. The wreckage slammed into the Taiwan Strait a couple of miles off the coast. All 225 passengers and crew on board were killed.
Relationship to Taiwan
Despite the controversy over the political status of TaiwanPolitical status of Taiwan
The controversy regarding the political status of Taiwan hinges on whether Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu should remain effectively independent as territory of the Republic of China , become unified with the territories now governed by the People's Republic of China , or formally declare...
, both the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
and the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
agree that Penghu is a county in (their own respective) "Taiwan Province" (Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province
Taiwan Province is one of the two administrative divisions referred to as provinces and is controlled by the Republic of China . The province covers approximately 73% of the territory controlled by the Republic of China...
, Republic of China and Taiwan Province, People's Republic of China). However, geographically, the island of Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
does not include Penghu, although it is closer to Taiwan than the mainland. Thus Penghu is listed separately from "Taiwan" in some contexts, e.g. the Separate Customs Territory of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu (the official WTO name for the Republic of China); in the Treaty of Shimonoseki, the Cairo Declaration, and the Treaty of San Francisco (see above); and in the introduction to the Republic of China
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
article.
Sub-county divisions
| Name (Hanyu Pinyin) | Hanzi Chinese character Chinese characters are logograms used in the writing of Chinese and Japanese , less frequently Korean , formerly Vietnamese , or other languages... | Wade-Giles Wade-Giles Wade–Giles , sometimes abbreviated Wade, is a romanization system for the Mandarin Chinese language. It developed from a system produced by Thomas Wade during the mid-19th century , and was given completed form with Herbert Giles' Chinese–English dictionary of 1892.Wade–Giles was the most... | Tongyong Pinyin Tongyong Pinyin Tongyong Pinyin was the official Romanization of Mandarin Chinese in the Republic of China between 2002 and 2008. The system was unofficially used between 2000 and 2002, when a new romanization system for the Republic of China was being evaluated for adoption. The ROC's Ministry of Education... | Hanyu Pinyin | Taiwanese (POJ) | Hakka Pha̍k-fa-sṳ | Literal meaning |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| City | |||||||
| Magong City | 馬公市 | Ma-kung | Magong | Mǎgōng | Má-keng | Mâ-kûng | originally Matsu Matsu (goddess) Mazu , also spelt Matsu, is the indigenous goddess of the sea who is said to protect fishermen and sailors, and is invoked as the patron deity of all Southern Chinese and East Asian persons... Palace |
| Rural township | |||||||
| Huxi Township | 湖西鄉 | Hu-hsi | Husi | Húxī | Ô͘-sai | Fù-sî | Lake West / West of Penghu |
| Baisha Township Baisha, Penghu Baisha Township is a rural township in Penghu County, located northern of Penghu Main Island and linked to Siyu township by the trans-oceanic bridge, which at 2.5km long makes it the longest of its kind in east Asia.-Geography:... |
白沙鄉 | Pai-sha | Baisha | Báishā | Pe̍h-soa | Pha̍k-sâ | White Sand |
| Xiyu Township Xiyu, Penghu Siyu Township is a rural township over the Siyu island, which is among the three major islands of the Penghu County . It has a population of 8,443 and an area of 18.7148 square kilometres.... |
西嶼鄉 | Hsi-yü | Siyu | Xīyǔ | Sai-sū | Sî-yí | Western Isle |
| Qimei Township | 七美鄉 | Ch'i-mei | Cimei | Qīmei | Chhit-bí | Tshit-mî | Seven Beauties |
| Wang'an Township Wang-an, Penghu Wang-an is a rural township in Penghu Islands, Taiwan. It is located at the southern sea of Penghu. There are nineteen islets with nine villages on six of islets. Four village on the main island while others are on their own islet.-External links:*... |
望安鄉 | Wang-an | Wang-an | Wàng'ān | Bāng-oaⁿ | Mong-ôn | Hope Safe |
Altogether, there are 97 villages.
The main islands of Magong City/Husi Township, Baisha Township, and Siyu Township are the three most populous islands and are connected via bridges. Two shorter bridges connect Husi and Baisha. The bridge connecting Baisha and Siyu is the longest bridge in the Republic of China and is called the Penghu Trans-Oceanic Bridge (澎湖跨海大橋 Peng Hu Kua Hai Da Qiao).
See also
- Administrative divisions of the Republic of China
- Republic of ChinaRepublic of ChinaThe Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
- China Airlines Flight 611China Airlines Flight 611China Airlines Flight 611 was a regularly scheduled flight from Chiang Kai-shek International Airport in Taoyuan to Hong Kong International Airport in Hong Kong...
- List of cities in the Republic of China (Taiwan)
- Penghu National Scenic AreaPenghu National Scenic AreaThe Penghu National Scenic Area is one of the National Scenic Areas of the Republic of China , and covers most, but not all of the islands and islets that form Penghu County. These islands have a total of 320 kilometers of shoreline. A National Scenic Area is not a National Park...
- Township (Republic of China)