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Background of Hakka People’s Immigration to Taiwan
According to the existing literature records, Hakka people’s immigration to Taiwa can be traced back to the middle and late periods of the Ming Dynasty.
The Hakka people’s immigration to Taiwan in the early periods was around 25the or 26the year (1686or 1687) of Kangxi of Ching Dynasty when the ban o maritime trade was just lifted . A great deal of people from Fukien and Guangdong immigrated easteardly to Taiwan due to the prevailing circumstances.
However, the Hakka people from east Guangdong came to Taiwan later and were restricted by varied government decrees. so most of the Hakka people immigrating to Taiwan at that time earned livings outside the East Gate of Fujhih (the present Taiwan City) by cultivating vegetable farms.
In the 27th year of the rule of the Kangxi Emperor, there was one team, which consisted of Hakka soldiers, among task forces of Ching Dyasty recruited by Chiaying State. They were discharged after four-year service at Aping, Tainan, and Agongdian and settled at Lanlan Manor (the present Wandan Twnship, Pingtung County)in which they then were engaged in cultivating uncultivated lands. The Hakka people heard that there were abundant uncultivated lands on the east coast of lower Danshuei River around the 30th year of the reign of Kangxi Emperor, they then claimed this area despite threat of the malaria epidemic and indigenous people. After the death of Shih-lang in the 35th year of Kangxi, the decree which prohibited Chaohuei people from moving to Taiwan was gradually neglected, and the Hakka people from east Guangdong followed into the area, which resulted in an unexpected increase of population and extensive reclamation areas.
In the beginning, most of the Hakka people lived in western Taiwan. Afterward, being affected by the Holo people, some of the Hakka people were assimilated, and some gathered in the mountain areas, which formed a new group of Hakka people with a different dialect. Most Hakka people who came to Taiwan from their homeland landed at Dagou Harbor, lower Danshuei Harbor. or Donggand, and then, occupied Jhutian, Wanluan, and Gaoshu of Pingtung, and Meinong of Kaohsiung along lower Danshuei River. Later, there were other Hakka people landing at Lugang and Caogang and reclaiming Chaghua, Yunlin, and Nantou or landing at Bengshan Harbor and Da-an Harbor and developing Dajia, Fongyaun, and Dongshih; going on shore at Fangli River and Tunsiao River and claiming Fangli, Togsiao, Baishatun,ect; disembarking at Jhonggand and Houlonggang and living in Miaoli;landing at Jhucian Harbor and Hongmao Harbor and developing Hsinchu area, or landing at Nangang and Guanyin and becoming the master in Taoyuan.
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