(2) Hakkas in Taiwan

[CHUNG Yoon-Ngan <chungyn@mozart.collective.com.au>]

   (2) Hakkas in Taiwan

   In the early 19th century, it was estimated that there were over
200,000 Hakkas in Taiwan out of a total population of two and a half
millions. The Hakkas were mainly came from the province of Guangdong.
They lived in the regions stretching from the present day cities of Maoli
to Nantou in the central of the island. Hakkas also occupied the areas in
the present day towns of Yangmei, Xinbu and Zhuxin in the northwest of the
capital of Taiwanfu. There were a few Hakka settlements in Taidong in the
areas of Xinhua and Guanmiao. In the east coast the Hakkas settlements
were in the areas of the present day towns of Fenglin, Bozi, Wangli,
Guanshan, Yueya and Luya.
   
   During those time it was very easy to differential the Hakka females  
from the Punti (Haklo) women because Hakka women were with big feet
whereas the Haklo females bind their feet which became the fragility of
two-inch golden lotus feet. 

  Feuds between the Hakkas and the Puntis were unabated. In 1830 there
was a very serious incident that the Qing authority was being driven out
of the Taiwanfu, the capital of the island, by the disputers. The root of
this conflict was the disputation over land rights between the villagers
of Hakka and Punti. One of the parties complained to the Qing authority.
The opposite party, wanting the authority to make decision in their
favour, bribed the officials with presents. The party, who lost the
case, went wild after they had discovered about the bribery. In anger
the losing party, with thousands of their clan men, killed the officials
who presided over the case. They went on a rampage in the towns in the
vicinity near capital, Taiwanfu. The news of the rebellion spread like
wild fire through out the island. The amuck mob killed many Qing troops
and the surviving Imperial soldiers fled to the mountains. 

  In October 1832 a mob of over 30,000 strong, led by its leader Chen Ban,
seized Taiwanfu and ransacked the capital. Anarchy prevailed in the
island. Different hostile parties were engaging in wars trying to
exterminate each other.

   Meanwhile the Qing Authority despatched troops to the island from 
the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Zhejiang and Jiangxi to quell the
insurgents. The Qing Imperial troops landed and arrived in Taiwnfu without
any resistance because the hostile parties were too busy killing each
other. More Qing troops arrived by landing in different parts of the
island. Chen Ban was captured by the Qing troops and was executed in
March 1833 and by then the insurrection through out the island was
pacified.
  
   How many people died in the fratricide between the Hakkas and the
Puntis no boby knew. The number of people killed in the mop-up operation
by the Qing Imperial troops were not recorded. 

CHUNG Yoon-Ngan.  chungyn@mozart.collective.com.au