Republic of Taiwan (1895)
The Republic of Taiwan was a short-lived republic on the island of Taiwan. It is also called in simplified Chinese: 台湾民主国; traditional Chinese: 臺灣民主國; pinyin: Táiwān Mínzhǔguó; which means "Democratic State of Taiwan". In English it was also called the: Formosan Republic, Taiwan Republic and the Republic of Formosa.
Republic of Formosa 台灣民主國 | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1895–1896 | |||||||||
 | |||||||||
 Territory of the Republic of Formosa in 1896, before the Japanese invasion | |||||||||
| Status | Unrecognized state | ||||||||
| Capital | Taipei (1895)
Tainan (January 1896 - August 1896) Taichung (August 1896 - October 1896) | ||||||||
| Common languages | Mandarin, Taiwanese, Hakka, Formosan languages | ||||||||
| Government | Republic | ||||||||
| President | |||||||||
• May 1895 - June 1895 | Tang Ching-sung | ||||||||
• June 1895 - Oct. 1896 | Liu Yung-fu (de facto) | ||||||||
| Historical era | New Imperialism | ||||||||
• | May 24 1895 | ||||||||
• | October 23 1896 | ||||||||
| Population | |||||||||
• 1895 | 2,980,000 | ||||||||
| Currency | Qing Tael | ||||||||
| |||||||||
The Republic of Taiwan was formed in 1895. It did not last for very long. The Treaty of Shimonoseki which ended the war between the Qing Dynasty of China and the Empire of Japan, gave Taiwan to the Japanese. The republic began when the Chinese left in May, 1895, and ended when the Japanese soldiers arrived in October, 1896. Some historians say it was the first republic in Asia, but there was one earlier, the Lanfang Republic, which had been started in 1777.
The republic was started by a group of high officials and local people who still supported the Qing. They wanted to stop the Japanese take over of Taiwan. On May 24, 1895 the new republic sent a copy of its declaration of independence to all the embassies on Taiwan. The next day the new government held an independence ceremony. The Republic of Taiwan made their own stamps.[1] They also printed their own paper money, which is now very hard to find.[2]
They were always loyal to the Qing, and said that the Republic would be part of the Qing state. The first president of the Republic of Taiwan was the old governor, Tang Ching-sung, who served from May 25, 1895 to June 5, 1895. The second president was Liu Yung-fu, June 5, 1895 – October 21, 1896.
When the Japanese soldiers invaded Taiwan there was a lot of fighting.[2] They quickly defeated the new republic.[3] Most of the republic's official quickly left the island.
The modern Taiwan independence groups want to start a new Republic of Taiwan. They say that there is no connection between them and the 1895 Republic. The first Republic of Taiwan was loyal to China, but the new Republic of Taiwan would be started to be independent of China.[4]
Presidents
- T'ang Ching-sung (23 May 1895 – 5 June 1895)
- Liu Yung-fu (5 June 1895 – 21 October 1896)
Republic Of Taiwan (1895) Media
Postage stamp issued by the Republic of Formosa
National flag of the 1895 Republic of Formosa exhibited in the National Taiwan Museum
Japanese troops enter Taipei, 11 June 1895
Photographie de Tang Jingsong
Liu Yong Fu, Chinese soldier of fortune and commander of the celebrated Black Flag Army, last leader of the short-lived Republic of Formosa.
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References
- ↑ "Democratic Republic of Taiwan, 1895". www.1uptravel.com. Archived from the original on 2013-02-18. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 "Taiwan Democratic Republic's Official Note". www.charm.ru. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ↑ "History - Republic Of China ( Taiwan ) 中華民國（台灣）駐外單位聯合網站". www.taiwanembassy.org. Archived from the original on 2009-03-11. Retrieved 2009-02-19.
- ↑ "Republic of Taiwan". republic-of-taiwan.blogspot.com. Retrieved 2009-02-19.