沈葆桢巡台与晚清治台政策的转变

Transformation of Shen Baozhen’s Patrol and Taiwan Policy in the Late Qing Dynasty

沈葆桢是台湾近代化的首倡者和奠基者。1874年,沈葆桢受命为钦差大臣赴台处理牡丹社事件。巡台期间(1874年6月中旬至1875年4月),他的改革与实践推动了清政府治台政策的根本转变——由防内为主转向“外防内治”。具体表现为:御外为要,加强台湾的防务;开山抚番,推进台湾的开发与近代化;分驻巡抚,增设郡县等。这一切都成为清政府治台政策的起点,亦为台湾近代化之滥觞。

Shen Baozhen is the pioneer and founder of Taiwan’s modernization.In 1874,Shen Baozhen was appointed imperial envoy to deal with the Botan Tribe Incident in Taiwan.During the patrolling period(mid-June 1874-April 1875),Shen’s reform and practice promoted the fundamental transformation of the Qing government’s Taiwan policy,turning from relaying mainly on interior defense to combination of internal governance and external defense.The policy included taking exterior resistance as the highest priority and strengthening Taiwan defense system,the policy of“cutting mountains and protecting foreigners”aiming at promoting Taiwan’s development and modernization,and improving the administrative system of Taiwan by accrediting imperial inspector and establishing prefectures and counties,etc.All of these had become the starting point for the Qing government’s Taiwan policy and modernization of Taiwan.