Shipping Relations between Wenzhou and Taiwan in Modern Times

By analyzing the Customs reports,local gazetteers,consular reports,news reports and other historical materials,the shipping and trade relationship between Taiwan,both governed by the Qing dynasty and occupied by the Japanese,and Wenzhou were discussed.Ever since the Qing Dynasty,by taking advantage of sailboats,Wenzhou had had a great development in shipping and trade relations with Taiwan, especially in pork and rice trade,which were mostly carried out by Junks(a kind of sailboats in the Qing Dynasty).Pork and rice accounted for a large proportion in the Wenzhou-Taiwan shipping trade.Wenzhou imported rice from Taiwan where rice is largely planted in order to settle the shortage in rice supply,since the areas around Wenzhou could hardly produce enough rice.On the other hand,pork occupied a certain proportion in the people's daily diet in Taiwan,,and among the pork consumed,a large part of that came from Wenzhou or the areas next to Wenzhou.