Mudan Incident of 1871
Encyclopedia
Mudan Incident of 1871 was the massacre of fifty-four Ryukyuan sailors in Taiwan
who wandered into the central part of Taiwan after their ship was shipwrecked. 12 men were rescued by Han Chinese
and were transferred to Miyako
. After the Taiwan Expedition of 1874
, the Japanese sovereignty of Ryukyu was confirmed.
to Ryukyuan Kingdom started from Naha for their homeland. They met a violent typhoon and one ship disappeared, one ship sailed safely, and two ships were shipwrecked; one reached the eastern tip of Taiwan on November 6. Another ship reached the western part of Taiwan and this one was safe.
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
who wandered into the central part of Taiwan after their ship was shipwrecked. 12 men were rescued by Han Chinese
Han Chinese
Han Chinese are an ethnic group native to China and are the largest single ethnic group in the world.Han Chinese constitute about 92% of the population of the People's Republic of China , 98% of the population of the Republic of China , 78% of the population of Singapore, and about 20% of the...
and were transferred to Miyako
Miyako
-Places in Japan:*Miyako, Iwate, a city in Iwate Prefecture*The Miyako Islands, including Miyako Island itself**Miyakojima, Okinawa, a city of the Miyako Islands**Miyako language, the Ryukyuan dialect spoken on Miyako Island and other nearby islands...
. After the Taiwan Expedition of 1874
Taiwan Expedition of 1874
The , usually referred to in Taiwan and mainland China as the Mudan incident , was a punitive expedition launched by the Japanese in retaliation for the murder of 54 Ryukyuan sailors by Paiwan aborigines near the southwestern tip of Taiwan in December 1871...
, the Japanese sovereignty of Ryukyu was confirmed.
Shipwreck
On October 18, 1871, four ships which had carried the Nintouzei tax poll taxPoll tax
A poll tax is a tax of a portioned, fixed amount per individual in accordance with the census . When a corvée is commuted for cash payment, in effect it becomes a poll tax...
to Ryukyuan Kingdom started from Naha for their homeland. They met a violent typhoon and one ship disappeared, one ship sailed safely, and two ships were shipwrecked; one reached the eastern tip of Taiwan on November 6. Another ship reached the western part of Taiwan and this one was safe.
Wandering and crossing Taiwan
- 66 people landed on November 6, at the eastern tip of Taiwan called 高雄州恒春郡満州庄九柵 (八遥湾） but 3 persons who landed in a hurry died during landing. They began extraordinary hard traveling for safety. According to two survivors, they reached Mudan community on November 8 and were ordered to stay there; there 66 men and women had some doubts and on November 9, started to escape; there started massacre. 12 survivors were rescued by local people and stayed there for 40 plus several days, in the house of Yoh Yuu Oh (Japanese Pronunciation); they returned via Tainan City and Fuzhou(福州）, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, and they came back to Miyako. The distance of their wandering was roughly 100 km in a straight line. The place of the murder was known as 双渓谷 and is now the place of training of Taiwanese army, navy and air force.
Yang Youwang;楊友旺
- 12 survivors stayed at his home for 40 plus several days and they recovered with sufficient food. Yang Youwang paid a considerable amount of money to calm down the aborigines. Originally they got angry for not being given 2 barrels of alcoholic drinks. The son and a nephew of Yang Youwang brought the 12 survivors to safety. They stayed at the Ryukyuan House at FuzhouFuzhouFuzhou is the capital and one of the largest cities in Fujian Province, People's Republic of China. Along with the many counties of Ningde, those of Fuzhou are considered to constitute the Mindong linguistic and cultural area....
, ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
for half a year and the survivors reached Naha on June 7, 1872 together with the men on another ship, which reached TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
on their way to YaeyamaYaeyamaYaeyama may refer to:* Yaeyama Islands, an archipelago in Okinawa Prefecture, Japan* Yaeyama District, Okinawa, an administrative division covering most of the Yaeyama Islands* Yaeyama language, a language spoken in the Yaeyama Islands...
. Yoh and other people made a tomb and have continued memorial ceremonies.
People who rescued the 12 sailors
- 楊友旺(Yang Youwang)(1824–1916) was the head of a township and he looked dignified in formal Chinese uniform in a picture on the cover of the book of Miyaguni Fumio. He sheltered 9 people and saved other 3 people giving precious animals and clothing to the aborigines. He let his son and nephew go with the 12 people to safety.
- 林阿九(Lin Ajiu) was the head of a township and one who saved Japanese. He later persuaded 温朱雷(Wen Zhulei) who stole 44 skulls from a settlement into giving them to the Japanese army. His family has continued memorial services for the victims.
- 鄧天保 (Deng Tianbao) and 凌老生 (Ling Laosheng) were also rescuers.
Victims and Survivors
- Name of origin is from Chinese Wikipedia.
- Niya is the name of a samurai-class person in Ryukyu(Okinawa and Miyakojima), whose name is unknown.
- This table was compiled by Shimabukuro Kame (11 people of Okinawa) and by Motomura Choryo (43 people of Miyakojima). Shimabukuro Kame asked Teruya Hiroshi to look for information in 1925; Teruya asked Motomura Choryo in Miyakojima for information.
Name|-align ="center" style="width:6%"|Name of origin|-align="center"style="width:8%"|Assignment|-align ="center" style="width:10%"|Fate and others|-align ="center" style="width:10%"> Name Name of origin Assignment Address Fate and others Nakasone Gen-an Chudo Head of a large community Hirara of Miyakojima Killed, Huge body carried by two persons Tanahara Gen-ei Chudo Head of a township Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Hoeshige Genkan Chudo Head of a township Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Takaesu Yoshiyo Mazoku Head of a township Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Okudaira Niya Unknown Assistant head of a township Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Takaesu Niya Unknown Assistant head of a township Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Tanahira Genkyo Chudo Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Hoeshige Genkei Chudo Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Takaesu Niya Unknown Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Hirara Keisei Shirakawa Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Tsukayama Keigo Shirakawa Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Soeishi Niya Unknown Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Inafuku Niya Unknown Secretary Hirara of Miyako Killed Takahara Niya Unknown Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Aniya Yoshimasa Mazoku Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Yamauchi Niya Unknown Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Yamauchi Niya Unknown Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Shitahaku Niya Unknown Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Ikemura Niya Unknown Makata Secretary Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Magtsukawa Kin None Lower servant(head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Maekawa Yashin None Servant（head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Hamakawa Kin None Servant（head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Maedomari Kin None Servant （head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Futenma Kin None Servant（head） Irabujima of Miyakojima Killed Sakumoto Keiza None Servant（head） Irabujima of Miyakojima Killed Ikema Kin None Servant（head） Irabujima of Miyakojima Killed Nakachiya Makoto None Servant（head） Irabujima of Miyakojima Killed Nagahama Kama None Servant（head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Uchima Ka-a-ryou None Servant（head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Uchima Yashin None Servant(head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Kawamitsu Kin None Servant（assistant） Shimojimura of Miyakojima Killed Maesato Kama None Servant（assiatant） Shirabejima of Miyakojima Killed Shimajiri Chabu None Servant（assistant） Simojimura of Miyakojima Killed Nobara Tsuro None Servant（assistant） Shimojimura of Miyakojima Killed Sakugawa Matsu
None Servant（assistant） Shimojimura of Miyakojima Killed Kawamitsu Kin
None Servant（assistant） Shimojishima of Miyakojima Killed Oyadomari Niya Unknown Samurai class follower(head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Karimata Niya Unknown Samurai class follower（head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Karimata Niya Unknown Samurai class follower（head） Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Sunagawa Niya Unknown Samurai class follower（head） Shimojimura of Miyakojima Killed Matsukawa Niya Unknown Samurai class follower Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Kataesu Niya Unknown Samurai class follower Hirara of Miyakoima Killed Okuhira Niya Unknown Samurai class follower Hirara of Miyakojima Killed Shinjo Choken ? Getting a lift Shuri of Okinawa Killed Miyagi Mototaka Unknown Getting a lift Shur of Okinawa Killed Taba Kame None Getting a lift Shuri of Okinawa Killed Aragaki Bou None Getting a lift Shuri of Okinawa Killed Nakamatsu Bou None Getting a lift Shuri of Okinawa Killed Iha Hiroyuki ? Getting a lift Naha of Okinawa Killed Matsuda Kame None Getting a lift Naha of Okinawa Killed Aragaki Niou Unknown Getting a lift Naha of Okinawa Killed Nakankadari Kame None Getting a lift Naha of Okinawa Killed Iju Kame None Getting a lift Naka-atama Killed Nakasone Matsu None Getting a lift Nakijin of Kunigami Killed Shimabukuro Jiryou None Unknown Shuri of Okinawa Alive, father of Shimabukuro Kame Shimabukuro Kame None Unknown Shuri of Okinawa Alive, died in 19
26 at age 76, left documentsJabana Jiryou None Unknown Shuri of Okinawa Alive, Interpreter in Chinese characters Nakamoto Kana None Unknown Shuri of Okinawa Alive Tokeiji Matsu None Unknown Naha of Okinawa Alive Shimajiri Yonabaaru None Unknown Naha of Okinawa Alive Zashiki Bou None Unknown Kerama of Okinawa Alive, boatman Takaesu Matsu None Unknown Kerama of Okinawa Alive Shimoji Niya Unknown Unknown Miyakojima Alive Hirara Niya Unknown Unknown Miyakojima Alive, in exchange for a cow Taketomi Niya Unknown Unknown Miyakojima Alive Urasaki Kin None Unknown Miyakojima Alive, in exchange for clothing
Diplomatic conflicts and Taiwan Expedition of 1874
- The Japanese Government demanded that the Chinese government punish leaders of the Taiwanese aborigines but their response was that they were not under the control of the Chinese Government and the Japanese Government decided on sending the Japanese army Taiwan Expedition of 1874Taiwan Expedition of 1874The , usually referred to in Taiwan and mainland China as the Mudan incident , was a punitive expedition launched by the Japanese in retaliation for the murder of 54 Ryukyuan sailors by Paiwan aborigines near the southwestern tip of Taiwan in December 1871...
.
Tomb and afterwards
The Japanese expedition army established a memorial tower in front of the tomb where Taiwanese rescurers made, and collected skulls, 44 skulls; 10 skulls could not be recovered. The skulls were transferred first to NagasakiNagasakiis the capital and the largest city of Nagasaki Prefecture on the island of Kyushu in Japan. Nagasaki was founded by the Portuguese in the second half of the 16th century on the site of a small fishing village, formerly part of Nishisonogi District...
and then to Naha and buried there and later at Gokoku-ji (Okinawa)Gokoku-ji (Okinawa)' is a Buddhist temple in Naha, Okinawa. Established in 1367, the temple served as a major national temple for the Okinawan kingdom of Chūzan and the unified Ryūkyū Kingdom which would follow. It is perhaps most well-known for its associations with Christian missionary Dr...
in the same city. In 1980, the tomb was made again anew, and related people attended the ceremony from MiyakoMiyako-Places in Japan:*Miyako, Iwate, a city in Iwate Prefecture*The Miyako Islands, including Miyako Island itself**Miyakojima, Okinawa, a city of the Miyako Islands**Miyako language, the Ryukyuan dialect spoken on Miyako Island and other nearby islands...
Island. In 1997, Fumio Miyakuni visited the related places and wrote a book. In 2005, Taiwanese people visited Miyako Island for an apology and they and Miyako people shaked hands of frienship.
Shimabukuro Kame(1850-1926)
- Shimabukuro Kame was a survivor and an important informant concerning the incident and victims. His father and he were lower class samurais without salary living at Shuri, Okinawa; there were 5 victims living at Shuri, and they were being given a lift on the ship. In 1872, his father and he were interviewed by the Ryukyu government. After the abolition of the clan, what they did was not known. In 1925, Kame sent a letter to Iha FuyūIha FuyuIha Fuyū was the father of Okinawaology and a Japanese scholar who studied various aspects of Japanese and Okinawan culture, customs, linguistics, and lore. His signature was Ifa Fuyu in English, because of the Okinawan pronunciation)...
who introduced Teruya Hiroshi who gave the address of rescuers, since Kame wanted to thank them. Teruya Hiroshi was deeply moved and after the addresses of Miyako victims were investigated by Motomura Choryo, the names of the victims were engraved into the tombs of both Taiwan and Naha.- Teruya Hiroshi(1875–1934) was born in Naha and studied at Daiichi Higher School and Tokyo University. He became a train engineer in TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and later became the Mayor of Naha. - Motomura Choryo (1876–1937) was the town head of Hirara between 1917 and 1919. He gave information on Miyako victims.
- Teruya Hiroshi(1875–1934) was born in Naha and studied at Daiichi Higher School and Tokyo University. He became a train engineer in Taiwan
Episodes
- The attitude of MiyakoMiyako-Places in Japan:*Miyako, Iwate, a city in Iwate Prefecture*The Miyako Islands, including Miyako Island itself**Miyakojima, Okinawa, a city of the Miyako Islands**Miyako language, the Ryukyuan dialect spoken on Miyako Island and other nearby islands...
people to TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
is good; in the last war, many Miyako people evacuated MiyakoMiyako-Places in Japan:*Miyako, Iwate, a city in Iwate Prefecture*The Miyako Islands, including Miyako Island itself**Miyakojima, Okinawa, a city of the Miyako Islands**Miyako language, the Ryukyuan dialect spoken on Miyako Island and other nearby islands...
to TaiwanTaiwanTaiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. The leader of the tragic group Gen-an Nakasone was partly responsible for the tragedy; he was a greatly fat man, which delayed the speed of their movement.
The view of Lianes, Punanang (Chinese)
高加馨 Lianes, Punanang, defended the inhabitants of Taiwan in papers to the point that at that time, foreign people whom the inhabitants did not know and went into their land without a reason, had been regarded as intruders, and should be punished. Because of the large number of foreigners, there arose a misunderstanding and a quarrel, leading to the massacre. This incident of that time should not be viewed from a present point of view. The Japanese governnment used this incident as a touchstone to know the reactions of the Qing DynastyQing DynastyThe Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
, and their true intention was not the realization of justice, but to know Taiwan and to occupy Taiwan. This incident was one of the key points in the history of Taiwan, and has posed serious influences. - The Japanese Government demanded that the Chinese government punish leaders of the Taiwanese aborigines but their response was that they were not under the control of the Chinese Government and the Japanese Government decided on sending the Japanese army Taiwan Expedition of 1874