In 1874, the Mudan Incident in southern Taiwan alerted the Qing court to Japan’s expansionist ambitions and prompted its recognition of Taiwan’s strategic significance, leading to the construction of the Taipei City Walls. In 1875, the Qing government approved a memorial to the throne submitted by Shen Bao-Zhen (1820–1879), then Governor of Fujian, titled “Proposal to Establish One Prefecture and Three Counties in Taipei.”
In 1879, Taipei Prefecture was officially founded. Its first Prefect, Chen Xing-Ju (1817–1885), along with Fujian Governor Cen Yu-Ying (1820–1889), began planning the construction of the city walls, which was officially launched in 1882 and finished by the end of 1884. Taipei was the last walled city built during the Qing dynasty.
Within the city walls, several government offices were inaugurated, including the Taiwan Governor’s Yamen, the Provincial Administration Commissioner’s Yamen, the Taipei Prefectural Yamen, and the Tamshui County Yamen. Additionally, traditional temples such as the Confucius Temple, the Martial Temple, the City God Temple, and the Mazu Temple were built, turning the city into a political and religious center of Taiwan.
After Taiwan Province was established in 1887, Governor Liu Ming-Chuan (1836–1896) focused on developing Taipei, the provincial capital. In addition to building official agencies and yamens, he introduced modern Western-style public infrastructure, including postal services, telegraphs, sanitation, running water, and lighting. For lighting, electricity was supplied to government buildings, and streetlights were installed on Ximen Street and Xinqi Street, marking one of the earliest uses of electric street lighting in China. James W. Davidson (1872–1933), an American journalist, even stated that Taipei’s modernization was among the most advanced in China at that time.
This album showcases the Taipei City Walls and nearby areas as they looked during the Qing dynasty, before early modern urban planning was introduced by the Japanese. It also features historical photos of Qing dynasty administrative offices used by the Governor-General’s Office and Army Staff, the Confucius Temple and the Martial Temple, which were converted into medical facilities; Dadaocheng’s trade port with Western-style architecture; and Gongguan and Xindian in the southern region, as well as Yuanshan and Jiantan in the north.