Introduction: “Two Wings of a Bird” Across the Strait

In the geographic context of Southern Fujian, the relationship between Xiamen and Taiwan is often described as the “two wings of a bird”—as the saying goes, “Xiamen is Taiwan, and Taiwan is Xiamen”. This close connection is not a modern invention but is deeply rooted in centuries of maritime administrative evolution, military confrontation, and population migration. From Zheng Chenggong using Xiamen as a base to recover Taiwan, to the Qing Dynasty’s legal designation of Xiamen as the sole port for crossing to Taiwan, to modern Xiamen being the most concentrated area for Taiwanese investment, this sea has witnessed a transformation from a “military outpost” to a “grain lifeline,” and finally to an “economic co-prosperity circle”.

Interpretation of Core Historical Records

In the 23rd year of Kangxi (1684), after pacifying Taiwan, the Qing government made era-defining adjustments in administrative and maritime defense policies. Records show the establishment of the “Taixia Military Preparatory Circuit,” with one Tao-tai (Circuit Intendant) overseeing both Xiamen and Taiwan, rotating his residence every six months.

More significantly, the Qing government officially designated Xiamen and Taiwan’s Lukermen (now Tainan) as the sole legal ports for cross-strait navigation, initiating a century-long era of “Two Gates Crossing”. Policy at the time was extremely strict: all personnel crossing to Taiwan—whether military officers, merchants, or commoners—had to undergo inspection at Xiamen Port and be escorted collectively. This “single-port crossing” system transformed Xiamen from a simple military fortress into the primary political, economic, military, and transportation hub of Fujian.

II. Life Line: The “Granary of China’s East Coast” under Tai-yun

The “Two Gates Crossing” was more than a channel for people; it was a “grain lifeline” for the coastal regions of Fujian and Zhejiang. In the early Qing, Southern Fujian suffered from land scarcity and overpopulation, relying heavily on external grain, while Taiwan boasted fertile land where “the profit of sugar and grain was the best under heaven”.

Consequently, the Qing government established the “Tai-yun” (also known as “Da-yun” or “Special Transport”) system. Historical records indicate that all merchant ships trading with Taiwan were required to carry a specific quota of “Soldier’s Rice” back to Xiamen based on the ship’s size. Statistics show that Taiwan shipped 85,297 shi of rice and grain to Fujian annually, with Xiamen Port handling and transshipping 55.99% of this total.

This frequent grain trade created a bustling scene of “masts and hulls following one another” in Xiamen Port. In 1832, British spy Lindsay (Hu Xiami) described Xiamen in his secret report as the “Granary of China’s East Coast”. The “Tai-yun” system continued until the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, when Taiwan was occupied by Japan and its rice was diverted to Japan, severing the grain bloodline that had sustained both sides for over a century.

III. Blood Ties: Zheng’s “Soldier-Farmers” and Cultural Transplant

The blood ties between Xiamen and Taiwan reached their first peak during the Zheng Chenggong era. In 1661, Zheng led 25,000 troops from Kinmen and Xiamen to recover Taiwan. He implemented the “Stationing Soldiers to Till Land” policy, leading to a large number of soldiers from Tongan and Haicheng (Xiamen area) settling in Taiwan.

Records state that Chen Ze (Tiger Guard General) from Haicheng and his clan moved to Tainan, becoming the founding ancestors of the “Xialiao Chen Clan.” Meanwhile, over 300 young men of the “Loyal Army” from Baijiao Village in Tongan settled and farmed along the General’s Stream in Xuejia, Tainan. These “pioneer-reclaimers” brought not only advanced farming techniques (such as iron plowing and salt panning) but also deeply rooted Southern Fujian culture and beliefs in Taiwan.

In education, Chen Yonghua (Zishen Canjun) from Tongan initiated the construction of Confucian temples and schools in Taiwan, establishing the imperial examination system and transplanting a complete educational framework. Furthermore, folk beliefs like “Baosheng Dadi,” “Yintong Mazu,” and the “Xiahai City God,” which originated in Xiamen’s Tongan, migrated to Taiwan with the people, becoming the “spiritual real estate” connecting compatriots on both sides.

IV. Modern Revival: From “One-way Direct Flight” to Taiwan Investment Hub

The confrontation after 1949 did not sever historical echoes. Following the 1979 “Message to Compatriots in Taiwan,” relations thawed. In the early 1980s, Xiamen established three berths for Taiwanese vessels at Shapowei, Dongdu, and Liuwudian, restoring small-scale direct trade.

In May 1989, the State Council approved the “Haicang” and “Xinglin Taiwan Investment Zones,” followed by “Jimei” in 1992. Records show that by the end of 1995, Xiamen had approved 1,269 Taiwan-funded enterprises with a total investment of 2.748 billion USD, making it the most concentrated area for Taiwan capital on the mainland. This close economic cooperation is, in essence, the rebirth of “Two Gates Crossing” under modern market conditions.

Significance for Modern Readers

Digital local chronicles on Xiamen-Taiwan relations should look beyond cold geographic coordinates. Through the historical threads of “Two Gates Crossing” and “Tai-yun,” we can clearly see: the early development of Taiwan was built on the blood and sweat of Xiamen’s ancestors, while Xiamen’s prosperity once deeply benefited from the grain gifts of the Treasure Island.

This “flesh and blood” history tells modern readers that the waves of the strait never truly blocked the interaction of compatriots. Whether it was the wooden sailboats of old relying on monsoon winds or the modern Taiwanese industrial giants in Haicang, the “cross-strait sentiment” has always been woven with grain as substance, blood as longitude, and culture as latitude. Understanding this history is key to comprehending Xiamen’s role as a “bridge to Taiwan” and serves as a profound historical footnote to the idea that “both sides of the strait are one family”.