Chronicling formosa：setting the foundations for the presbyterian mission. 1865-1876

In 2011 Niki Alsford was commissioned by the Shung Ye Museum of Formosan Aborigines to compile a collection of archives pertaining to Taiwan indigenous peoples held by SOAS’s Archives & Special Collections. Upon inspection, Niki felt that it would perhaps be better to have a systematic collection of the history of the Presbyterian Church in Taiwan (1865-1895). Thus, it was decided that the collection be broken up into five volumes, with the first starting with its foundation in 1865 to 1876 after which the island witnessed the introduction of schools and the arrival of female missionary teachers as well as the opening of the northern-mission field led by George Lesley MacKay and the Canadian Presbyterian Church.

The collection of papers in this book shed light on both the nuances as well as the social history of the island from the viewpoint of the mission-field. As such it will be an invaluable reading tool for students and scholars of Taiwan history at the turn of the twentieth century as well as those who have an interest in the role of the church in the democratisation movement. It is also a useful resource for comparative research into mission history, which has seen an increase in interest in recent years – particularly in areas such as climate change, women’s health, linguistic studies, and music development.