The Story

This book tells the true story of the Zheng family, who turned Taiwan into a powerful kingdom that stood against the might of China's Qing Dynasty. It starts with the pirate-turned-loyalist Zheng Zhilong and follows his famous son, Koxinga (Zheng Chenggong), who famously drove the Dutch out of Taiwan. The heart of the story, though, is what happened next. For over twenty years, Koxinga's descendants ruled the island, creating a unique Chinese state in exile. The book shows their internal family fights, their tense negotiations with the Qing, and their fierce determination to survive. It all builds to the massive Qing invasion in 1683 and the fall of their kingdom.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me was how immediate it feels. Jiang Risheng wasn't writing about ancient history; he was piecing together events from people who lived through them. You get a real sense of the personalities—the ambition, the pride, the desperation. It's less about dates and more about people making huge, world-changing decisions. You see the Zheng rulers not just as historical figures, but as a family trying to hold everything together against impossible odds. It completely changed how I see this era of Taiwan's past.

Final Verdict

Perfect for anyone who loves deep historical dramas or epic family sagas, but wants to learn something real. It's a fantastic read for history buffs looking for a primary source narrative, or for fiction lovers who want to try non-fiction that reads with the same tension and drama. Just be ready—this isn't a simple hero's tale. It's a complex, gripping, and sometimes tragic story of how a defiant kingdom was born and how it finally fell.