During the Qing dynasty's rule over Taiwan, the government initially restricted migration from the mainland to Taiwan due to fears of overpopulation and resulting conflict. Despite this, illegal migration flourished, as local manpower shortages prompted officials to look the other way or even actively bring people over. Over the 18th century, the Qing government flip-flopped on migration policies, at times allowing families to enter Taiwan and at other times barring them. These inconsistencies led to a majority-male migrant population that often married locally, spawning the idiom "has Tangshan father, no Tangshan mother."

The Qing government was cautious in its administrative approach to Taiwan, especially regarding territorial expansion and interaction with the island's aboriginal populations. They initially limited administrative control to key ports and certain plains areas, requiring permits for settlers to expand beyond these regions. Over time, due to continued illegal land reclamation and migration, the Qing extended control over the entire western plains. Aboriginal people were categorized into those who had acculturated (shufan) and those who had not (shengfan), but efforts to administer these groups were minimal.

Boundaries were established to segregate aborigines from settlers and were reinforced multiple times over the years. However, the enforcement was weak, leading to continuous encroachment by settlers into aboriginal territories. Despite the Qing administration's cautious stance and efforts to manage aboriginal affairs, settlers often used marriage to aboriginal women as a means of claiming land, leading to a 1737 prohibition against such unions. By the late 18th century, the Qing government began to relax its strict regulations on cross-strait migration and ultimately ceased to actively interfere, finally repealing all restrictions on entering Taiwan in 1875.