These were both made with an eye to tax collection. In 1884, Liu Mingchuan became governor of Taiwan, and set to work to reform local government. It was necessary to first survey the land in order to ensure a firm tax base. After five years of effort a partial clarification of land boundaries had been achieved, and newly made maps showed walled cities, villages, and counties.
清光緒年間（一八八四年）劉銘傳擔任台灣巡撫，認為要革新台灣政治，必須先丈量地積、測定土地界址，以確立稅收的基礎，因此以五年時間完成部份土地清丈，調製的圖冊有堡圖、莊圖、八筐魚鱗冊等。