Passage to Taiwan in those days was controlled by the Fujianese. At the ports, passengers were charged special fees, and customs agents generally demanded bribes. The Hakkas were naturally subject to discrimination. In 1790, a pair of Hakka physicians in Taiwan appealed to the authorities to prohibit port officials from levying special charges against them.
今天鹿港民俗文物館展示的一塊碑文上，記載當時航運由閩南人操控，港口抽收規費，由於海關人員多索紅包，加上省籍歧視，常故意刁難廣東籍客家人，於是乾隆五十五年客家籍醫生徐道、廖霖等人聯名呈請台灣兵備道，嚴禁對客家籍人加索規費。