摘要
福建省自古以來位於海角一隅，雖然人口眾多卻相當貧困，因此往海外尋求貿易被視為是謀求生活財源之最佳良策，也被視為是養活過多人口的最好方法。這樣想法的背後根據是，福建省西北部背後有山逼近，東南部又面向沿海，而能成為耕作地的土地又缺乏，可耕地只占全省面積的三分之一。根據光緒三十四年（明治41，1908年）的「考察南洋華僑商業情形」顯示，為了想與呂宋（按：菲律賓，以下同）進行貿易，福建人或廣東人前往該島與其交易呂宋島上所產的煙草、砂糖、麻、米。而20世紀初頭，20餘萬華人也來到了英國人為了自由貿易，而開港的南中國海大港新加坡尋求貿易。 福建省的地理狀況造成許多華人往海外尋求貿易，而代表福建港灣的廈門也成為海外渡航的重要窗口，並開始出現專門處理這些移民們的業者，甚至出現專門處理個別移民地區的客棧，例如呂宋客棧或新嘉坡客棧等。 本報告想要探討，雖有華人渡航出海，尤以福建人為首的華人們究竟是如何使用當時的交通工具中國帆船渡航出海，並順利完成他們的移民。
並列摘要
The coastal province of Fujian is home to a huge but chiefly impoverished population. As a result it has always been the case that residents of that province have used foreign trade or emigration opportunities as a way to escape the grinding poverty. The tough topography of Fujian Province has been one reason for this poverty. Fertile land is very scarce and makes up just a third of the land mass. Most arable land is hemmed between the interior mountains and the ocean. In the 34th year of Guang-Shu (the 41 year of the Meji Era ＜1908＞), a document titled ”A Business Report on Chinese Immigrants of the South Sea” described trade relations between Lu-Song (Philippines) and Fujien/Canton as being well-developed. Chinese businessmen traded for cigarette leaves, sugar, fiber crops, and rice. In the beginning of the 20th century, 200,000 Chinese moved to Singapore, due to the highly developed trading economy that had been initiated by the British. Emigration and trade established foreign ties had played a prime role in transforming Gang-Wan Shia-Men to a leading seaport of exit for Chinese. Immigration-related issues created an array of support businesses such as roadhouses that provided individualized immigration services. The Lu-Song roadhouse and Singapore roadhouse are examples of such establishments. Sailing Ships and Immigration during What this paper aims to discuss is how Chinese emigrants, chiefly from Fujian, employed sail rigged ships as a prime means of transport to depart for other places.