本文研究十七至十九世紀麻豆地域之拓墾與市街發展的過程及其特色,目的在解析漢人移民面對具有書寫能力與強大武力之原住民-麻豆社時,如何從原住民手中取得土地進行拓墾,並在原住民生活習慣與多變的自然環境的影響下,建構其特有的市街型態。 麻豆社人自十七世紀初期時,即以武力強大著稱,並在荷蘭人統治臺灣期間,學習羅馬文字,具有書寫能力。雖然若干漢人早在荷治以前,即曾進入該社進行商業活動,但直到清乾隆朝以降,漢人拓墾活動才逐漸從地域邊緣向地域中心即番社社址挺進,並掌握了麻豆地域的主導權,發展各式各樣的產業。整個拓墾過程不僅時間漫長,而且在在顯示了原住民與漢人移民之間的妥協,以及漢人對於臺灣西部多變環境的高度適應能力。
This article is a research on the process and characteristics of land reclamation and urban street development of Mattau region from seventeenth century to nineteenth century. It aims at dissecting how Han migrants acquire lands from the aborigines -Mattau tribe who had the writing ability and strong armed forces, and how Han migrants to construct a particular style of urban street under the influence of aboriginal customs and varied natural environment. Mattau tribe was famous for her mighty armed forces in early seventeenth century, and had learnt the ability of writing via studying Roman letters during the Dutch colonial period. In spite of some Han migrants had entered Mattau tribe's residence and had kept business before the Dutch colonial period, such reclamation did not reach the center of Mattau tribal territory and Han migrants did not control the reclamation rights or engage the various industries until Ch'ing Ch'ien-lung period. The process of reclamation was so long, it reflected the compromise between the aborigines and Han migrants, and also exhibited the strong adaptability of Han migrants to the changeable environment on the west of Taiwan.