本論文的基本企圖是想要建立以地域爲基礎的歷史觀來檢視台灣城市城牆之興築過程。首先,複原“新竹城”的形成與興築過程;1733年之前,以“廟”爲中心推測出移民聚落的出現與及其分佈。1733年之後,則按《淡水廳誌》所述畫分“新竹城”的歷史爲下列四期:①竹城時期。②無城時期。③土城時期。④石城及二重城時期。對於石城,本論文提出台灣道孔昭虔爲了廳級之行政位格與經費之原因,拆毀440丈的竹城與1440丈的土城,而改建成860丈規模的石城之推論。 另外本論文特別關注竹城的城牆地景形式,因爲竹城是台灣普遍的城牆地景形式。本文論證了①竹城與“民變”及政治的關係,②竹城的形狀與後來的台灣城市的形狀無關,而推翻了所謂的“竹城爲台灣城原型論”。③移民爲了自衛而包圍自然成長的聚落之土圍、土堡才是台灣城市形式發展的原型。 最後,本論文檢視了各個築城活動的目的與其經費籌組的方式。整體而言,築城是爲了自衛,而地方大家族爲了自衛向清皇室提出強烈請願,原先以爲,築城之經費可由淡水廳民自由捐獻,但以結果而論,卻要用強制的手段徵收不足的經費才得以完成。
The most important attempt of this paper is to establish a historical perspective from the locality on the construction of city-wall in Ching dynasty Taiwan. The study begins with historical transition and the construction stages of ”Hsin-chu City”. The distribution of settlers, and the period of their foundation are investigated by analyzing the ”Miao” (shrine). The history of Hsin-chu is broken to four different periods based on local literature.(1)Bamboo Fortification,(2)Period without Fortification,(3)Mud-walled Fortification, and(4)Stone Fortification and Twin-walled-city. Main findings were as follows: Due to lack of funds and attempting to comply with orders from the government hierarchy, the head of local government in 1826 built a moderate fortification of stone measuring 2752 meters, removing the 1408 meter bamboo fortification and 4608 meter mud fortification. Because the bamboo fortification is an unique feature of former cities of Taiwan, it is a focus for this paper. The building of bamboo fortification had a close relationship with riots and was not a prototype of city wall in Taiwan. The immigrants had built fortification enclosing their settlement for self-defense. Therefore, city wall took a non geometric form. The paper then dealt with the purpose of wall and funding it's construction. Overall, the purpose of wall was self-defense, therefore the immigrant leaders contributed part of the money needed, but the contribution was insufficient. Commoners were forced to pay a larger share.