清代南臺灣六堆的米穀生產與流通

Rice Production and Distribution in Southern Taiwan under Qing Rule

清代南臺灣「雙冬早稻」的核心意涵並非一年兩穫，而是特指在農曆12月播種、並於翌年4月收成的稻作。「雙冬早稻」最好的功能通常是「外部」的因素，在於最早收成，可以有效彌補人口密集之都會區的米糧需求以及作為外部貿易流通的商品，不是在地人食用。這表示，要理解「雙冬早稻」，應該特別注意外部因素，而非其與屏東平原「鳳山八社」熟番的特殊文化關連。現有的文獻資料也傾向於說明，鳳山八社熟番傳統種植的稻作，不是水稻型的「雙冬早稻」，而是種在旱田、秋天收穫的糯米類「禾秫」。我們應該可以這麼說：「雙冬早稻」在南臺灣的栽植與普及化，反映了當地被納入臺灣島、以至於華南地區商貿流通與市場的變化。

In Qing historiography, “shuang dong zao dao” (雙冬早稻), a term referring to the practice of rice farming in southern Taiwan, did not mean double cropping per year, but paddy planted in the twelfth month of the lunar calendar and harvested in the fourth month of the following year. Shuang dong zao dao had its competitive advantages as a commodity in markets. This kind of paddy was harvested earliest in Taiwan, implying that it can timely satisfy the huge demand for rice in urban areas on the island and overseas markets. To a lesser degree, its importance derived from the fulfillment of local consumption. Indeed, the core meaning of shuang dong zao dao was its connection with the outer world instead of its relation to the unique culture of “feng shan ba she” (鳳山八社), or the local aboriginals in southern Taiwan, as previous research underscored. In addition, existing literature indicates that the traditional agricultural crop of feng shan ba she was not shuang dong zao dao which grew in irrigated paddy fields, but another variety which was cultivated in land without irrigation and harvested in autumn. It is safe to say that the production and spread of shuang dong zao dao in southern Taiwan revealed the process of incorporating a local practice into distribution networks of Taiwan island or even of southern China.