日治時期臺灣牛墟的分布與規模

The distribution and scale of Taiwan cattle markets during the Japanese occupation period

日治初期，依臺灣總督府公文類纂檔案資料，台中廳之牛墟有24處，嘉義廳之牛墟有17 處，台南廳之牛墟有6 處，阿緱廳之牛墟有2處，全臺牛墟共有49 處。其中牛墟尾街、鹽水港街為大墟，北斗街、溪湖街、蔴豆街、蕭壠街為中墟，餘為小墟。因此日治初期臺灣有2處大墟，4 處中墟，43 處小墟。日治初期臺灣規模最大的牛墟分布在嘉義廳，中墟分布在台中廳與台南廳，阿緱廳皆為小墟，且愈往南牛墟分布的密度愈低，其大墟、中墟的分布與規模間之關係與中地理論中地間的階層關係相去不遠，但嘉義廳大墟腹地範圍內小墟的分布數量，卻少於台中廳中墟腹地範圍內的小墟分布數量，此又與中地理論中地腹地範圍階層關係不一致。此時期牛墟分布的區位特徵為－所在聚落位於南來北往或東西向的交通要道上，有些是為鄰近農村提供商業服務機能的鄉街，而中墟與大墟的區位特徵為皆位於有交通要道經過，且為具有中地機能的鄉街。日治中期，依昭和元年或昭和2 年，臺灣各州統計書之統計，台北州之牛墟有3 處，台中州之牛墟有61 處，台南州之牛墟有23 處，高雄州之牛墟有3 處，全臺共有牛墟90 處。其中北斗街、朴子街、鹽水街、善化街、新化街為大墟，埔鹽庄、溪湖庄、土庫庄、北港街、麻豆街、永康庄為中墟，餘為小墟。因此日治中期臺灣有5 處大墟，6處中墟，79 處小墟。日治中期臺灣的大墟主要分布在台南州，中墟亦主要分布在台南州，其大墟、中墟的分布與規模間之關係，明顯的轉移，以台南州為中心。但台南州大墟腹地範圍內小墟的分布數量，卻少於台中州中墟腹地範圍內的小墟分布數量，此也不適用於中地理論中地腹地範圍之階層關係。日治後期，依昭和13 年或昭和16 年，臺灣各州統計書之統計資料，台中州之牛墟有65 處，台南州之牛墟有20 處，高雄州之牛墟有6處，全臺共有牛墟91 處。其中和美、北斗街、北港街、朴子街、鹽水街、善化街、新化街為大墟，福興庄、溪湖街、斗六街、土庫庄、大林庄、白河庄、將軍庄、西港庄、岡山街、鳳山街為中墟，餘為小墟，北港獨為臺灣最大墟。日治後期臺灣的大墟與中墟仍主要分布在台南州，高雄州有中墟形成，使大墟與中墟之分布階層關係更加合理化。但是台南州大墟腹地範圍內小墟的分布數量，卻遠遠少於台中州大墟腹地範圍內的小墟分布數量，此更扭曲中地理論中地腹地範圍之階層關係。

This approach aims not only to explore the spatial relationship and scale of cattle markets in Taiwan, but also analyze the regularity of cattle markets in Taiwan in central-place hierarchies during the Japanese occupation period. The cattle markets in Taiwan could be sorted into three categories-large cattle market, median cattle market, small cattle market during the Japanese occupation period. According to the government historical documents, the total numbers of cattle markets in Taiwan sums 49 during the early Japanese occupation period, including 2 large cattle markets,4 median cattle markets,43 small cattle markets. During this period all cattle markets concentrated on central and south Taiwan. And during the middle Japanese occupation period, the total numbers of cattle markets in Taiwan increased to 90-5 large cattle markets,4 median cattle markets,43 small cattle markets. At this stage, the cattle markets concentrated on central and south Taiwan much the same, but the spatial distribution pattern was transformed into extending to north Taiwan. This period all the large cattle markets and median cattle markets scattered at south Taiwan, and the most of small cattle markets arranged in central Taiwan. Until the late Japanese occupation period,there was 91 cattle markets distributed in Taiwan, and most of those cattle markets was located in central Taiwan, but the large cattle markets and median cattle markets concentrated mainly on south Taiwan. So during the Japanese occupation period, the spatial distribution pattern of Taiwan cattle markets arranged in a irregular central-place hierarchy, in other word, during the Japanese occupation period, the spatial structure of cattle marketing system in Taiwan was not consistent to the appropriate typology of central-place theory.