臺灣鹽業發展初探

Initial Study on the Development of Salt Production in Taiwan

製鹽業不僅曾是臺灣產業大宗，也是日常生活不可欠缺的民生物資，作為原料的功能性與重要性更非一般產業所能取代。鹽業歷史在臺灣產業開發過程中，是維繫臺灣經濟的重要物質，其價值並未因時代的變遷而有些許的損減。臺灣製鹽產業發展源起於明鄭時代陳永華，及至雍正四（1726）年施行鹽制，始為臺灣鹽業管制開啟另一新里程碑。然而當時鹽的製造，無論就其規模或品質，均尚未臻完善，自然產量無法滿足當時臺灣島內的實際需求，必需仰賴對岸輸入來彌補需求量的不足。光緒十一（1885）年臺灣建省，劉銘傳在百廢待舉、各項產業急待開發之際，銳意改革臺灣鹽制，修正昔日的組織編制，提升製鹽機關的層級外，更為促使鹽業經營效率化，積極建構鹽業管理制度。但因長久以來積存的陋習，人民頓時無法適應企業化的經營，加上缺乏一貫性的政策，導致製鹽產量的供需狀況並不如預期。但劉銘傳為圖提升臺灣島內鹽業發展，改革及積極建構銷售網絡，奠定臺灣鹽業基礎。日治時期是臺灣鹽業另一發展點，不僅能供應島內的需求，更進而擴展輸出至海外各國，開創臺灣製鹽業為民生產業的重心。戰後鹽業在臺灣經濟及財政上的貢獻更是無法抹滅，不僅是工業發展的根本，更是國家財政的重要來源。本文擬依據現存於國史館臺灣文獻館之鹽業相關檔案來探討就臺灣鹽業發展。並對鹽的製造、鹽業組織、製鹽機關、鹽田分布與沿革等鹽業發展過程，加以論述。

Salt has been an indispensable material in daily life. At one time, salt was a major product of industrial outputs in Taiwan. The functionality and importance of salt that compared with other materials were hardly substitutable. It was extremely important part of Taiwan history that the salt production caused a long period of economy prosperity. Substantially, the value of salt has never diminished as time flied. The salt production of Taiwan originated by Yung-Hua Chen in Ming Dynasty, 1648. It had been not strictly regulated until Emperor Youg-Zheng activated a supervised system for salt production in Ching Dynasty, 1726. However, the quality and quantity of salt production were not mature at that time. In fact, the total amount of salt production didn't suffice exact demands in Taiwan proper. For complementing the deficiency of salt, it was necessary for Taiwan import salt from mainland China. Since Taiwan province was established in 1885, the first governor, Ming-Chuan Liu, who intended to reorganize an administration system for salt production to leverage the quality of salt. Liu aggressively involved in constructing the system for improving the managerial efficiency. Unfortunately, the general populace had not yet adapted to the new system. Besides, it was in the condition of being without a long-term strategy to support continual development. As a consequence, salt production never conformed his perfection as expected. Whereas, Liu's intention and reformation for the salt distribution network that had become a solid foundation of Taiwan salt industry. During Japanese colonial period, it not only satisfied the demand of Taiwan proper, but also exported the rest of salt products abroad. It was very significant contribution for Taiwan's economy and finance. In general, this paper aims to discuss all aspects of salt production in Taiwan, which being written with reference to Taiwan salt production archives in the Taiwan Historica, including manufacture, organization, distribution and evolution etc.