19世紀林圯埔竹材流通與鹿港海岸變遷的關聯

從18世紀末一直到20世紀初這一百多年間，中臺灣林圯埔沿山地帶的地景出現了明顯的變化，原始雜木樹叢逐漸被滿山遍野的竹林所取代。林圯埔沿山這一地景變化的根本原因，其實是由於19世紀臺灣西部海岸的環境變遷。本文觀察中臺灣鹿港海岸地帶，發現當地自然環境變遷，一方面造成海岸浮覆沙埔地出現，使得沿海養蠣業繁盛，插竹養蠣的做法帶動對竹材的需求。另一方面則是鹿港港道淤積阻塞，以竹子編排組成的竹筏在當時成為普遍使用的運輸工具。這些因素導致竹材生產與需求增大，尤其在清水及濁水兩溪的便捷水力支持之下，竹材能夠大量且快速地輸出流通，進而推動竹林產業的高度發展，最終造就林圯埔沿山地帶成為竹林優勢的地景。我們可以這麼說，竹材在林圯埔沿山地帶栽植與普及，反映了山林與海岸之間互相銜接的連動關係，這一實例可以提供我們理解清代臺灣民間經濟活動與商品流通。同時，這一連結山海的經濟活動，也顯示出漢人活動從西部平原推向沿山，由海口走向山區，成為19世紀臺灣重要的社會動態。

For more than a hundred years, spanning from the late 18th to the early 20th century, the landscape of the Linyipu mountainous region in Central Taiwan underwent dramatic transformations. Over time, the original dense jungles in the region gradually gave way to expansive bamboo forests. This transformation was primarily driven by significant environmental changes along Taiwan’s western coast during the 19th century, which spurred a substantial increase in demand for bamboo.
Investigating transformations of the Lukang coastline reveals that the development of reclaimed land along the shoreline boosted the thriving coastal oyster farming. The cultivation of oysters using bamboo structures significantly contributed to the increased demand for bamboo. Furthermore, siltation of the Lukang harbor channel necessitated the widespread use of bamboo rafts, establishing them as a prevalent mode of transport during that era. These factors collectively escalated both the production and consumption of bamboo in the region.
The strategic hydraulic advantages provided by the Qingshui and Zhuoshui Rivers facilitated the rapid and extensive exportation and distribution of bamboo, thereby accelerating the development of the bamboo forestry industry. Eventually, bamboo forests came to dominate the landscape of the Linyipu mountainous region.
The cultivation and widespread adoption of bamboo in Linyipu not only highlight the intricate relationship between mountainous regions and coastal areas, but also provide a case study for exploring private economic activities and commodity circulation in Taiwan under Qing rule. Simultaneously, this economic activity linking the mountains and the sea illustrates the the progression of Han migration from the western plains to the mountains, extending from the seaports into the hilly regions - a notable trend in 19th-century Taiwanese society.