| 英文摘要 |
From 1896 to 1902, a period often referred to as the“banditry years,”unfolded in the mountainous Wenshui River area, which is at the upper stream of Baxhang River. These groups, diverse in composition, exhibited varied behaviors. While Japanese official records generalized them as“bandits,”the Nationalist Government portrayed them as heroes and volunteers of the Chinese nation. In later Taiwanese narratives, they were revered as national martyrs. However, recent oral histories from local elders present them alternatively as disruptors or traitors, blurring the lines between heroism and banditry. It appears as the individuals have dual countenances. Hence, apart from the elucidation of the Wenshui River“bandits,”this study focuses on the various identities and viewpoints, and the enduring memories and cultural imprints of the“bandits”in the mountainous regions of the Wenshui River, Chiayi. |