「國寶」的建構：櫻花鉤吻鮭與臺灣認同交織的歷史

Construction of a“National Treasure”: The Interwoven History of the Formosan Landlocked Salmon and Taiwanese Identity

本文探討臺灣櫻花鉤吻鮭（Oncorhynchus formosanus）如何由日治時期地區性魚類，轉變為現今大眾所知的「國寶魚」過程，藉此探問臺灣近百年來自然保育環境、科學知識與國家認同的交織歷史。日治時期該魚學名數變，可看出其當時分類學的難題。在保護政策上，帝國學者大島正滿，與臺灣總督府天然紀念物調查委員與儀喜宣、中村廣司等人對此魚的主張不同，總督府從物種的「獨特性」與「生物地理學」意義出發，強調其純粹性與保護之必要，促成臺灣總督府於1941年將其指定為「天然紀念物」。然戰後該魚的科學知識斷裂，加上中橫公路開闢與毀滅性捕撈方式，生存陷入空前危機，幾近滅絕。而魚類學者陳兼善訂下「櫻花鉤吻鮭」中文命名，因其名本身與實際魚體外貌不盡相符，埋下了日後「正名」爭議的源頭。
如今我們所熟知國寶魚「等於」臺灣櫻花鉤吻鮭的認知，其實開展於1980年代。隨著臺灣本土意識與環境保育思潮興起，該魚在《文化資產保存法》下被指定為「珍貴稀有動物」，過往歷史、生物獨特性漸漸與臺灣歷史、臺灣特殊性、自然保育知識、國家認同連結，但也因此與「正名」風波關連。1990年代後，專責保育機關出現，以龐大資源的復育計畫成功逆轉了櫻花鉤吻鮭的瀕危命運。弱小的物種，成功復育的背後，是國家強大的保護系統，更鞏固其「國寶」形象。

This paper examines the historical transformation of the Formosan landlocked salmon (Oncorhynchus formosanus) from a regionally rare fish species during the Japanese colonial era into today’s celebrated“National Treasure Fish”of Taiwan. By tracing this trajectory, the study explores the complex interplay among environmental conservation, scientific knowledge, and the formation of national identity in Taiwan over the past century.
During the Japanese colonial era, the salmon attracted scholarly interest due to the geographical particularity of its habitat. Frequent revisions of its scientific nomenclature reflected the taxonomic challenges it posed. Moreover, debates over its conservation status within the legal framework of Natural Monuments, Historic Sites, and Scenic Spots revealed contrasting perspectives. WhileŌshima Masamitsu argued against its designation as a protected species on the grounds of its replaceability, members of the Government- General of Taiwan’s Natural Monument Survey Committee, including Yogi Kisenn and Nakamura Hiroshi, emphasized its“uniqueness”and biogeographical significance. Their position ultimately prevailed, and the species was designated a Natural Monument in 1941, laying the groundwork for its later recognition as an emblem of Taiwanese endemism.
After World War II, under Kuomintang rule, neither scientific research nor conservation policy concerning the species was meaningfully continued. Large-scale infrastructure development, most notably the construction of the Central Cross-Island Highway, along with intensive mountain exploitation and destructive fishing practices such as poisoning and electrofishing, drove the species to the verge of extinction. It was during this period that ichthyologist Chen Chien-shan coined the Chinese name“Sakura hookjawed Salmon”, a label later contested for its inaccuracy in describing the fish’s actual morphology.
The framing of the Formosan landlocked salmon as Taiwan’s“National Treasure Fish”emerged in the 1980s, amid rising Taiwanese nativism and environmental awareness. The promulgation of the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act marked a turning point, embedding conservation within state institutions. In 1984, the species was designated a“Rare and Valuable Animal,”elevating preservation efforts from individual advocacy to national policy. As historical narratives and scientific knowledge about the species were rediscovered, the term“National Treasure Fish”became widely accepted, linking the salmon’s biological distinctiveness with Taiwan’s history, conservation ethos, and evolving national identity. The establishment of Shei-Pa National Park and subsequent large-scale restoration programs eventually reversed its endangered status. The species’revival thus demonstrates how state-led conservation not only safeguarded biodiversity but also transformed a fragile mountain fish into a potent symbol of Taiwan’s cultural and national heritage.