The historical transition of the industry and settlement in Wushulin Region

• Main Authors: Chun-Hung Chen, 陳俊宏
• Other Authors: Zhir-Zhang Lai
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2017
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/13191574330604927509

碩士 === 國立臺南大學 === 台灣文化研究所 === 105 === The formation of Taiwanese settlement could be related to the following factors - the convenience of transportation, the advancement of farmland and suitable living environment. Since late Ming Dynasty, agriculture has been the main target of the settlement development. In Qing Dynasty, farmland was concentrated reclaim by the groups of local residents. These residents were also called tenant farmer. They recruit huge amount of labors from Fujian and Guangdong region by the name of resident who came from same residential village or people who came from same Chinese kinship family. Undoubtedly, it is imagined that the formatting of tenant farmers represents the prototype of the Taiwanese settlement, many traditional Taiwanese place name such as “Liao” “Tsuo” was named by this case. In addition, Wushulin settlement has been developed at this period. During the period of Japanese occupation, Taiwan Sotokufu has agreed with the basic economic policy as “Industry for Japan, Agriculture for Taiwan”. This policy positioned Taiwan as a “tropical agriculture and grain production base”. At the same time, Japanese government established agriculture research institute and farmer organization, which also investigated hydraulic engineering to support the field irrigation. These determinations helped Japanese government to begin green revolution and approved the agriculture-based colonial economy plan. The crops of Wushulin region and surrounded settlement are mainly grains and rice. In 1901, the father of sugar industry – Inazo Nitobe has presented“sugar improvement opinion form” to adjust unsuitable rice field to sugar cane field and promote modernization for sugar industry. One year later, Taiwan Sotokufu published “bonus rules for sugar industry”.Famous sugar companies such as Taiwan, Meiji, Ensuiko, Dainippon, Nitaka,Donggang were established in this period and benefited from these policies. Wushulin sugar industry, as the new type of sugar cane mill in Houbi region, was founded by Toyo sugar refining cooperation in 1909. In the early period, Wushulin sugar industry was named as“Toyo sugar refining cooperation’s second industry”. In 1927, Toyo sugar refining cooperation was merged to Dainippon sugar cooperation; Wushulin sugar industry was merged to Meiji sugar cooperation. At the same time, Wushulin sugar industry expanded its production efficiency and recruit huge amount of nonlocal employees entered this industry, which forms agricultural and industrial settlement. After World War II, Wushulin sugar industry was managed by Taiwan sugar cooperation. Well preserved living place such as employee’s dormitory and sufficient resources could literally generate an independent living circle for local resident. However, due to world economic transition and the competitive of sugar industry becomes weaken. The policy of purchasing sugar has importantly changed in 1983. This forced Wushulin sugar industry to terminate its sugar production. Wushulin sugar industry has rebuilt to low manpower requirement orchid research center and Wushulin recreation park. Traditional agriculture restructured to quality agriculture, sugar industrial village collapsed and made residents lived difficultly. This issue caused youth unemployment and demolished the old factory and employee’s dormitory; serious outflow of young people degenerated Wushulin region to agriculture settlement. Additionally, unbalanced average age transformed the popularity structure to M-shaped society. With the above issues, lack of new element injection has stopped the development of Wushulin region. The concept of this paper will explore and discuss following aspects from the perspective of settlement - the renovation of settlement, the influence by industrial transition, difficulties and further solutions, suggestions of reforming settlement with current resources. These discussions are expected to energize the circumstance of settlement and fulfill specific culture.