| Summary: | 碩士 === 臺北市立教育大學 === 社會科教育研究所 === 94 === Abstract
Since China had been defeated in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, Taiwan was controlled by Japan as a colony. Under Japanese colonial rule for many years, the armed uprisings by Taiwanese had taken up the positions of the fallen and risen to fight against Japan after another. Until the Shi Lai An Incident occurred, the armed uprisings by Taiwanese had been terminated.
The differences between Japanese and Taiwanese culture and the former political situation were the main causes of this Shi Lai An affair. Because of this, there is a further dimension of the national consciousness to this incident that many researchers have discussed and taken a positive attitude towards it. Due to the facts that the leader of this incident had other ulterior motives, did not make a strong appeal to a national revolution and the participants in this movement were thoroughly dissatisfied with Japan’s colonial rule, it is difficult to agree with the above positive argument in terms of the national consciousness.
Moreover, through the influence and practice of religious and superstitious belief, more followers were totally willing to participate in this uprising. As a result, such religious characteristic distinguished this Shi Lai An incident from other peasant movements. According to the statements given by those protesters, it clearly found that the use of religious belief did not only attract more peasants to partake in this revolution and gained more contribution, but also increased the confidence of these participants. Meanwhile, the folks were normally awed by the magic of religious belief, so people had tended to give secret support to stir up the uprising as well. Although the practice and effect of religious and superstitious belief was noticeable in this the Shi Lai An affair, it was all a means to an end in order to propagating the faith and attracting more participants. In fact, the leader of this incident had not exerted all the strength to expose the actual state and essence of this movement against Japan.
Because of a long and bitter conflict between Taiwan (colony) and Japan (the governing class) and the exploitation of economic power and resources by the Japanese governor, they had resulted in a series of socio-economic issues, for instance, wresting control of the lands from Taiwanese residents, heavy taxes and levies, exorbitant laws and decrees, and unreasonable management by Japanese police officers. As a result, in this case it brought a more significant influence at an uprising than the factors of the national consciousness and religious belief.
Because of an unclear intention and hidden motive, the leader did not provide a definite purpose of this movement for those poor peasants. Furthermore, by using their dissatisfaction with Japan’s colonial rule and the practice of folk religious belief, the essence of this peasant uprising was ignored. However, this Shi Lai An affair which were participated by most local peasants could be treated as a fountain-head of peasant movements during the period of Japanese colonial rule.
The peasants still put into effect and participated this uprising even though they were under harsh domination of the Japanese officials. Although it is hard to recognize this movement from the side of the national consciousness, their spirit of the resistance to Japan was admirable. After more social reforms had been raised and developed, the thoughts of Taiwanese peasants were expressed more apparently. Consequently, peasant movements had became one of the most vigorous campaigns against Japanese colonial rule.
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