The Research of Liu Ming-Chuan’s Abolition of the Guard Posts-Based on Frontier Society in Chu Miao Region

• Main Authors: Shih-hsien Hsu, 許世賢
• Other Authors: Hsueh-ming Wu
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2009
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/jk4v9z

碩士 === 國立中央大學 === 歷史研究所 === 97 === The Research of Liu Ming-Chuan’s Abolition of the Guard Posts Based on Frontier Society in Chu Miao Region Abstract The theme of this research is to discuss the abolition of the guard posts carried out in Taiwan by Liu Ming-Chuan in 1886, under the framework of interaction between the government and the local society, the researcher discusses about the changes and impacts on frontier society in Chu Miao region due to the carry out of the abolition of the guard posts by Liu Ming-Chuan and how the late Ching government handled Taiwan local affairs through the state’s power. After Sino-French war in 1884, Liu Ming-Chuan took the chances of handling the aftermath of war and the establishment of Taiwan province, starting various construction works. In order to obtain financial resources for construction and pacification, he decided to carry out abolition of the guard posts since April of 1886, substituted civilian frontier guards with official ones, collected the frontier guard rent for pacification and set up a bureau of pacification and reclamation etc, attempting to reform frontier society by predominant political and military power and making the government to manage frontier society efficiently. The abolition of guard posts caused the resentment from the frontier society, intensified the tension between the officials and the civilians, also because the frontier guard rent was converted to the government income, the landlords and the tenants had to re-face and ensure their rights and duties, which also intensified the tension and antagonism inside the frontier society, all these are what Liu Ming-Chuan had to confront when executed the abolition of the guard posts. Besides, the abolition also changed the political and economical structure of the frontier society, affected the development of the frontier society thereafter. Through this research on the abolition of the guard posts, we know Liu Ming-Chuan counted on his predominant political and military power, ignoring traditional civilian custom and reality which leaded to the crisis of management in frontier society. In the meantime, the abolition of guard posts again brought about the rise of long existing contradictions among people of landlords and tenants, different nationalities, towns and countryside etc., the landlords and tenants usually confronted and solved their disputes through lawsuits. Also, the abolition of the guard posts cultivated popularities among local families, in a time efficiently managed frontier society and obtained the benefit from mountain forests through the Bureau of Pacification and Reclamation. However, as the resign of Lu Ming-Chuan in 1891, the power of unofficial organization Bureau of Pacification and Reclamation weakened substantially, the government couldn’t works properly in time, so frontier society gradually broke away from effective management of the government, the problems of cutting camphor privately in mountain areas and annoyance from the aborigines got intensively severe. However, it provided chances for experienced cultivators and local families to develop their influences once again. Key words: Liu Ming-Chuan, the abolition of frontier guard posts, frontier reclamation organization, frontier society