The culture underneath ground: the study of Meinong well

• Main Author: 鍾憲揚
• Other Authors: 利亮時
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2010
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/64938204235995388122

碩士 === 高雄師範大學 === 客家文化研究所 === 99 === Try to imagine life in an ancient agricultural society without electricity or modern technology. People had to work from dawn to dusk and their living surroundings and conditions depended entirely on nature. In addition, people acquired all their natural resources by labor. It is easy to visualize what a significant role the well played in ancient society. From the past to the present, water resources have been the main factor in the development of traditional settlements and the well is the primary invention which was able to exploit groundwater resources. The well changed the face of traditional settlements. Instead of being restricted to living along the river, distinct cultures emerged related to settlement around wells. With the passing of time and new technological innovations, the techniques of well excavation and the facilities of water conservation have improved. The requirement of water resources has been easier to satisfy through more convenient and efficient techniques than the traditional style of digging wells by hand. During this change, traditional wells have become endangered. Moreover, wells that have deep relationships and history with human beings are disappearing, and other wells are taking their place. The research is based on the wells in Meinong. From the evolution of the way that people constructed, regional location of all types of the wells, and comparison with all historical document and the analysis of the map, probe the relationship between the wells and the tribes and investigate the value of the old wells. Also search what influence on local places may be until late stage of wells. Today, there are still 258 wells in the Meinong area, however, most of them are useless or seldom used. From those people who lived in the past with the wells, there is still a way to find out the importance of wells to traditional communities. Through professional interviews with citizens and research of these wells, we can retain their history and culture.