臺灣西南沿海地區曾是面積廣大的內海水域，擁有豐富的漁業資源，吸引人們選擇 沿岸住居，也誘發華南商民前來漁獵與交易。然而，臺灣這處最早與外界接觸往來的場 所，卻在十八世紀末起的半世紀內，因為人為開發、天然災害等影響，快速且大範圍淤 積陸化。本文以清代位處臺江內海東北方鄰近岸際的「港口地區」（今臺南市安定區） 為研究區，從事個案研究。試圖利用庄民在嘉慶19 年（1814）簽訂的一份私約，配合 相關文獻與田野，盡可能復原其歷史和社會樣態，並藉此進一步瞭解他們如何面對劇烈 的環境變動。本文將說明：庄民面臨的嚴峻挑戰，除了天災恐慌、人命財產損失，以及 自然環境與維生方式的急遽變遷外，還有因為水域陸化而與鄰近村庄間的資源爭奪；民 間的糾紛與衝突也引起地方官府介入，致使問題複雜化。十九世紀初領導港口庄民的菁 英們，處事幹練且極富遠見。他們勇敢面對周邊強大村落的武力爭奪、嗜利衙役的侵擾， 整合意見眾多且徬徨的庄民，並衡量現實環境以及未來，迅速做出抉擇以及回應。

The southwestern coast of Taiwan used to be a vast lagoon with rich fisheries. This water attracted not only aboriginals to settle along the shore, but also merchants and commoners from southern China to trade, fish and hunt in the area. However, in merely five decades towards the end of the eighteenth century, this region witnessed rapid and large-scale deposit of sediment because of human exploitation, changes in river courses and natural disasters. This article is a case study of Gangkou (港口) area located at northeastern Old Taijiang Inland Sea (the present-day Anding District, Tainan City, Taiwan). With reference to past literature, historical materials, including a contract dated at 1814/15 among Gangkou villagers, and fieldwork findings, this article traces the historical and social development of Gangkou for a better understanding of how the villagers responded to a dramatically changing environment. Besides facing natural disasters that not only threatened their lives and properties but also transformed the natural environment and their subsistence style of livelihood, Gangkou villagers had to compete with inhabitants of neighboring areas for the dwindling marine resources. The situation was further complicated owing to state involvement in response to local armed conflicts. Both capable and insightful, the elites of Gangkou decisively united villagers with different opinions to cope with the strong competition from neighboring villages and harassment of corrupt governmental officials.

臺江內海;魚塭;請墾;海埔新生地

Old Taijiang Inland Sea (Lagoon); Brackish Water Fish Pond; Land Development; Reclaimation of Tidal Land