嘉義地區地理面貌多元，包括潟湖、平原、丘陵、山區等，氣候上 乾濕季分明、雨量分佈不均導致灌溉水源的限制，加以境內有眾多難以 農耕的「看天田」，及沿海漸次浮覆形成的鹽分地帶等，整體環境處於 緩慢變動的型態，是一獨特的研究區域。移民進入嘉義地區拓墾，面對 非均質的農墾空間，除種植米、甘蔗等主要農產外，勢需多元經濟作物 以充分利用土地。木藍、山藍等藍染作物，分適平原及淺山丘陵地帶， 並有低照顧性、具經濟價值及回收成本迅速等優勢，木藍更具有改善土 質特性，可資為農民彈性運用。隨土地開發漸盛，藍染作物經營亦為之 擴張，並有豐沛產量。從「嘉義管內各保，多少有栽種」，及19世紀末 總產額約13萬斤的產量，足見藍靛業經營興盛景況，至20世紀初期甚至 有商人合股投資之舉。此外，其工藝原料的特性有別於其他糧食農作， 以藍靛業為切入點，可觀察到嘉義地方產業活動不同的面貌。故本文以 18世紀初至1920年代為研究區間，以藍靛業於嘉義各小區域間經營發展 及變遷為中心，從不同的角度分析嘉義產業經營與地方農墾時互動的歷 程。

The physical geography of the Chiayi region contains a spectrum of lagoons, flatlands, as well as hilly and mountainous regions. Precipitation in the region is seasonal, often limiting the capacity of irrigation improvements, leaving a considerable percentage of arable lands precipitation dependent. Briny regions along the coast add to the picture of lands of indistinct value. The entirety of the Chiayi region is thusly a motley region of little geographical change, and an unique region for study. Immigrants into the Chiayi region face the challenge of negotiating the multiplicity of local terrain. Other than staple crops such as rice and sugarcane, a variety of cash crops were also important to the immigrant agrarians to maximize land use. Indigo plants, typically Indigofera and Storobilanthes flaccidifolius Nees, were ideal cash crops with high turnover rate that could be cultivated in the flatland and hilly regions. Indigo shrubbery required minimal care, and Indigofera also improves soil quality, which trait provided farmers flexibility in land use. The indigo industry expanded in parallel to the flow of immigration, and the productive output amounted to 130,000 catties in the late 19th century. Such success also prompted merchants to pursue for incorporative investment opportunities in the early 20th century. Indigo is also a crop that differs from staple subsistence crops grown in the Chiayi region, hence provides a different point of entry to examine local industrial history in the Chiayi region. This study examines the indigo dye industry in the Chiayi region between the early 18th century to the early twentieth century, and in particular on the industry’s operations and evolutions in micro-regions, for the purpose of understanding the different historical dimensions of industrial and agricultural management strategies in Chiayi.

木藍、山藍、藍靛、染布業、區域史

Indigofera,Storobilanthes flaccidifolius Nees,indigo, dyeing industry,regional history