顏家於20世紀初期經營瑞芳九份地區的金礦業而致富，第一次世界 大戰以後則擴展到北部煤礦業，與日本財閥藤田組、三井家分別共同 投資「臺北炭礦株式會社」（後來藤田組退出，改組為臺陽礦業株式會 社）和「基隆炭礦株式會社」，成為掌握金、煤礦業之一大家族。他們 開發新礦區，引進新技術、購置新機械，在配合殖民地政府獎勵兩礦業 的政策之下，締造了事業的巔峯。顏家人士因稱霸礦業界且熱心公益， 在地方上深具影響力，故成為「當局」與民間之間的橋樑。他們重視臺 灣現代化的基層結構──教育、交通和電力──之建設，力爭臺灣人與 日本人平等的待遇，企求打破民族歧視的藩籬，期盼日本當局能放棄 「殖民」的心態。雖然在非常的政治環境之下，效果不大，但足以表現 出其胸懷。 另一方面，顏家依然是家規嚴謹的家父長制，三兄弟中，由於老大 東年身體虛弱，故老二雲年彷彿「掌門人」，安排子姪的教育與婚姻。 當雲年過世後，國年繼之。在他的費心考量下，第二代的婚姻圈逐漸擴 大，而基本的要件是門當戶對，聯姻範圍兼及企業界和詩文界，地理上 則遠及南臺灣。並且他也獨具慧眼，物色適宜的經營人才來幫助家業。 換言之，聯姻與企業的經營有不容忽視的相關性。我們如果再進一步追 究顏家姻親方面的婚姻圈，則可以斷言這種從血緣所擴散出的「姻緣」 網絡，超越了傳統中國的地緣和業緣網絡。

The Yan family became wealthy through the management of the gold mining industry in the Ruifang area in the early 20th century. After the First World War, the Yan’s business expanded to coal in northern Taiwan. Initially they cooperated with one of the Japanese Zaibatsu, the Fujitagumi, to set up the Taipei Coal Mining Company. Fujitagumi subsequently withdrew its investment in this project, and the Taipei Coal Mining Company was recognized as the Taiyang Mining Company Ltd., which managed the gold mining industry. At the same time, the Yan family was forced to cooperate with the famous Japanese Mitsui Zaibatsu to establish the Jilong Coal Mining Company, Ltd. Under the colonial government’s policies to encourage the gold and coal mining industries, the Yan family developed new mining areas, introduced new techniques, and purchased new machines. With these developments the family enterprise reached its peak. Because the Yan family dominated the mining industry and actively participated in public welfares projects, it had a great influence on northern Taiwan, and became the bridge between the colonial government and the populace. The Yan’ s enthusiastically took part in such committees as the Hyogikai（a special council of the Taiwan colonial government）, the Temporary Commission for the Investigation of Industries in Taiwan, and the Commission for the Investigation of Tropical Industries. The Yan family not only made great efforts to build the infrastructure for Taiwan’s modernization（i.e., in education, communications and electric power）, but also promoted equal treatment between the Japanese and Taiwanese people. It sought an end to racial discrimination, hoping that the Japanese authorities might give up their oppressive colonial attitudes. Although the effect of the Yan family’ s suggestions may have been slight under these political circumstances, they reflected the family’s ideals. The Yan enterprise was founded by Yan Yunnian, and expanded by his younger brother Guonian. These two Yan brothers were well educated in traditional literary Chinese. Aside from their success in business, the Yan brothers also earned themselves reputation as poets. It should be noted that the Yan family had a tradition of strict family rules on the basis of patriarchy. Among the three Yan brothers, the eldest Dongnian was plagued by ill health. Therefore the second eldest Yunnian acted as the“man in charge”（zhangmenren）, who made education and marriage arrangements for the second generation of the Yan family. When Yunnian died, Guonian succeeded to his position. With careful and meticulous calculation, Guonian followed the fundamental criterion of“marriage matches with those of equivalent social status,”（mendang hudui）in choosing spouses for the second generation. The family’s matrimonial circles covered the business and literary communities, and geographically reached as far as southern Taiwan. In addition, Guonian was particularly sharp at handpicking the right candidates for the management of the family business. In other words, marriage and business were inseparable. If we explore further into the marriage relations among members of the Yan family’s matrimonial circles, we can conclude that this kind of“matrimonial network”based on ties of blood overshadowed the traditional Chinese networks that were based on geographical proximity and business relations.

顏家，日治時期，礦業，財閥，臺陽礦業株式會社，基隆炭礦 株式會社，姻緣網絡

Yan family；Japanese rule；Mining industry；Zaibatsu；Taiyang Mining Company Ltd.；Jilong Coal Mining Company；Ltd., Matrimonial network.