日本在二十世紀初期曾以近三十年的時間對殖民地臺灣進行全面的測量，建立了詳卻的地籍系統。在此同時，也藉由傳統時期製作的契約文書來整理複雜的租佃關係，以確立每筆土地的權力關係人及法律地位。總督府在地籍只領過程中所徵集、抄錄的契約文書，目前有一部份被保留在台灣總督府檔案中，為數將近一萬五千件，約為現行以公開之臺灣關係契約文書總量的七成五。 　　總督府抄錄契約時，曾對契約的關係人、土地座落以及真偽進行細緻的考證工作，並將新建的地籍系統登錄在契約抄本上。這讓我們今天可以輕易且準確地將傳統的契約文書和近代的地圖、戶籍、地籍等帳冊資料加以對照，以判讀各份契約的指涉地點並復原地域社會的開發史。

In the early 20th century, the Japanese colonial government carried out a comprehensive land survey in Taiwan for nearly 30 years and established a detailed and thorough land registry. Making use of these land documents produced in previous times, the Taiwan Sōtokufu sought to clarify complicated land relations, and build upon them clear land rights for each plot of land. These land documents acquired during the land investigation process were partly preserved in the Taiwan Sōtokufu Archives, and totaled around 15,000 pieces. They amounted to nearly 75 percent of the published land documents at present. In the process of transcribing the land documents, the Taiwan Sōtokufu examined carefully the parties involved, the locations of the pieces of land and the authenticity of the documents. Moreover, they adopted the newly established land registry when transcribing the land documents. Such efforts enable us to compare these traditional land documents with modern maps, the household census registry, and the land registry, thus making possible the mapping of locations of land involved and the reconstruction of local development history.

契約文書;臺灣總督府檔案;地租改正;地籍整理事業。土地台帳

land documents; Taiwan Sōtokufu Archives; land tax reform; land survey; land registry