闽西客家尝会在台湾地区早期开发中的作用——以永定陈留堂谢廷纪公尝为例

Functions of Hakka Family Ancestor Worship Associations of West Fujian in Early Development of Taiwan——a Case Study of Xietingji in Chenliu Clan

闽西客家各宗族皆有尝会,称之为蒸尝、公尝、太公季等。这些尝会除祭祀外没有其他经营活动。但在清初闽西客家较大规模渡台后,一些由渡台者带去的宗族尝会,却大量参与投资购地开发垦殖的经济活动,有些渡台者甚至在原乡招资,组成“合约字”尝会,专司投资,营利分红,在台湾早期开发中大显身手,如永定陈留堂谢廷纪公尝。而进入现当代之后,台湾地区的闽西籍客家尝会退出了经济活动舞台,实现了传统祭祀功能的回归。

Each Hakka clans in West Fujian had the family ancestor worship associations(called“Changhui”,also known as“Zhengchang”,“Gongchang”,and“Taigongji”).These associations had no other business activities except for sacrificing.However,after the Hakka people in west Fujian moved to Taiwan on a relatively large scale in the early Qing Dynasty,some family ancestor worship associations brought by these people participated in the economic activities of investing and purchasing land for development and cultivation,and some even sought capital in their native villages,organized the contracted associations to specialize in investment and make profits,who fully displayed their talents in the early development of Taiwan,such as the family ancestor worship association of Xie Tingji under Chenliu clan title from Yongding.With time passing by,after entering the modern and contemporary age,these associations withdrew from the stage of economic activities and returned to the traditional sacrificing function,for both political and economic reasons.