Abstract：
　　This article examines the transformation of Indigenous beliefs in Taiwan during the Dutch colonial era, focusing on the initial impact of global religions on the Favorlang people in central Taiwan between 1644 and 1654. It explores the missionary efforts of the Dutch Reformed Church, particularly through the lens of linguistic and religious texts produced by Dutch ministers.
　　Scrutinizing historical materials such as the Woord-boek der Favorlangsche Taal [Dictionary of the Favorlang Dialect of the Formosan Language] and Leerstukken en Preeken in de Favorlangsche Taal (Eiland Formosa) [Articles of Faith for the Use of the Schools in the District of Favorlang (Island of Formosa)], this article highlights the foundational work and achievement of the largely anonymous pioneer Reverend Simon van Breen. Through an analysis of the documents, the study addresses key questions: “What Indigenous beliefs and practices did the ministers encounter upon entering ‘the Favorlang world’ as outsiders? How did the ministers’ acquisition of the Favorlang language facilitate their communication with and their preaching of the new Christian faith to the Favorlang people?”
　　As a Christian missionary text composed in the Favorlang language, Doctrine and Sermons stands as a testament of the cultural and religious exchange between the ministers and the Favorlang people. This article further reflects on the local meanings of religious conversion in the colonial context and offers insights into the broader implications of world religions on Indigenous and Taiwanese beliefs during the early modern period.

Keywords：Favorlang, Religious Beliefs, Conversion to Christianity, Plains Indigenous Peoples, The Dutch Reformed Church

Abstract：
　　This paper proposes a preliminary macro-level interpretive framework for understanding Yeh Sheng-ji’s path of identity formation and transformation during the late colonial period through a comprehensive and in-depth reading of his diaries written between his middle school years and the end of World War II (1939-1945.3). The author argues that during this period, Yeh underwent two distinct but interconnected paths toward identifying himself as Japanese. The first path, “pilgrimage,” refers to the sociological process of being recruited and integrated into the elite strata of imperial Japan through educational upward mobility. The second path, “truth-seeking,” denotes an intellectual journey of learning, reflection, and assimilation of Japan’s wartime state ideology through which he would become a loyal Japanese citizen or subject. While Yeh’s pilgrimage proceeded exceptionally smoothly, his truth-seeking encountered a profound ideological conflict, leading to the eventual collapse of his identification with the Japanese state. Paradoxically, it was the very success of Yeh’s pilgrimage that brought about the failure of his truth-seeking. The dialectics between Yeh’s pilgrimage and truth-seeking as the central analytic framework not only illuminates his complex identity formation during his youthful years, but also provides a conceptual foundation for further research on his diaries and intellectual legacy.

Keywords：Yeh Seng-ji, Pilgrimage, Truth-seeking, Identity, Assimilation, Diaries, Wartime, Higher Schools, Elite, Intellectuals, Taiwanese, Japanese

Abstract：
　　This paper examines the evolution of Yanagita Kunio’s views on colonial rule and his discourse on the Southern Islands, using his 1917 trip to Taiwan, his participation in the League of Nations Mandates Commission in the early 1920s, and his post-war writings on Okinawa as reference points. It argues that, prior to World War II, Yanagita regarded Okinawa merely as a regional locality within Japan. However, in the aftermath of Japan’s defeat, he devoted his later years to constructing the image of the Japanese as a ricecultivating people, attempting to validate the cultural homogeneity between Okinawa and the Japanese mainland. This move elevated Okinawa’s position within the broader narrative of Japanese cultural history, and implicitly criticized the post-war government’s mishandling of the Okinawa issue.
　　During his visit to Taiwan in 1917, Yanagita inspected Indigenous communities under the guidance of colonial bureaucrats and visited the newly established Musha Indigenous School. While serving on the League of Nations Mandates Commission, he criticized the limitations of assimilationist policies and advocated for enhancing the welfare of Indigenous peoples through both cultural and economic protections. Yanagita highlighted the identity confusion caused by assimilationist education among Indigenous elites, and supported preserving Indigenous languages and ensuring stable economic livelihoods. He envisioned a path to civilization that would enable Indigenous peoples to attain a standard of living comparable to that of free citizens around the world.
　　From his early theory of the “Yamabito” (山人) to his later research on the “The Sea Road” (海上の), Yanagita pursued a decentralized cultural-historical narrative. In his view on colonial governance, the mother tongue symbolized ethnic heritage, and the process of civilization could lead to the liberation of the ethnic group. His efforts to construct a shared ancestral narrative can be seen as an indirect appeal for Japan’s own cultural autonomy in preserving traditions. His pluralistic discourse on cultural and educational policies, which are characterized by “liberal-conservative” political thought is still worth discussing today.

Keywords：Yanagita Kunio, Colonial Governance, Taiwan, Okinawa, Indigenous Peoples, Theory of Rice-Cultivating People

Abstract：
　　This study leverages postwar government archives to examine how the Kuomintang’s (KMT) regulated firearm use among the Indigenous in Taiwan during the early postwar period (1945-1956). The analysis identifies three distinct phases in the evolution of government policy on firearm regulation.
　　In the first phase, following Japan’s surrender and the transfer of authority, Indigenous communities resumed the long-standing practice of private firearm manufacturing. Initially, the Taiwan Provincial Chief Executive’s Office sought to confiscate all privately held weapons. However, recognizing the unique cultural and practical importance of hunting rifles to the Indigenous, officials began adapting regulatory frameworks from the Japanese colonial era, including drafting policies for ammunition borrowing and distribution in mountainous regions. These efforts were soon disrupted by the outbreak of the February 28 Incident in 1947.
　　The second phase emerged after the February 28 Incident, as the KMT sought to stabilize Taiwan and prevent lowland insurgents from retreating into remote mountain areas. Indigenous peoples were seen as key collaborators in post-incident pacification efforts. To secure their cooperation in recovering unauthorized weapons, the government explicitly allowed Indigenous hunters to retain their rifles, recognizing them as essential subsistence tools rather than military weapons.
　　The final phase coincided with the KMT’s defeat in the Chinese Civil War and its retreat to Taiwan. In an effort to strengthen security in mountainous areas, the government imposed stricter controls over Indigenous firearms. Hunters were required to register their rifles, exchange or sell them through the state, and obtain official permits, while nonhunting weapons, such as handguns, military rifles, and machine guns, were subject to mandatory surrender. Although the government promised to provide free ammunition to encourage compliance, poor logistical support resulted in frequent shortages, prompting many Indigenous hunters to produce their own ammunition.

Keywords：Taiwan’s Indigenous Peoples, Hunting Traditions, Hunting Rifles, Firearm Regulation, Early Postwar Period, Kuomintang (KMT) Government

Abstract：
　　This article presents a comprehensive review of research works on the economic history of Taiwan published between 2022 and 2023. These studies cover nine major thematic areas: industrial history, regional economic history, the history of economic thought and discourse, business history, economic policy, foreign relations, trade and transportation history, land development, and the history of hydraulic infrastructure. Through this review, the article identifies six emerging trends that characterize the current state of economic history research.
　　First, recent research remains concentrated on the Japanese colonial and postwar periods, with particular emphasis on industrial development and policy analysis. Second, studies on the history of economic thought and discourse have gained prominence, shedding light on the historical evolution of economic thoughts in Taiwan. Third, the scale of research has broadened from macrostructural frameworks to micro-level analyses, with greater focus on the agency of individual firms and economic actors. Fourth, methodological approaches increasingly incorporate interdisciplinary and longue durée perspectives, integrating insights from environmental and social history to explore the interrelations among economy, nature, and society. However, the application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) remains relatively limited. Chronological boundaries are also being re-examined, with growing attention to the continuities and ruptures that transcend changes in political regimes.
　　Fifth, scholars have begun to adopt global history perspectives to explore Taiwan’s historical integration into the international economy. Sixth, there is a notable increase in non-Chinese publications and transnational comparative studies, contributing to rising international visibility of Taiwan’s economic history. Despite these advancements, economic history research faces persistent challenges, including a decline in new academic entrants and increasing demands for interdisciplinary integration and advanced data analysis skills. Looking ahead, the article calls for more research on the early modern and Qing periods, renewed engagement with macrostructural questions, and sustained efforts to cultivate new scholarly talents and foster international collaboration so as to ensure the continued vitality and global relevance of Taiwan’s economic history.

Keywords：Economic History of Taiwan, Industrial History, History of Economic Thought, Global History, Interdisciplinary