范姜姓是一個特殊的家族，他們的姓氏起源於新屋，縱使現在全世界皆有他們的足跡，但對范姜族人來說，新屋始終是他們最初的發源地。乾隆元年（1736）范姜家族的老祖先－－－范姜殿高，輾轉來臺，尋求發展，從下淡水（新竹縣南寮漁港）登陸後到現今的新屋地區開墾，之後更帶領其他家族成員至新屋地區進行大規模的拓墾活動。 新屋地區范姜家族於日治時期政權轉換之際，如何保持其社會領導階層的地位？其家族勢力與政權之間的關係為何？范姜族人積極配合日本當局的教育政策，因而獲得哪些實質上的經濟效益？對范姜家族的政治及經濟的發展有何助益？至於范姜家族如何統籌經濟、教育、政治與社會互動，而成為當時的第一大家族？這些議題將在本論文中予以探討與研究。 范姜家族運用土地資本及配合日本總督府發展教育事業，因而進入新屋庄的行政體系裡運作，掌握新屋庄的政治命脈；之後獲得公營事業的特許權，成為新興實業家；接著以經濟上的財富，培育後裔成為新興的社會領導階層；最後則透過政治勢力的拓展，而再次獲得經濟上的厚植。范姜家族在經濟、教育及政治的整合過程裡，迅速的獲得勢力與財富的累積，在經濟、教育上的貢獻，促使著范姜家族從清領時期的地主身分逐漸轉換成新屋地區最負盛名的政治世家，且靠著日本當局政治權力的授予以及社會網絡的建立，而成為經濟、教育及政治統籌在身的社會領導階層。 Family of Fan-jiang is a very specific family, whose surname comes from Shin-wu. Even though they spread worldwide, for all the members, Shin-wu still remains their initial cradle. In the first year of Chien-lung (1736 AD), their ancestor ( Fang-jiang, Dan Kao) moved to Taiwan . He got off the ship at Down Tamsui ( Nanliao) and went to Shin-wu to clear the land. Then he led other family members there for the large-scale clearing. The Fang-jiang family in Shin-wu area managed to keep their social status of leading family in the period of power shifting in the Japanese era in Taiwan . How they were able to maintain this status? What is the relationship between this family and the colonial government during the Japanese occupation? What kind of economic benefits were obtained by the Fang-jiang family when they cooperated with Japanese in the education policy? How this family became the leading family in the area by controlling the political, economic power and social relation in this period? These topics will be explored in this paper. Through the land, the family member entered the administrative system and grasped the political keystone in the Shin-wu area. The Fang-jiang family’s cooperation with the Japanese government in developing education was the key for power. Later the family obtained the chartered right of the public business and became a new rising entrepreneur. With the wealth, the family was able to foster their children to gain degrees in the higher education. Then the family could obtain their political power and wealth through their young generation. The Fang-jiang family accumulated their influences in political, economic, and education domains. Through the help of the colonial regime and social relation, the Fang-jiang family became the domestic leaders in the district in the Japanese era from a family as landlord in the period of the Qing dynasty.
