「分類械鬥」是研究清代台灣社會文化的重要子題，本文試圖以哲學詮釋的角度，探討「分類械鬥」一詞的起源及哲學意涵。透過「分類」詞義的溯源，可以從清代台灣儒學所謂的「氣類」橫推至清代福建朱子學的，進而上溯至宋代朱熹，以朱熹為原點，檢討朱子理學中「氣」的相關問題，並分析「氣類」在朱子理學中的意義和定位，釐出「氣類」源於家族宗廟祭祀，進而拓展到訪會人群，它如「氣類」與「氣」、「氣類」與「氣質」、「氣類」與「風俗」等等，皆是本文考察的項目。另一方面，本文也從朱子任地方官職歷七年一個月的實地經驗，說明朱子親身體驗到包括閩、浙、贛等地的氣類型態，以及朱子如何看待地方種種糾結紛雜的民間風俗氣類，並實施地方禮儀、官方撫恤、教育改革等措施以改良風氣，轉化民情，達成職在牧民、利人達人的儒家理想。

One of the important issues in the study of the society and culture of Taiwan during the period under the ruling of Ching Government is “Violent Conflicts among Various Categories,” or the conflicts among immigrants from various parts of China. In this paper, a philosophical investigation on the origin of this term will be made. “The Division of Categories” can be traced to the Neo-confucianism popular in the Fujian area during the Ching Dynasty. It was rooted in the idea of “categories of qi” proposed by Chu His, the utmost important Sung Dynasty Neo-confucian thinker. A detailed analysis of the concepts underlying the term “violent conflicts among various categories” involves an examination of Chu His’s ideas of “qi” and “categories of qi.” The idea “categories of qi” came from Chu His’s discussion of ancestor worship rituals in the family shrines, and expanded to his investigation of people in various parts of Chinese society. In this paper, the authors will also analyze related issues such as the relationships between “qi” and ”categories of qi”, between “categories of qi” and “qizhi (disposition)”, between “categories of qi” and “local customs” in Chu His’s thought. Both Chu His’s philosophical writings and his discussion of the various categories of local culture types that he experienced during his seven years of administration in the Min, Zhe, and Gan areas will be drawn as the source of this paper as Chu Hsi’s “categories of qi” is not only a philosophical idea but also a base of his policies for transforming local customs through education, ritual, and law in these areas.