This paper describes and analyzes the Chinese land reclamation process in the
vicinity of Erhlin. Basing on historical and field data, the reasons behind the migration of
aboriginal peoples as well as the relationship between pressures of Chinese settlement and
aboriginal migration are discussed.
(1) Aboriginal tribes were accustomed to moving about according to their life style.
However, such practice of moving stopped after the arrival of Han Chinese. For this reason,
Chinese reclamation process was not only the main cause for aboriginal migration but also
posed limitation to the life, space available for the natives. After the nineteenth century, the
aboriginal peoples could not continue to move about unless they found a new place, such as
the P'u-li Basin, for them to migrate.
(2) The more the land were reclaimed by the Han, the fewer the land owned by the
natives. However, the infertile dry farmlands and the low-lying areas, both being unfit for
cultivation, remained in the hands of the aborigines. Nevertheless, the former which could
be improved by agricultural technology were more valuable than the latter. That is why the
Erhlin natives who owned dry farmlands eventually moved to P'u-li Basin in the late
nineteenth century while most of the Ta-t'u natives remained in the low-lying areas, not
reclaimed by Han Chinese.
(3) Conventional ideas attributed aboriginal migration simply to the loss of their land
rights in the reclamation process. However, instead of driven by poverty, it was the weathy
native people who were able to migrate. The reason why Ta-t'u tribe rebuilt their village in
the low-lying areas after the flood instead of moving away was because they only had
limited financial resources. On the contrary, the wealthier Erhlin tribe who own their
properties and were sinicized decided to resettle in the P'u-li Basin. What exactly motivated
their migration remained unclear. However, since P'u-li Basin was still dominated by native
culture, what prompted their moving might be their desire to find a better life space away
from the Han domination.