阿里山大概是台灣最具有國際知名度的地名，近年來，隨著旅遊事業逐漸興盛，以及商業行銷如茶葉、咖啡等的需求，它所涵蓋的範圍似乎越來越大。甫離開嘉義市往東進入阿里山公路，尚未通過中埔鄉頂六，即已陸續出現以阿里山物產標榜的商店店招與廣告。舊日文獻的阿里山究竟是指涉哪個地方？它的範圍有多大？這個名稱是漢民所取或是居住現在阿里山鄉的鄒族原有的稱呼？本文嘗試針對阿里山鄒族部落口碑進行整理，並搜羅文獻如《臺灣府志》、《諸羅縣志》等予以比對、分析，釐清其演變的脈絡。

Alishan is probably the most internationally well-known site name in
Taiwan. With the gradual prosperity of tourism industry and commercial
marketing such as the demand of tea and coffee in recent years, its area seems to be larger and larger. When you enter Alishan Highway after leaving Chiayi City,you will start to see store signs and advertisements with Alishan product names before reaching Chungpu Township. Where is Alishan according to the reference of old literature? How big is its area? Was it named by Han people, or it’s the original name given by Tsou people who currently live in Alishan Township?This study is aimed to clarify its trend of development by integrating the oral records of Tsou tribes in Alishan, and comparing and analyzing the literature of
Taiwan Province Record and Chiayi County Record.