本文企圖以五個家族發展的個案分析，來探討南村家族在現代化潮流的衝撃下所作的種種調適。最明顯地，莫如家族分化時間的提早，讓年輕的一代自由發展其才能。在這個潮流影響下，卽使某些人想維持傳統的擴大家族，也不得不做若干調整，諸如聯邦式擴大家族的出現。其次，由於家族分化時間的提早，父母吃伙頭的現象更爲普遍。隨着吃伙頭現象的普遍流行，家長的權威也面臨着重大的挑戰。此外，父系親屬之間的互動關係，雖然仍舊密切，但財務上互助的功能已爲民間信用合會所取代。娘家親戚關係的重要性，隨着社會活動的擴大，也不斷地提高。

This article attempts to discuss the adjustment of the families of Nan-ts’un under the pressures of modernization using case analyses of five families. Quite clearly, early division of the family allows the younger generation the freedom to develop their potentialities. Under these circumstance, for the traditional extended family structure to persist, it must undergo some change in the direction of the rotating-eating system, parental authority has faced a serious challenge. In addition, financial reciprocity among patrilineal kin has been replaced by rotating credit associations. The importance of affinal relationships has been heightened by the extension of social activities.