關於嘉定侯氏家族的歷史書寫與評價，無論是在正史、野史、官修或是私修方志，對於侯氏家族的忠義事蹟，皆給予正面肯定的評價。然明清鼎革之際，有諸多政治禁忌及避諱，對於侯氏家族的歷史書寫亦多有所取捨及保留之處，藉由參酌正史、野史、官修及私修方志，使後世對於嘉定侯氏家族的事蹟，可以公正客觀地呈現史實。 ;In late Ming and early Qing dynasty, scholars had different ways to face and adapt the unstable and turbulent political situation. During that period, the Jia Ding Hou’s Family made the choice of and insisted on the belief of “zhong yi” （loyalty）even if they needed to pay the bitter and deeply distressed sacrifices.
The Jia Ding Hou’s Family passed Imperial examinations of Jin Shi by studying diligently. And this made the Jia Ding Hou’s Family became respected and influential clan from a farming family. The Jia Ding Hou’s Family’s experiences of being politicians and engaging in political and economic activities made them accumulate profound social network, which also made them reduce Jia Ding people’s taxes and be the mouthpiece of them. The Hou’s Family’s voluminous achievements and contributions in Jia Ding area had great influences on Jia Ding people, who appreciated to the Hou’s Family as well.
There were uncountable talented people in the Hou’s Family. Not only being overflown literary talent in the man but also getting delighted talents and extraordinary knowledge in the woman of The Jia Ding Hou’s Family, both of them attached abundant importance on Confucian thoughts. Therefore, the Hou’s Family from the youngest to the oldest insisted on Confucian valuable thoughts of “zhong yi” （loyalty） when the policy of “Tifa Yifu” （shaving pigtails and changing traditional clothes） had been passed to Jiang Nan. The Hou’s sons and younger brothers even commanded Jia Ding people to oppose to Qing dynasty, swore to death and resisted for the Jia Ding noble family in “Jia Ding San Tu” （massacre in Jia Ding）. As a result, the Hou’s Family was going from prosperity to decline and heading to miserable fate of straitened and withered family populations after attending tragic and intensive incidents of opposing to Qing dynasty.
About the Jia Ding Hou’s Family’s historical records and valuations, there were various positive evaluations to past “zhong yi” （loyalty） achievements in Hou’s Family no matter in official and private histories or official modified and private revised local histories. During Ming and Qing revolution period, however, there were stacks of political prohibitions and taboos. What’s more, there were still voluminous reservations about the Hou’s Family historical records. By considering and referencing official and private histories or official modified and private revised local histories, it could demonstrate fairly and objectively historical facts of the Hou’s Family to later generations.
