For Fan Chen-chien, the yimin militia did what it took to defend their lives, homes, and property, and to ensure the continued survival of their language and culture.
范振乾認為，義民精神乃是二百多年前，台灣的客家先民在當時時空背景下，因為身家財產受威脅，乃至為了語言文化的繼續存在，奮起自力救濟所展現的精神。