從神聖到世俗 ----- 以頭城搶孤為例

Abstract

本論文係研究位於台灣東北角的頭城中元普度儀式在歷史上的特殊演變。頭城是由於最先開墾而得名。近九十年來，這個小鎮一直都舉行著傳統性的所謂「搶孤」的中元普度儀式。搶孤意即當中元普度完成時，搶奪放在30米高台上的供品的儀式。 清領時期，搶孤盛行於台灣很多地區。如今已很罕見，除了頭城和台灣最南端的恆春，我們將再驗證歷史上不同時段的頭城搶孤。頭城搶孤首見於1923年日治時期的新聞，或多或少都有規律地舉辦到1936年。第二次世界大戰之後得以虔誠地復辦，但旋即因戒嚴令而中斷。一直到解嚴後，搶孤定期在頭城舉辦，並且被認為是台灣宗教活動中最艱難的民俗活動，搶孤吸引著參賽者把攀爬活動當作運動或競賽。 本文要從宗教的意義論述搶孤演變的方向，基於涂爾幹 (E.Durkheim)的神聖跟世俗的理論，筆者發現這個民俗活動從最初神聖的意義慢慢演變的過程。然而它的改變過程並非是直線而行。戒嚴之後，它只是人們單純的共同記憶，如今，它逐漸褪去宗教的本質轉化成台灣文化的形像。它在台灣也愈來愈趨於世俗化了。This paper is intended as an investigation on the historical changes a special rite of the ghost’s festival that was held in Toucheng, where is located in the northeast of Taiwan. The place is named “Toucheng” that could be said the first reclamation’s town in other words. Traditionally, there is a particular rite of ghost’s festival that is called “chiang-ku”, that has continued to be hold until now almost 90 years in this town. The meaning of chiang-ku could be said to robe those sacrificial food under the special table about 30 meters high at the end of the rite on occasion of ghost’s festival. Historically, there was very popular that was held the chiang-ku in many part of Taiwan during the Ching dynasty. Now, the chiang-ku was held rarely except in Toucheng and in Hengchun, the most south town of Taiwan. We will re-examine historically those different periods of chiang-ku in Toucheng. It was first reported by newspaper in 1923 during the Japanese era, and it was held more or less on a regular basis until 1936. After the World War II, the chiang-ku was represented religiously once again, but it was interrupted due to the martial law. Until the martial law was ceased, the chiang-ku was held regularly in Toucheng and the religious event was regarded as the most difficult folk activity in Taiwan, which attracted many participators climbing as a sport or a competition. In this thesis, I want to argue the evolution of chiang-ku’s meaning from the religious to the other development. Based on Durkheim’s theory on the sacred and the secular, I discovered that the folk activity had shifted slowly from its original sacred meaning. This path of change, however, was not directly. After the martial law, the chiang-ku was simply regarded as an unforgettable collective memory. And now, it was also become an image of Taiwan’s culture and moved away its religious origin. Increasingly, it was aligned itself with the secular society in Taiwan.