後龍溪流域義民信仰調查研究

Abstract

近年來客家研究蓬勃發展，台灣客家族群特有的「義民爺信仰」也受到重視。有關義民爺信仰的研究論文近幾年來大量增加，可見義民信仰對於瞭解客家族群的重要性。在宗教社會學和宗教人類學的研究領域，宗教和族群的關係向來受到重視。宗教信仰的影響不單只是信仰層面，對於一個民族或者族群的認同和自我形象，也有極大的影響。 目前有關義民信仰的研究，主要還是從歷史研究的角度，爭論義民在台灣歷史的定位，以及林爽文事件中有關客家義民軍的史料，甚至於因為不同的族群立場，對義民信仰有不同的解讀。從宗教信仰的角度，探討義民信仰的神格，一般客家民眾如何看待義民信仰，參與義民信仰的情形等，仍然有研究的必要。因此本研究將以後龍溪流域的義民信仰為研究對象，從宗教社會學和宗教人類學的視野，從日常生活的角度，探討義民信仰神格的多樣性及其變遷。漢人民間信仰分為神、鬼和祖先三個系統，本文擬從此一架構，探討義民信仰的多樣性。在研究方法上，除了蒐集現有的各項史料之外，也將以社會科學常用的訪談方法，進行義民廟相關家族、管理人員以及一般民眾的訪談。

In recent years, following with the flourishing developments of Hakka studies, the I-Ming Belief is one of the research focus which is unique to Taiwan Hakka people. The number of essays related to I-Ming Belief have increased in considerable quantities, which shows the significance of I-Ming Belief for understanding Hakka ethnic groups. In the field of Anthropology of Religion and Sociology of Religion, the relationship between religions and ethnic groups is weighed heavily. The religious belief not only has influence on belief itself, but on the identification and self-image of a nation or an ethnic group. Presently, the research on I-Ming Belief still mainly proceeds from the historical perspective, debating on the position of I-Ming Belief in Taiwan history, the historical materials of Hakka I-Ming army related to Lin Shuang-wen Incident, even on the discrepant expositions of I-Ming Belief due to discrepancy of standpoints of ethnic groups. However, starting from the perspective of religious studies, the property of I-Ming gods, the common viewpoints of Hakka people on I-Ming Belief, and also the participating in I-Ming Belief are still in need of more research. Therefore, this research will take I-Ming belief of the Hou-long River as the research subject, In the perspective of Anthropology of Religion and Sociology of Religion and Folklore belief of Chinese people , probing into the diversity and transition of I-Ming gods. Han’s local faiths are divided into three systems—gods, spirits, and ancestors. Tending to base on the three-system structure ,this research is intended as an investigation of the diversity of I-Ming belief. The interviews, which are commonly used in the study of social science, with related families, managers, and the general public of I-Ming Temples will be conducted as the methodology of this research in addition to collecting available historical data.