頭份永貞宮媽祖信仰的社會文化意義

Abstract

本論文以一個閩粵交界地區頭份鎮永貞宮媽祖信仰為研究的場域，透過田野調查、實際參與媽祖北港進香活動、聖誕活動、遶境活動，探究社群經由定時宗教慶典活動的社會互動過程，尋找當地閩、粵社群形塑、整合和分化的社會文化意涵。 閩、粵移民共同奉祀媽祖於竹南鎮中港慈裕宮，因為閩、粵械鬥的因素，於是在官府的倡導下，於清朝咸豐三年在頭份鎮田寮里創立永貞宮，永貞宮遂成為粵籍移民崇拜媽祖的場所。經由歷史的演變過程，永貞宮的祭祀範圍包含頭份鎮三十一個里，三十一個里中除了蘆竹湳與土牛里是閩南庄以外，其餘各里都是客家庄。因此以永貞宮為主的宗教活動中，蘆竹湳與土牛里的居民參與永貞宮宗教活動的面向，可以作為觀察社群形塑的一個視角。 透過田野調查的結果，研究發現：永貞宮藉著宗教活動的舉行，凝聚社群的向心力，但是社群形塑的空間卻有其變異性，蘆竹湳與土牛里的居民都參與頭份鎮四月八日媽祖的遶境活動，但是對於媽祖聖誕與北港進香活動，蘆竹湳與土牛里的居民卻有著不同取向，蘆竹湳的居民不參與永貞宮北港進香及媽祖聖誕活動；土牛里有北港進香團的爐主負責籌措緣金，但是里民卻鮮少參與永貞宮北港進香及媽祖聖誕活動。鑲嵌在歷史脈絡下建立的永貞宮，受到分類意識主觀認知的影響，始終帶有粵籍人民的色彩；但是以媽祖為名的遶境活動，打破了社群原有的界限，社群之間以「媽祖」為名的象徵，經由不斷的互動，彼此之間的界線消融，強化了社群的一體感，產生更大層面集體意願的歸屬感。

This study examines the meaning of the Matsu religious beliefs of Yongjhen Temple located on the border between the different language speaking communities, Hakka and Holo.. Through the field work including: participation in the Matsu pilgrimage towards Beigang, Matsu’s holy birthday celebration and ritual parade, this study explores the social interactions within the community during regular religious events and attempts to find the social and cultural significance from these different vernacular speaking communities’ formation, integration and division. Fujian and Guangdong immigrants had a common place to worship the Goddess Matsu, Cihyu Temple located at Jhonggang, Jhunan Township. Later, due to the battle between Fujian and Guangdong communities, Yongjhen Temple was built at Tianliao Village in Toufen Township in 1853 AD under government proposal. Hereafter, Yongjhen Temple became the focal point for Guangdong immigrants to worship the Goddess Matsu. Through years of historical changes, the spiritual scope of Yongjhen Temple covers 31 villages of Toufen Township. Among the 31 villages, only Lujhunan and Tuniou Villages are Fujian Villages, while the rest are Hakka villages. Hence, this study observed the intentional features of Lujhunan and Tuniou villagers’ participation in the religious events of Yongjhen Temple, in order to investigate the community formation. Field research results indicated that Yongjhen Temple promoted cohesion, a group spirit within all residents through its cultural and religious events, but the community formation remains differentiated. Residents of both Lujhunan and Tuniou Villages participated in the ritual parade for Matsu held on April 8th in Toufen Township. However, these two groups of residents have different intentions regarding Yongjhen Temple’s Matsu holy birthday celebration and Beikang pilgrimage; Lujhunan residents do not participate in these two events, while Tuniou Village residents rarely participated in these two events even though Tuniou Village has a ritual head (lu-jhu) at the Beikang pilgrimage to take charge of raising funds. With people’s subjective division, Yongjhen Temple, whose birth was so closely associated with historical facts, is always bound with the impression of Guangdong immigrants. However, the ritual parade held in the name of Matsu breaks community boundaries. Matsu-related events prompt the interaction between different communities, through which they blur boundaries, enhance the integration of communities, and form a sense of belonging, with a collective intention.