岩村的宗教活動－－一個農村的工業化與社區生活研究之3

CHARACTERISTICS AND ADAPTATION OF THE FOLK RELIGION IN YEN VILLAGE

本文是從臺灣北部地區一個變遷中農村的寺廟發展與宗教活動的運作，去探討臺灣民間信仰的特質與其對現代社會的適應方式。第一節敘述該農村社會經濟變遷的概況，第二節說明該村的寺廟發展，第三節敘述該村社區性與群體性的宗教括動，最後一節分析該村民間信仰的特質與其對現代社會的適應方式，結果提出臺灣民間信仰的三個特質：（1）神祗人格化，（2）以靈驗為本位，（3）以情境為取向。在這三個特質的共同運作下，臺灣的民間信仰構成一個多神的宗教體系，這個體系在組織上是嚴謹的，但在活動上則是富於彈性的。在神格上居於最低層次的土地公，可以被提升為全村的主祭神，各種祭典的日期可以因為政治、經濟的因素而改變，同時可以因此而退出或加入某個祭祀圈，在遭受嚴重的政治迫害時，它甚至可以近乎完全停頓，而不採取對抗的行動，當壓力解除之後，它又迅速的成長。藉著這些反應模式，臺灣的民間信仰在急遽的社會變遷中，仍然能夠良好的加以適應，而繼續其社會心理功能的運作。

Based on the data of the developments of temples and the performances of religious activities in a changing village of northern Taiwan, this article attempted to uncover the characteristics of the Taiwanese folk religion and its adaptation to modern life. Consequently, three characteristics were indicated in the process of analysis:1) the personalization of the deities;2) the nature that emphasized on the deities' divine power;and 3) the situation-orientation. The folk religion in Taiwan structures as a polytheistic system resulted from the interweaving operations of these three characteristics. As a projective system, it reflects the basic characteristic of the Chinese society and people. It is rigid in organization, but flexible in activities. Tu-ti-kong (Land God), although located at the lowest level in the indigenous supernatural hierarchy, might be highlighted by all of the villagers as the common god. The changes of political or economic situations not only can lead the religious ceremonies to be delayed or anteceded, but also can make, the natives withdraw from the original religious sphere, which is an object of the group identity, and/or join another one. Moreover, the religious activities might be stopped completely and submissively while the pressures are too strong. After the pressures ended, it flourished again in very short period. Making use of these reaction patterns, the Taiwanese folk religion can well adapt itself to drastic sociocultural changes, and continue to operate its sociopsychological functions.