媽祖信仰遶境儀式的文化景觀閱讀

A Study of Cultural Landscape in Religious Processions of Matzu Pilgrimage

近年來文化景觀在地理研究益形重要，是關注文化與環境互動的關係，文化景觀是地方空間環境的再現，可呈現出地方人們的集體記憶與認同。媽祖為台灣重要的民間信仰，其遶境刈香原本目的在於藉由神像出巡儀式加強居民信仰，並達到宣傳與成為居民心靈支柱的目的，此項儀式與週邊的空間環境有密切的關係。本研究分析媽祖信仰三大遶境路線：彰化大甲媽祖、雲林北港媽祖與苗栗白沙屯媽祖，所對應的儀式內容、居民行為、遊客行為與空間特質之關係。本研究以敘事的方式呈現遶境文化的特質與所蘊含的意義。研究結果顯示：（1）目前台灣最為知名的媽祖三大遶境路線，由於路線、遶境地區與主辦廟宇本身的差異，呈現出不同的宗教儀式與空間內容。（2）媽祖遶境儀式型態包含有市集功能的嘉年華會型、路線不定的天意型、與固定範圍的境內巡狩型。（3）不同的儀式行為彰顯了遶境文化的豐富性與特有路經與空間的多樣性。（4）儀式行為屬於無形文化景觀的一種，除特定時間外，不易在空間中留下明顯的痕跡供人探索，但敏銳的地理學者，必須在這空間痕跡中找尋它神聖性與物質性空間建構的歷程。（5）由於遶境儀式行為是明顯的宗教特性，此類文化襲產多被歸類為節慶活動類，反而忽視遶境儀式行為所具有的文化內涵，淡化宗教的神聖性意義與空間的連結。（6）遶境儀式呈現通俗化與商品化的後現代現象，也突顯遶境儀式的表演性與世俗化的歷程。Recently cultural landscape is getting important in the field of geographical research, which focuses on the interaction of culture and environment. Cultural landscape is a representation of the local space environment, where a collective memory and identity of people can be presented. Matzu is an important folk religion in Taiwan, the original purpose of the religious processions was to strengthen the faith and belief, and to promote the religion as a spiritual pillar for the residents. The religious processions ceremony is closely related to the surrounding environment. This research analyzed the three routes of Matzu's processions: Taichung Dajia Matzu, Yunlin Peikang Matzu, and Miaoli Baishatun Matzu. This research explored the spatial characteristics of the processions routes corresponding to the contents of the ceremony, behaviors of the residents and tourists and the relationships to the spatial environments. A narrative presents the cultural characteristics of Matzu processions ceremony and metaphor meaning of religious story. The results showed that (1) the three most famous routes of Matzu processions exhibit different religious rituals and spatial content due to the routes, districts, and the hosting temples. (2) The types of Matzu processions ceremony include carnival-type, routes chosen by Matzu, and fixed-routine routes. (3) Different Matzu processions ceremony highlights the richness of ritual and the diversity of specific spatial environments. (4) Ritual behavior is a kind of intangible cultural landscape, besides a specific time, no obvious visible traces are left in the space for people to explore. Keen geographers must trace the sacred rituals and material in the development process in the space. (5) Matzu processions ceremony has religious ritual characteristics, but such culture heritage event is classified as festival type, which ignored cultural significance and decreased the significant linkage between religious sanctity and space. (6) The process of processions presented popularization and commercialization of post-modern phenomenon, which also highlighted the performance element of rituals and the process of secularization.