流動的邊緣性：檳城姓氏橋與「海墘」意象的轉變

Fluid Marginality: Penang Clan Jetties and the Changing Images of Weld Quay

位於馬來西亞檳城喬治市的姓氏橋社群，是19世紀末期在海墘地帶陸續形成的木屋海上聚落，至今共存有七條以相異姓氏結群的橋，其第一代橋住民大都由來自中國福建聚落的華人移民所構成。地理位置上處於海洋與陸地的交界位置，賦予橋社群在英國殖民港口體系下賴以生存的利基，進而形成社群主體認同的重要經驗。然而，此中介位置也成為了她在社會經濟轉換下的邊緣性來源。本文以「流動的邊緣性」概念，理解姓氏橋在相異歷史社會過程中所處的框架及形成機制。我們將指出，這樣反覆身處、流動於不同邊緣性中的處境，恰巧是姓氏橋結群能存在至今的狀態及屬性，而這也緊依著「海墘」意象在城市發展下的轉換。這樣的邊緣性機制，是以檳城港口城市的海陸交界地帶作為基礎條件，伴隨橋勞動社群的工作內容及社群日常生活感知而來的眾多意象，彼此交會而成。直至世界文化遺產治理下，試圖將其納入城市中產觀光勝地的想像，而橋社群也逐漸面臨固著化。透過此民族誌描述，本文希冀提供對於當代檳城一類港口華人勞工社群，在面對相異城市治理下的生命狀態與處境的理解。

Formed in the late nineteenth century, Hokkien immigrants built seven clan jetties on Penang's waterfront. Given their unique geographical location between the sea and the island, they provide a niche for sea-related job opportunities. At the same time, the jetties have been saturated with various images of notoriety. In this article, the concept of “fluid marginality” is adopted to understand various historical situations of the Clan Jetties, which also reflect importantly on the processes of Penang's development. This fluid marginality which stemmed from their borderland conditions, along with rich sensory experiences, informs the daily lives and collective identities of residents. Since 2008, following the listing of George Town as a World Heritage Site, the Clan Jetties have come to be seen as mainly a tourist spot and gradually lost their close connections with the sea. This ethnography aims to capture the neglected living experiences and social conditions of Chinese working class communities.