初探台灣童子像的圖像與信仰功能──以艋舺龍山寺持蓮童子為中心

Exploring the Iconic and Religious Functions of Tongzi statues (Buddhist statues of children) in Taiwan: An Analysis Centered on Chi Lian Tongzi (the Child holding a lotus) in Mengjia Longshan Temple

祈子、生產、育兒、保兒，與人們追求生存及繁衍息息相關，為達到此目的，相關圖像表現、信仰儀式隨著時間演變而滿足著人們生育的需求，艋舺龍山寺中所供奉的持蓮童子，即以獨特的形制，乘載著相關歷史演變脈絡，實踐著信眾的育兒信仰功能。然而當廣泛接觸後，台灣民間信仰裡此類童子型制與其信仰功能，卻在相似中，因為諸多的因素，如祭祀位階、傳說塑造、主從配置等，仍有著部份的差異性，在這類的童子信仰當中，與形象及功能的關聯性，以及童子本身圖像符號的演變脈絡，透過以艋舺龍山寺持蓮童子為中心的比較分析，進而分析整理出台灣童子信仰的多元脈絡發展。

Praying for a child and smooth processes of childbirth, child education, and child health are all closely related to the human pursuits of survival and reproduction. Following such pursuits, the iconic presentations and rituals of religions changed with time to satisfy human needs of reproduction. The Chi Lian Tongzi worshiped in Mengjia Longshan Temple, with its unique appearance, carries historical traces and offers religious functions for believers who pray for their children. However, after investigating the appearances and religious functions of various Tongzi statues in Taiwan, we observed subtle differences among these statues due to their levels in worship, origin stories, and position (superior or subject). This study investigated the worship of Tongzi by comparing the connection between the image and functions of Chi Lian Tongzi and changes in its iconic symbols with other Tongzi statues, thus exploring the diverse development of the worship of Tongzi in Taiwan.