文協活動寫真隊與美臺團的啟蒙活動

Enlightenment Activities of Taiwanese Cultural Association Film Team and Mei-Tai Group

許多人認為美臺團是「臺灣文化協會的電影隊」，事實上，1926年4月文協的活動寫真隊已開始活動，但1927年底蔡培火才決意成立美臺團，一般人之所以有美臺團是文協電影隊的印象，是受到先前研究者的影響，將後來成立的美臺團與早先文協的活動寫真隊混為一談的結果。 1926年4月文協活動寫真隊開始在臺灣各地放映電影，主要成員為郭戊己、盧丙丁、鍾自遠、林秋梧、陳新春、周天啟，由文協在各地的活躍人士提供援助。1927年底，蔡培火為創設高尚之娛樂機關，圖謀臺灣民眾趣味生活之發達，成立美臺團，翌年1月由臺灣民眾黨提供協助，展開巡映，辯士由陳少莊和王德發擔任，1929年後活動趨於沉寂。1933年蔡培火企圖重振美臺團，由江賜金、梁加升為辯士掌說明，並譜寫〈美臺團歌〉，與臺灣新民報社合作進行巡映，但門票收入卻不甚理想，主因是臺灣新民報社態度不積極，且當時電影已日漸普及並進入有聲時期，美臺團的教育影片難以吸引民眾的興趣。 本文主要利用蔡培火等時人之日記與《臺灣民報》等史料，以還原日治時期臺人民族運動者，如何透過文協活動寫真隊與美臺團，向大眾進行啟蒙，除敘述其過程演變、參與人員、日後難以持續的原因外，並分析此種啟蒙的內涵、意義與影響。

Many people suggested that the Mei-Tai Group (美臺團) is “the film team of the Taiwanese Cultural Association.” As a matter of fact, in April 1926, the Taiwanese Cultural Associations film team (臺灣文化協會寫真隊) had already started activities. However, it was not until the end of 1927 that Pei-hwo Tsai (蔡培火) decided to establish the Mei-Tai Group. The reason why most people have the impression that the Mei-Tai Group is the film team of the Taiwanese Cultural Association is the influence of previous researchers, who confused the Mei-Tai Group that was later established with the earlier film team of Taiwanese Cultural Association. In April 1926, the Taiwanese Cultural Association film team began to play films across Taiwan. The main members were Wui-ji Guo, Bing-ding Lu, Tz-yuan Chung, Chiu-wu Lin, Hsin-tuan Chen, and Tien-chi Chou. The team was supported by the Taiwanese Cultural Association activists in various places. At the end of 1927, Pei-hwo Tsai established the Mei-Tai Group in order to create a noble entertainment organization and to develop the recreational life of Taiwanese people. In January of the following year, assisted by the Taiwanese People’s Party, a film tour was launched, and Shao-chuang Chen and Te-fa Wang served as narrators. After 1929, the Mei-Tai Group’s activities were reduced significantly. In 1933, Pei-hwo Tsai attempted to revitalize the Mei-Tai Group. The Mei-Tai Group cooperated with Taiwan New Citizen Newspapers for a film tour, but the ticket revenue was not satisfactory. The main reason was that Taiwan New Citizen Newspapers’ attitude was not positive, and film had become increasingly popular at the time and the era of sound films had begun. It was difficult for the Mei-Tai Group’s educational films to attract the interest of the public. This study mainly used historical materials, such as Pei-hwo Tsai’s diaries and Taiwan People’s Daily to restore how the Taiwanese national activists during the Japanese colonial period used the Taiwanese Cultural Association film team and the Mei-Tai Group to enlighten the public. In addition to describing the evolution of the process, the participants, and the reasons why it was difficult to continue such activities subsequently, this study also analyzed the connotation, significance and impact of such enlightenment.