本相與變相：道教神仙的多面性──以西王母、玄女、土地神煞及五營為例

Multiplicity in Unity: Original and Transformed Forms of Daoist Divinities—The Queen Mother of the West, the Mysterious woman, Local Protective Spirits, and the Five Camps Generals

袁珂研究中國古神話將「神仙神話」概稱「仙話」，取材範圍既限於先秦兩漢，也就限制了神話定義，致使中國神話史出現斷層現象，原因即排除了道教神話。目前道教研究的累積漸豐，即可彌補這一段歷史空白，例證凡二：一為西王母與九天玄女兩位女仙，二則謝土與五營的小神。在神仙理論上杜贊奇（Prasenjit Duara）研究關帝，曾提出層疊標誌（superscribing symbols）之說，論述歷經時空仍存在連續性。在此增補另一視角，即從「本相」衍生「變相」，呈現的是神祇的「多面性」。而道教經藏中蘊含豐富的訊息，即可將其視為「文化百寶箱」，在一出一納間展現收納效應：以西王母、九天玄女為例，始於先秦兩漢，卻到中古道教才定型化，其後隱顯不一、以迄於今，卻仍契合當代的性別意識，故可稱為「永遠的女／母性神」。其二證以道教小神：五營兵將與土地神煞，迄今猶存於漢人社會：安五營與謝土儀。兩組神仙具有多面性，均符合三條件：經典文本（T）、歷史文獻（H）及田野調查（F），時間既久、傳布亦廣，神話與儀式相依存。這些神話人物從本相到變相，其中的義理既有經典的支持，而民眾的宗教實踐也持續保存，從而突破時空限制而層叠著多個面相，雖說融為一體卻萬變不離其本，在變與不變中銘刻著社會文化的歷史標誌。值得關注的層面凡三：一為敘述層，從古神話到民間說話、經典敘述，均以信仰作為載體，在神道之教隱含寓意焉；二即社會層，反映不同時空的社會變化，在父權體制下女神的存在，必有其文化意涵；在安營與謝土儀中，道士因應民眾的需求，即滿足受到護佑的社會功能；三則文化心理層面，在集體心理中隱含的文化動能，兩位女仙之所職象徵陰柔之德；而小神則體現民眾的集體需求：與土地相安而有宜居感。類此情況迭經變化而不失原旨，迄今仍有不可取代性；且在當代賦予新意：性別意識、自然生態，從道家到道教具有內在聯繫，亦即在民族神話中蘊含著神話原型，文化意義雖古猶新，故道教經藏的儲存與實踐，就像文化百寶箱的一出一納，此一文化價值超乎時代之限，故論證道教神話的存在價值，至今猶有可觀者焉。

Yuan Ke’s classification of“immortal myths”(xianhua)—limited to pre- Qin and Han sources—has shaped the traditional understanding of Chinese mythology, yet inadvertently excluded Daoist mythologies, resulting in a historiographical gap. With the recent growth in Daoist studies, this paper reevaluates the role of Daoist myths through two sets of case studies: (1) female deities such as the Queen Mother of the West (Xiwangmu) and the Mysterious Woman of the Nine Heavens (Jiutian Xuannü); and (2) local protective spirits like the Five Camps Generals (Wuying bingjiang) and the Earth-Pacifying Gods (Xietu), who remain active in contemporary folk rituals. Building on Prasenjit Duara’s concept of“superscribing symbols,”this study introduces the framework of benxiang (original form) and bianxiang (transformed appearance) to analyze the multivalence of Daoist deities. The Daoist canon functions as a“cultural treasure chest,”where myth, scripture, and ritual intersect. Both sets of deities exhibit continuity and adaptability, fulfilling three analytical criteria: textual (T), historical (H), and ethnographic (F). Their representations, shaped over time, continue to respond to contemporary concerns such as gender, ecology, and communal stability.
Three dimensions merit attention: (1) the narrative dimension—from ancient myths to folk tales and canonical accounts—which uses belief as its vehicle and embeds moral implications within Daoist teachings; (2) the social dimension, reflecting historical change and the cultural significance of female divinities under patriarchal systems, as well as the functional role of Daoist priests who respond to communal needs for ritual protection in the Five Camps and Xietu rites; and (3) the cultural-psychological dimension, wherein collective cultural energies are encoded: the two female immortals embody the virtues of yin softness, while the minor deities express communal desires for harmony with the land and a sense of inhabitable security. Though transformed over time, these figures never lose their original intent and retain irreplaceable value today. Contemporary reinterpretations—gender consciousness and ecological concern—further reveal the intrinsic continuity from Daoist philosophy to Daoist religion, where mythic archetypes embedded in ethnic tradition remain ever-renewing. Thus, the Daoist canon, in its preservative and adaptive functions, operates as a cultural treasure chest whose significance transcends historical boundaries, and the value of Daoist mythology continues to command scholarly attention.