「臺灣文化」的歷史建構－－一個初步的試論

The Historical Construction of “Taiwanese Culture”: A Preliminary Analysis

"文化，難以定義。台灣文化的定義，也不見得容易。本文從台灣這個空間裡的風景、歷史、語言、文學、民俗，如何被發現、認識、詮釋來疏理1895 年之後的大約半個世紀中，「台灣文化」如何被歷史性地建構出來。這個建構「台灣文化」的過程中，日本這個殖民主義的他者之存在，扮演了重要的角色。它不但提供了台灣本地一個一直存在著的對照項，它也透過他者之眼發現了台灣本地習而不察或不以為意的台灣，也就是他者與自我在相互的對照、關係中互相定義了。另外，本文也強調不論是他者日本或是本地自己，在發現、認識、詮釋「文化」及「台灣文化」時，也是隨著包括時代與社會之情境而流動的。不同的時期，不同的人，可能對「文化」及「台灣文化」做出不同的定義。而且，它們都是變幻流動的，也都不斷地同時進行篩汰混雜。吾人無法將它固定下來。我們以前也是，以後也將是，不斷地因應不同的時代，不同的需要，用不同的方式建構它、解構它，再建構它、解構它。

“Culture” is pervasively employed as if definite and well-perceived. Nevertheless, “culture” is notoriously difficult to define and the definitions vary. In discussing “cultures,” users often prefix a determiner to describe it, for instance, food culture or American culture. The term “Taiwanese culture” is therefore created by an ambiguous “culture”–a term that is seemingly well-known but without consensus – with a comparatively definite geographical space of Taiwan. As a result, “Taiwanese culture” is still a complex whole fraught with ambiguity. This author discusses the historical constructions of the definitions of “Taiwanese culture.” Through the analyses of how “landscapes,” “history,” “languages,” “literature” and “folklore” are perceived, interpreted and established, this paper aims to elucidate the constructing processes of the context and contents of “Taiwanese culture” from 1895 to 1945. In the process of constructing “Taiwanese culture,” the existence of the Japanese colonization is significant in contrasting with Taiwan as “the other,” allowing hitherto unperceived or ordinary traits of Taiwan being gradually defined as the essence of “Taiwanese culture.” Also, this paper stresses that different times and various groups of people can define “culture” and “Taiwanese culture” quite differently depending on the situations in specific social milieus. In other words, fluidity between the interpretations of “culture” and “Taiwanese culture” should be respected and the construction and de-construction of these concepts should be part and parcel of the forming of “Taiwanese culture.”