新馬地區的媽祖信仰與移民社會

Ma-zu Faith and Emigrant Society in Singapore and Malaysia Area

媽祖信仰是華人民間信仰中相當重要的一支，幾乎有華人的地方就有媽祖廟。新馬地區有相當多的華人移民，新加坡更是一個以華人為主，由華人統治的國家和社會，因此，媽祖信仰在新馬地區也很盛行。新馬地區的媽祖信仰和華人的方言組織關係相當密切，幾乎每個幫都有自己的媽祖廟，如新加坡的福建幫擁有天福宮，潮州幫有粵海清廟，海南幫有瓊州天后宮。早期的媽祖信仰隨著華人移民的增多而變得興盛。但是，隨著時間的推移，道教信仰等華人民間信仰，逐漸失去教育水準較高的年輕一代的信徒。媽祖信仰屬於道教神祇的一支，難免也受到影響。近年來，由於政府單位及華人民間團體的重視，媽祖信仰又逐漸為人們所認識。經過政府單位和華人民間組織的努力，媽祖在新馬地區的華人社會中又有了新的意義。

Ma-zu(媽祖) faith is an important branch of Chinese's popular religions. Where Chinese is, where Ma-zu Temple is. There are many emigrants from China living in Singapore and Malaysia area, especially in Singapore which is governed by Chinese. Therefore, Ma-zu faith is in vogue in Singapore and Malaysia. Ma-zu faith in Singapore and Malaysia is quite related to Chinese's dialect organization, and almost each dialect organization has their own Ma-zu Temple such as Tian-Fu Temple(天福宮)of Fu-jian group(福建幫), Yue-hai-cing Temple( 粵海清廟) of Chao-jhou group( 潮州幫) and Cyong-jhou-tian-hou Temple(瓊州天后宮) of Hai-nan group(海南幫). In the early stage, Ma-zu faith becomes more and more popular by the increasingly Chinese emigrants. As time goes by, Chinese popular religions which are part of Taoism lose young followers who are in high educational level. Ma-zu faith is also effected by the tides step by step because Ma-zu is a branch of Taoism gods. Recently, Ma-zu faith is acknowledged by descendants of Chinese emigrants again gradually thanks to government and Chinese popular groups take it seriously. Ma-zu faith has new meaning in overseas Chinese society of Singapore and Malaysia through exerted by governments and Chinese popular organizations.