世俗空間與大眾廣場：明清城市中的寺廟空間與公眾生活

Secular Space and Public Squares —Temple Spaces and Community Life in Ming-Qing Cities

本文的討論重點在於寺廟與城市生活的關聯，而不以宗教內涵為思考要點。因此，本文不從宗教角度細分「寺廟」的宗教類別，而是從空間的角度，將寺廟視為城市中的一種開放場域，在此界定下考量、討論寺廟與民眾的互動情形。明初政權意圖阻止民眾在寺廟中活動，但此政策終難貫徹執行。明中期以來，相隨於商業的發達與城市流動人口的增加，寺廟常成為一般民眾遊賞的場所，甚至由此發展出進香活動，又由此衍生出別具特色的市集活動—即「香市」。實者，城市中的寺廟空間本就常常成為一般市集活動的場所。在城市生活的浸透下，寺廟本身也逐漸商利化，將宗教性的空間轉為他用，或吸納旅客住宿其間，或容許於寺廟內進行娛樂表演。在此轉用下，城市的各種聲色活動也隨之流入，以至於寺廟成為一個充滿世俗性與大眾化的娛樂場所。在世俗化的過程中，寺廟已經成為城市中的「大眾廣場」。因其空間的廣敞可以作為各種集會活動的場所，使其具有「廣場」的社會功能；而其空間屬性上的開放性，讓它可以容納社會大眾集散其間，又使之具有「大眾」性格。也因此，舉凡政府的教化理念的宣揚，或官紳的賑災活動多有假藉寺廟「廣場」以行之者，而城市中的各種工商或娛樂活動，也常時性地使寺廟成為「大眾」聚集的場所，以致於成為群眾運動的發起地點。同時，在宗教力量的作用下，寺廟所具有的精神意涵，在平時可能為社會正義提供保證，而在面臨社會危機時，則可能發揮凝聚群眾意志的作用。因此，城市中的寺廟在形而下的層次上是個「大眾廣場」，在形而上的層次上則可說是民眾的精神堡壘。 This essay focuses on the connections between temples and urban life, and not on religious contents. Therefore, it dose not look at different types of temples from the viewpoint of religion, but analyses them from the viewpoint of space, and considers temples as a kind of open space in cities. Under this premise, the essay discusses how the public interacts with temples. In early Ming, the government attempted to prohibit activities in temples; however, it was hard to put this policy into practice. With the prosperous commerce and the increase in floating population in cities during mid Ming, temples became places for people’s recreations. Even activities like pilgrimages (jinxiang, 進香) and the incense fairs (xiangshi, 香市) took place here. In reality, temples in cities were always used for markets. Hence, influenced by urban developments, temples had been commercialized and were used for various purposes: markets, lodgings for travellers, or stages of entertaining performances. In this way, temples were not only sacred places but also secular ones for people’s entertainment. In the process of secularization, temples had become “public squares” inside cities. Because of the vastness of space, different activities could be held. This is the social function of temples as “squares.” On account of the openness of space, it allowed people to gather there. This shows the “public” character of temples. Thus, temples became places for the government disseminating governmental information, or officials holding activities of disaster relief. Besides, they were places of commerce and entertainment activities which attracted a large number of people, and sometimes even resulted in mass movements. At the same time, when considering the religious meaning of temples, they guaranteed the public justice during peacetime and united public wills when facing crisis. To sum up, temples in cities had the role of “public squares” at the concrete level and spiritual fortresses for the public at the metaphysical level.

This essay focuses on the connections between temples and urban life, and not on religious contents. Therefore, it dose not look at different types of temples from the viewpoint of religion, but analyses them from the viewpoint of space, and considers temples as a kind of open space in cities. Under this premise, the essay discusses how the public interacts with temples. In early Ming, the government attempted to prohibit activities in temples; however, it was hard to put this policy into practice. With the prosperous commerce and the increase in floating population in cities during mid Ming, temples became places for people’s recreations. Even activities like pilgrimages (jinxiang, 進香) and the incense fairs (xiangshi, 香市) took place here. In reality, temples in cities were always used for markets. Hence, influenced by urban developments, temples had been commercialized and were used for various purposes: markets, lodgings for travellers, or stages of entertaining performances. In this way, temples were not only sacred places but also secular ones for people’s entertainment. In the process of secularization, temples had become “public squares” inside cities. Because of the vastness of space, different activities could be held. This is the social function of temples as “squares.” On account of the openness of space, it allowed people to gather there. This shows the “public” character of temples. Thus, temples became places for the government disseminating governmental information, or officials holding activities of disaster relief. Besides, they were places of commerce and entertainment activities which attracted a large number of people, and sometimes even resulted in mass movements. At the same time, when considering the religious meaning of temples, they guaranteed the public justice during peacetime and united public wills when facing crisis. To sum up, temples in cities had the role of “public squares” at the concrete level and spiritual fortresses for the public at the metaphysical level.