神聖、世俗與記憶再現──「嘉義城隍廟戲臺（林宅）」沿革考

Sacredness, Secularism, and Memory Reconstruction: A History of Chiayi Chenghuang Temple Stage (Lin House)

原嘉義城隍廟戲臺（林宅）於1922年由嘉義當地紳商兼戲曲嗜好者林寬敏與文化界仕紳共同集資興建，作為宣講教化與演戲酬神之用。戲臺位於嘉義城隍廟埕前（現今城隍廟牌樓處）。城隍廟於1936–1940年重建，重建期間受市街道路拓寬影響，必須拆除戲臺。1938年，由林文章購回戲臺原構件，並以原件重組作為家宅，這空間遂由廟埕前的神聖戲臺轉變為世俗的居家空間。2008年，嘉義市政府在獲得林文章的子嗣同意及支持下，啟動調查與修復，前後歷時15年，預定2024年6月完成彩繪修復並開放給民眾共享。本文透過文獻與訪談深入敘述城隍廟戲臺保存文化資產的價值，並成為社會文化發展的動力。這是一件獨特性更勝稀少性的文化資產保存個案。以人為核心，以文化記憶連結時空的交會與感動，逐一爬梳戲臺所承載的在地宗教信仰、演戲酬神、政經更迭及時代變遷之歷史。期許這段歷史記載與文化記憶價值的闡述，得以開啟全民珍惜文化資產的實踐，並且內化為榮耀感。

Located in front of the Chiayi Chenghuang Temple (currently the site of the temple’s archway), the former Chiayi Chenghuang Temple Stage (Lin House) was constructed in 1922 with the financial support from Lin Kuan-min, a local businessman and opera aficionado, and other local gentries. The temple stage was constructed to preach morality and deliver opera performances for gods. When the Chenghuang Temple was rebuilt between 1936 and 1940, the stage was removed because the city streets had to be widened. In 1938, the structural components of the stage were purchased back by Lin Wen-chang and reassembled into a residential space. Thus, the stage, which was originally built for divine purposes, was replaced by a secular residential house. In 2008, with the support of the descendants of Lin Wen-chang, the Chiayi City Government launched a 15-year initiative to study and restore the stage, which is expected to be completed by June 2024 and subsequently opened to the public. In this study, a literature review and interviews were conducted to thoroughly examine the value of the Chiayi Chenghuang Temple Stage as a unique cultural asset and a driving force for sociocultural development. From a human-centered perspective that incorporated temporal and spatial cultural memory, we presented historical proof of the local religious beliefs, opera performances for gods, and political and economic changes associated with the stage. We hope to inspire Taiwanese people to initiate and prioritize the preservation of valuable cultural assets by describing the history and cultural value of the stage.