英文摘要 |
This paper considers the cross-strait pilgrimages of Taiwanese believers as a type of cross-border religious practice. Adopting the theoretical perspective and conceptual tools of mobility research, this paper analyzes the mobility experiences of cross-strait Mazu pilgrimages during different periods in three decades and explores the politics of mobility involved. This paper points out that cross-strait pilgrimage groups not only move across the Taiwan Strait as a political border between two political entities with territorial-power and border-control disputes, they also move across spaces regulated by different regimes of religious governance. Issues of access and friction are significant in such cross-strait pilgrimage mobility. This paper finds that, first, the ability of pilgrimage groups to access the sacred site are constrained by the religious governance in China. Second, during their journeys the pilgrimage groups encounter multiple and unstable frictions. Third, when dealing with issues related to access and friction during the pilgrimage, temple leaders in some cases prefer to attribute the results to the efficacy of their deities instead of disclosing the mechanisms and power dynamics they encounter in the real world. Fourth, cross-strait pilgrimage mobilities are constituted and constrained by multiple factors: the political dynamics of cross-strait relationships, and the temple leaders’ability to mobilize resources. Some temple leaders may achieve the pilgrimage mobilities with the assistance of collaborative mediators or the leverage of formal authorities in mainland China. The differences in the mobility experiences of the cross-strait Mazu pilgrimages are conceived by Taiwanese belief communities and governments, and hence significantly influence the formulation of status hierarchies among Taiwanese Mazu temples. Research methods include interview, archive, and participatory observation. |