法輪功的歷史何在？

這篇論文把法輪功，以及構成其長期歷史脈絡的整體氣功運動，視爲民國時期救世團體的當代「再興」(reinvention)。無論是法輪功也好、氣功運動也好，這些宗教組織都基於一個具有超凡魅力的領導大師，而此大師的教義非常強調身體訓練與傳統道德教化。文章進一步試圖推論，救世團體此一概念是否應擴大到包括某些明清時代傳統民間教派，如白蓮教或三教合一等等，並質疑傳統史學將這些民間教派標幟爲邊緣性和異議性組織的成見。

關鍵字

法輪功；氣功；白蓮教；救世團體；史學

並列摘要

This article depicts the Falun Gong, and the larger qigong movement out of which Falun Gong emerged, as contemporary reinventions of the redemptive societies of the Republican period. These groups, often linked to the ”White Lotus Teachings” or the ”Three Teachings” of late imperial times, are all based on the leadership of a charismatic master whose teachings stress body technologies and traditional morality. The article further tests the hypothesis that the category of ”redemptive societies” should be extended to include syncretic and sectarian traditions from the late imperial period, challenging historiographical traditions which have emphasized the marginal and dissenting character of such groups.