- 期刊
基隆中元祭的淵源與發展
The Origin And Development Of Mid-Summer Ghost Festival In Keelung
摘要
基隆中元祭為臺灣十二大節慶之一，深具地方色彩與傳統文化意義，近來更朝國際化及藝文華會方向邁進；惟相關此一課題之研究成果頗為有限，且多屬當代基隆中元祭之觀察與解說。本文意圖透過對中元祭之源起、傳承至臺灣，乃至於基隆當地發展之情況略加探究，以明此一源遠流長的傳統節日，雖以道教中元節定名，卻兼具佛道二教儀式，而實質內涵基礎則是中國傳統的祭祖與祭厲觀念，甚至陰陽五行思想；同時，中元節在大陸內地早於唐宋時即朝世俗性及慶典化方向發展。傳承至臺灣的中元祭亦不脫此一特色，且自嘉道以後愈為奢靡，直至異族主政的日治時期此風仍不止息。而基隆以其特殊地理位置與艱難開發過程，致當地對中元祭祀活動甚為重視；且漳泉械鬥開啟的姓氏輪值主普制，更被視為中元祭得持續至少一個半世紀之久的重要原因，惟早年基隆中元祭有四大柱設置，除宗親組織外，政商團體的支持運作亦具關鍵性。綜觀基隆中元祭可發展成今日面貌，實乃中原文化一脈相承下之結果，亦傳統節慶透過唐山移民得在隔海異地發展之重要明證。
並列摘要
As one of the twelve major folk festivals in Taiwan, Mid-Summer Ghost Festival in Keelung is rich in local flavor and traditional culture. But the researches for this event are very limited, and relevant works mainly focus on the observation and explanation of it. This article, through the study of the origins, heritage and propagation to Taiwan, and local status and development of Keelung, articulates this long lasting festival. Although adopted Daoism name Mid-Summer Ghost Festival with the combination of rituals of both Daoism and Buddhism, it is actually based on Chinese worshiping of ancestors and fierce ghosts; even include ideology of Chinese Yin-Yang and the Five Elements of natural phenomena. In the meantime, ever from Tang and Song dynasties Mid-Summer Ghost Festival in China migrated to the direction of folkway and festival. The Mid Summer Ghost Festival heritage propagated to Taiwan also followed this characteristic, and had become increasingly luxurious form the reigns of Emperor Chiaching and Emperor Daoguang in Ching Dynasty; this trend continued even under foreign rule during Japanese colonization. With its unique geographical location and difficulty in settlement and development, Keelung places very highly on worshiping activities of the Mid-Summer Ghost Festival. And the fight between Chang sub-prefecture and Chuang sub-prefecture resulted in the surname rotational system, a key rational to keep this event rolling for more than one and half century. In addition to clan organizations, the setting of ‘four major pillars’ practice in the beginning stage of Mid-Summer Ghost Festival in Keelung drew political and business groups’ support for this event, therefore, this was also key to this event. In general, the present scale and development of Mid-Summer Ghost Festival in Keelung is not only an continuation and heritage of the of Chinese culture, but also a important proof that Sino folk festivals transmitted overseas to foreign territories through Chinese immigrants.