眾神的新「邦聯」：以新加坡聯合廟為探討中心

新加坡於1965年脫離馬來西亞，成為獨立自主的國家，是一個面積僅有690平公哩的小島國。從1970年代初開始，新國制定了發展大藍圖，開始推行全面性國家發展，以便逐步落實工業化計劃及解決人民的住屋問題。為此，新國政府陸續征用了市郊和鄉村的土地，以便分階段發展工業區和組屋區。在土地的征用過程中，許多鄉區的廟宇因土地被征用而面臨逼遷的命運。與此同時，有關廟宇還必須設法籌備動輒近百萬甚至數百萬的昂貴地價和新廟宇建築費的沉重負擔。在此關鍵時刻，許多經濟能力有限的廟宇得於繼續生存抑或被淘汰之間作出抉擇。而眼前的出路，似乎只有主動進行整合，群策群力、共享資源的建築起聯合形式之新廟宇—「聯合廟」。這種新加坡特有的「聯合廟」又叫「聯合宮」，是新加坡自1970年代初期至1990年代全島性國家發展下的時代產物。在廟宇進行整合的過程中，甚至會出現整合中的再整合現象。一些廟宇在加入成為某個聯合廟成員時，先行將在地的數間廟宇或其屬下數間子廟（單位）整合為單一個體，然後再以此個體參與其他廟宇，進一步整合為本文提探討的新形式「聯合廟」。類比神界新格局，肯定對信眾的神明信仰觀，與乎對新城鎮社區信仰空間下居民宗教活動產生一定程度之影響。本文擬由此切入，嘗試對新城鎮空間下出現的眾神新「邦聯」組構和意義加以解讀。

關鍵字

新「邦聯」；聯合廟；整合；繼續生存

並列摘要

Singapore is a small island nation with an area of 690 square kilometers. Since its independence in 1965, affected by the government's island-wide development plan, many temples were continuously forced to shift to alternative sites. In addition to that, these temples were to tender for land from the relevant authorities to build their new temples, the cost for acquisition of new sites and the high cost of temple construction is usually beyond the capability of each and individual temple. To strike for continuous existence, many of these temples were therefore forced to ”merge” with other temples to form the so called ”united temples” (Iianhe gong). These ”united temples” are commonly found in Singapore especially during the 1980s and 1990s. To be sure, prior to the present merger, many small temples or shrines had experienced the first round of merger for survival and also to better serve their devotees. Further merger occurred when the land use of these temples were to give way to redevelopment plans for new towns. Eventually, many of those survived temples appeared in the form of ”united temples” consisting of several to ten participating temples that housed with pantheon of all gods and deities under common roof with or without separate wall partition.

並列關鍵字

new "heavenly union" ； "united temples" ； merger ； continuous existence

國際替代計量

眾神的新「邦聯」：以新加坡聯合廟為探討中心

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