台灣八仙文化內涵與造型藝術研究

「八仙」是指張果老、韓湘子、藍采和、鍾離權、呂洞賓、何仙姑、李鐵拐、曹國舅八位神仙。目前八仙的相關研究多由民間文學、戲劇及道教信仰角度切入，藝術領域中有以八仙彩與文物鑑賞為論題者，然而針對八仙進行造型與內涵分析則仍有發揮空間。本文藉由文獻資料與田野圖像的彙整採集，以圖像分析的方式來詮釋八仙的文化與藝術內涵。由於他們出現的時代差距過大，組合源於創作者對於角色、情節的安排，指稱的對象並不固定；直至明朝中葉吳元泰《東遊記》及湯顯祖的《邯鄲記》將何仙姑取代徐神翁、張四郎，才確立了組成名單，八仙亦由道教信仰轉型具有世俗特質。時人透過文本與傳說繁衍出許多精彩的故事，成為宗教信仰、民間文學以及藝術的取材來源。源起於民間的本質使八仙的裝飾性勝過神聖性，人們的生存空間便是他們的存在場域。八仙的度化師承關係因為來自於傳說，所以版本不一，大多以鍾離權或李鐵拐為首。人們崇信八仙，設立寺廟加以祭祀，同時也依其事蹟、職能，敬奉為行業神。由於八仙故事中的酒宴、渡海、賀壽、度化等題材，再加上亦人亦仙的特質，使他們無論是在表演或造型藝術中都具有熱鬧喜氣、吉祥裝飾、寄情寓事、社會教化的意義與作用。台灣的八仙造型廣見於各工藝種類，其構成雖無絕對固定的排列模式，但有相對位置以反映傳統文化中的尊卑位階概念。圖像分析得知鍾離權、李鐵拐以其八仙之首的身份，經常坐鎮中位，藍采和、韓湘子、何仙姑因其婦孺身份，常被安置站立於側邊。此外，劉海替代藍采和的比例很高，但兩者的使用並無地域、裝飾部位之分；李鐵拐的外型有時也與達摩類似。日本七福神的形成雖與八仙無關，兩者相似之處僅在於神仙們共同乘船的形象、團體中皆有一女性神仙，並且皆具有寓意福德吉祥的吉神特質。

關鍵字

八仙；造型藝術；吉祥文化

並列摘要

“Eight Immortals” refer toChang Kwo-Lao, Han Hsiang-Tzu, Lan Tsai-Ho, Chung Li-chuan, Lu Tung-Pin, Ho Hsien-Ku, Li Tie-Kual and Tsao Kuo-Chiou. The present studies related to Eight Immortals are mostly upon the perspectives of folk literature, drama and the religion of Taoism. In the art field, there are studies with the topics of Eight Immortals painting and historical relic examination and appreciation. However, there is still lack of the model and content analysis on Eight Immortals. This article interpreted the cultural and artistic content of Eight Immortals through reorganization and collection of literature and field images and image analysis. Since the times in which their appeared were very different and their combination depended on the creators’ arrangement of the characters and plot, the targets were not fixed; until the middle period of the Ming Dynasty, Wu Yuan-tai’s East Traveling Story and Tang Xian-Zu’s Hantan Story replaced Hsu Shen-weng and Chang Si-lang with Ho Hsien-Ku and the combination was established. Eight Immortals were transformed from Taoism and with earthen characteristics. The people developed many great stories through the literatures and legends which became the source of religion, folk literature and art. The folk origin made the decorative characteristic of Eight Immortals become more significant than sacred characteristic. The people’s living space was the place where they existed. Since the conversion and mentor relationships of Eight Immortals were legendary, the versions were different. Chung Li-chuan or Li Tie-Kual was usually the leader. People believed in Eight Immortals and constructed temples to worship them. According to the achievement and capacity, Eight Immortals were respected as business gods. The materials of feasts, sea sailing, birthday wishes and conversion in the stories of Eight Immortals and characteristic of half mortal and half immortal revealed the meanings and functions of lively and joyful atmosphere, lucky decoration, metaphor and social enlightenment in the performances or plastic arts. The models of Eight Immortals in Taiwan were commonly seen in various craft types. Although the composition was not based on fixed arrangement model, there were corresponding positions to reflect the hierarchical idea in the traditional culture. According to image analysis, we realize that as the leaders in Eight Immortals, Chung Li-chuan and Li Tie-Kual tended to sit in the middle. As the women and children, Lan Tsai-Ho, Han Hsiang-Tzu and Ho Hsien-Ku were usually placed aside. In addition, Liu Hai frequently replaced Lan Tsai-Ho; however, there were no regional and decorative differences with respect to the use of both. The appearance of Li Tie-Kual was sometimes similar to Ta Mo. Although the formation of Japanese Sakuraya was unrelated to Eight Immortals, they shared some common points: the image of the immortals on the boat, a female immortal in the group and the characteristics of lucky gods implying good fortune and luck.