媽祖(天后)作爲國家的祀典神,宋以後受到歷代王朝的褒封與崇祀,官方對媽祖崇拜的「標準化」反映了中國文化的大一統趨勢。但在不同的時代與不同的地區,媽祖崇拜是由不同的人群以不同的方式建構的,具有明顯的時代特徵與區域特徵。民間對媽祖崇拜的建構反映了區域文化的多元化進程。本文以莆田縣湄洲祖廟與仙遊縣度尾龍井宮爲例,考察興化民間媽祖崇拜的建構方式。本文首先介紹1980年代以來湄洲祖廟的歷史沿革與重建過程,其次介紹度尾龍井宮的由來與進香儀式的復興過程,並對湄洲祖廟和度尾龍井宮的「媽祖靈驗」故事略作分析,探討興化民間媽祖崇拜的建構方式與歷史記憶,爲進一步的比較研究提供基礎。
Mazu, or Tianhou (Empress of Heaven) was a legitimate deity recognized and listed in the Register of Sacrifices, who had enjoyed imperial mandates and worship ever since the Song dynasty. The state's standardization of the Mazu cult reflects an inclination of cultural unification. However, in different times and places, the Mazu cult was constructed by its followers in various ways that carried historical and regional significances. The folk construction of Mazu cult reflects the diversities of regional culture. In order to investigate ways of such construction in the Xinghua region, case studies in this article include, the Meizhou Ancestral Mazu Temple and the Dragon Well Temple of Duwei township in Xianyou. In this essay, the Meizhou Ancestral Mazu Temple's founding history and subsequent renovations will first be outlined, then the establishment of the Dragon Well Temple in Duwei and its revival of the pilgrimage ritual introduced. Analysis will also be applied to accounts compiled in the booklet entitled ”Miracles of Mazu” to explore the historical memories and ways of construction of Mazu cult in Xinghua so as to lay foundation for further comparative studies.