中秋為何烤肉？一個傳統節慶轉換現代風貌的考察

中秋節是關於「月」之節慶，而近年「烤肉」成為臺灣地區中秋夜的主要活動，是獨出於傳統的新風俗。民眾盛傳此新俗導源於1980 年代後期烤肉醬的廣告，遂有笑稱此是「商業陰謀」的說法；亦有對此新風俗不以為然的意見。本文考察「中秋」與「烤肉」連結之發生，始自於1970 年代前後，經濟上升，民眾在假日外出郊遊、烤肉的風氣成行，進而蔓衍至賞月之時也烤肉，是自然形成的中秋夜之消遣。因此此新風俗與商業廣告無直接關係，「廣告說」乃反映了民眾對於習俗改變的既成事實之追溯與建構。在群眾模糊集體記憶的追溯建構中，似是而非的資訊與論述逐漸被接受，經過媒體與群眾傳播的交互影響下，「商業陰謀」之命題於焉確立。該如何面對由下而上的習俗改變，是古今政府一致的難題。雖然命題非真，但「中秋烤肉」新習俗卻凸顯民俗節慶內容與社會民眾生活密切連結的現象。此俗始於群眾，政府則試圖扮演「導正」的腳色，提出「別讓嫦娥笑我們髒」運動，說明風俗隨時地移易以符合群眾之需求，或許才是歷史的常態，不必予以過多的非難。

關鍵字

中秋；烤肉；習俗；集體記憶；廣告

並列摘要

Mid-Autumn Festival is originally a festival of ＂moon＂, however, in recent years barbecue has become a major activity as well as a new trend on Mid-Autumn's night in Taiwan. The prevalence of barbecue in Mid-Autumn Festival can be dated back to a commercial of barbecue sauce shot in the late 1980s, and is claimed as a ＂commercial conspiracy.＂ Scholars of folklore possess disagreement with this new custom. This author researches on the connection of ＂Mid-Autumn Festival＂ and ＂barbecue＂ happened around 1970s. During the economy-boosting period, it was popular to go outside for holiday barbecue, and this soon evolved into custom of barbecue on the day of Moon festival, which was a naturally formed recreation on Mid-Autumn's night. Therefore, there is no direct relation between this new custom and commercial, ＂the version of commercial＂ reflects that people retrace and construct the accomplished fact of custom transformed. A paradoxical information and discussion are gradually accepted in a large mass of people's blurred collective memory. Thus, the proposition of ＂commercial conspiracy＂ has been set after the interworking of mass media and people's communication. It is difficult for a government to encounter a bottom-up custom change. Although proposition is not true, the new custom of ＂barbecue in Mid-Autumn Festival＂ highlights the closely-linked phenomenon of folk festivals and social public life. This custom emerges among common people. The government intentionally played the role to intervene, and promotes a movement ＂Don't let Chang'e laugh that we are dirty＂. It explains that it is perhaps a normal state of changing customs in History along with time and place in order to meet people's demand.