Spots:王爺信仰


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  王船信仰自清代以來一直盛行於華南地區,由於華南地區就是一個高溫多熱、鼠疫、霍亂、傷寒、瘧疾叢生的地方。面對突如其來且如此嚴重難以控制的災害,一向以草木之富的中國人卻突然的束手無策了,加上早期社會封閉、民智未開的時代,人們便以為瘟疫的流行就是神疫鬼怪的作祟。在這種狀況下,尚鬼祁巫就成為治病唯一的方法。但是瘟神總是瘟神,誰也沒辦法確定他什麼時候會來,什麼時候會走,又在什麼時會發脾氣,而在傳說中,這些疫鬼的巢穴是在海中飄渺的海島。聰明的中國人於是想出一套美麗的神話,一個完美既不得罪疫鬼又可將其消除的辦法,那就是在熱情的款待瘟神之後,刨木成船或糊以紙船,雕塑瘟神模樣(當然是自己想像中的瘟神模樣),且奉其為王爺、千歲,再將其置於船中,送祂出海,希望祂們回到自己的老巢不再回來。

  但是,僅管居民想盡辦法將瘟神趨離,但是面對王船仍是相當的懼怕,傳說若王船不幸的靠岸,不僅不能逃避,還得撿起並為它建廟或做醮普渡,否則全村都將會遭遇不幸。而且祭祀內容不可太過寒酸,不然,惹祂們生氣亦會招來不幸。根據《澎湖廳誌》裡記載:『或內地王船偶游至港,船中虛無一人,自能轉舵入口,下帆下椗,不差分寸,故民間相傳祭以為神,曰王船至矣。則舉國若狂,畏敬特甚,聚眾鳩錢奉其神於該鄉王廟,建醮演戲…』足見沿海居民對王船信仰的畏敬。而王船飄著的地方,對當地居民而言,無疑是一種凶兆,但是有些村落因祭祀王船和祀奉王爺而人丁興旺的。也因如此,王船逐漸地退去其恐怖的色彩,最後變成一個吉祥的神器。

  而這項由古老傳至現今的信仰習俗一直受到相當的重視。早年王船都是自福建沿海漂來,人們畏懼王船上的瘟神會帶來瘟疫,乃聚眾集資舉行隆重醮典,祀典過後再將其火化(遊天河)或放水流(遊地河)。

  早年台灣西南口海以及澎湖地區普遍盛行王船醮,以三年一科或六年一科,舉行王醮,以做為祈福降安的活動。而現今,有些地方因深信當地虔誠奉祀的王爺為其帶來平安及福運,因此會有「留任」的現象,通常若該地區的王爺在未奉玉皇大帝的委派至他地任守的情況下,對於當地居民的懇請「留任」都會允准,因而繼續留守該地,為其居民消災降福、保祐社稷。

  在台灣地區對於王爺的稱呼名稱眾多,像是「千歲爺」、「府千歲」、「代天巡狩」或稱「大人」,而流傳於民間的王爺由來傳說,版本亦不下幾種,以下茲以幾個常見之說法稍做敘述:


(一)秦始皇焚書坑儒,曾在咸陽活埋儒生360名,後人將這些儒生尊為王爺供奉。


(二)唐朝有五名進士赴京趕考,途中投宿客棧,深夜倦睡中,忽聞幾個瘟神議論,次日將於井中散播瘟疫為害百姓,五名進士聞言,分別躍入藥井中淹死,拯救當地村民;翌日村民發現井裡有死屍都不敢喝井水,因而免去了一場災禍。


(三)唐玄宗清道士張天師作法,造成360名進士無端而死,因此皇帝賜封「王爺」,並令全國建廟供奉;據傳眾多王爺中,便有132姓。


(四)唐朝貞觀年間,皇帝李世民微服出巡,遇險困危,溫鴻及其同伴共36人合力救駕有功,受封為三十六進士,而其中以溫鴻功居其首,為溫王爺。太平盛世,三十六進士奉旨巡行天下,宣揚國威,不幸在一次海難中全部罹難,貞觀皇帝聞此訊息,痛失功臣之餘,復信其成神之說,乃追封為「代天巡守」,頒旨全國建廟奉祀,春秋致祭,又下旨建巨舶,名為「溫王船」,內奉溫王爺及其結義弟兄之神位,於清醮畢送入海中,王船上有御書「遊府吃府,遊縣吃縣」八字,凡溫王船所到之處,百姓府官一體奉迎,均應殺豬宰羊設祭,大事奉祀,以慰溫王在天之靈。


(五)明朝末年,有360位進士,不願在清人體制下服官,皆自盡身亡,玉皇憫其烈,逐一封王,授命下凡,稽察人間善惡疾苦,民間俗稱其王爺府為「代天府」,而王爺巡境為「代天巡狩」。


(六)明朝初年,有閩粵360名進士同坐船進京殿試,遭遇船難,無一伴免,皇帝聞訊備感憐惜,便分別封為王,也當海神祭祀,以保護航海安全。


(七)相傳有朱、李、池結義三兄弟,三人個個絲竹、樂技神化,皇帝便名宮演奏,不料在場聽眾聞樂均暈眩昏迷,皇帝疑為妖怪而將其處斬,靈魂升天後,玉帝憫其無辜便封三人為王。


  王爺的由來及年代版本各有不同,但無論何種傳說版本,皆是來自於民間對於忠義、悲憫之心而為其出發點;而對於王爺的崇敬與畏懼,則更顯現出早期人們困苦的環境下為求安福而變通的生存法則。不論是何種對於王耳信仰的觀念和傳說,如此的信念與自然環境的結合,是喚起居民對鄉土的情感,是王船給予生命內容的平安慾望和滿足,透過大規模的王船祭典,將人民對上蒼的祈求和崇敬完整的呈現出來,或許這就是王船祭所具有的生命力和其意義的所在。