從「觀光」的民俗節慶到「保護」的民俗文化資產：論雞籠中元祭的文資化歷程及保存維護展望

From Folk Festivals for “Tourism” to the “Protection” of National Important Folk Cultural Properties: A Discourse on the Preservation Process and Future Maintenance of Cultural Resources for the Keelung Ghost Festival

雞籠中元祭為我國首度以國家級民俗文化資產保存位階所登錄/指定的文化資產，每逢時序進入舊曆七月，位於臺灣本島最北端的港都民眾，無不開始準備普度祭祀，迎接基隆年中盛事的慶讚中元。這場緣起於清領時期漳泉移民因土地墾殖、商業甚至信仰因素摩擦而武裝衝突，慘烈的死傷在地方大老調解平息下，將雙方死難者骸骨合葬祭祀，並以字姓輪值辦理中元普度來普施孤幽，藉此打破過往以原鄉祖籍為重的局勢，進而達到港都社群的和諧安樂。百餘年來，雞籠中元祭在輪值字姓領銜及社群一同傳承延續下，成為國內首屈一指的民俗節慶。近期以來，不僅於2001年獲觀光局列為臺灣十二大民俗節慶之一，2007年獲基隆市政府依據《文化資產保存法》，將雞籠中元祭登錄為「民俗及有關文物」。隔年，雞籠中元祭更被行政院文化建設委員會指定為「重要民俗及有關文物」。從獲得縣市級文資法定身分的登錄認定，到國家級文資法定身分的指定，雞籠中元祭成為臺灣民俗文化資產指定及登錄行政處分落實先例。循序這項民俗文化的文資化歷程，彷彿看到臺灣民俗文化資產行政措施落實的縮影。歷年來，官方挹注的經費多用於「保存紀錄製作」，然而近年來隨著傳統文化延續面臨世代傳承不易的局面下，適時系統性整合雞籠中元祭及相關無形文化資產，以這項重要民俗做為社群的傳承母體，將是積極且值得期待的民俗文化資產保存傳承之路。

 

The Keelung Ghost Festival* is Taiwan’s first designated National Important Folk Cultural Properties Asset. Every July in the lunar calendar, the people of Keelung Port become busily prepare ritual offerings to celebrate this grand major festival in Keelung. The event originates from in armed conflicts that resulted in many casualties between immigrants from Quanzhou and Zhangzhou, two port cities in China’s Fujian Province, due to who fought over land reclamation, commerce and even religious disputes. After mediation by local elders, the conflict eased and the dead were buried together, to receiving joint ritual offerings jointly. Clans of with different last names would take turns organizing a rituals, with offerings for wandering spirits. The measure was designed to break the previous tradition of people joining opposing sides based on their ancestral hometown, and aimed to ensure harmony in the Keelung port city.

For more than a century, various clans and social groups took turns to organize the Keelung Ghost Festival, and it has since become the leading folk festival in Taiwan. In 2001, the event was included in the list of top 12 major folk festivals in Taiwan by the Tourism Bureau. In 2007, Keelung City registered the festival as a “folk tradition and relevant cultural artifacts asset” in accordance with the Cultural Heritage Preservation Act. In the following year, the Council for Cultural Affairs designated the Keelung Ghost Festival as a an “National Important Folk Cultural Properties Asset”. The ritual festival thus set a precedent in for the completion of administrative procedures to designate and register a folk cultural asset of in Taiwan.

Over the years, government funding has mostly been used for record the preservation of records. In recent years, the task of passing on Taiwan’s cultural heritage to the next generations has gradually become more difficult. Thus the appropriate integration designation of the Keelung Ghost Festival and its relevant intangible cultural assets as of national importance, along with the creation of a heritage group focusing on this important folk tradition, are praiseworthy contributions to ensuring the continuance of Taiwan’s cultural assets and heritage is an effort worthy of attention.