Phoenix Hall (luantang 鸞堂) Activities of the Qiu 邱Clan in Yongjing 永靖under Japanese Rule: A Study of the Xishou Hall 錫壽堂and the Xinghua Hall 醒化堂

Abstract

本文針對日治時期永靖地區窄厝底與瑚璉邱氏宗族所創立的醒化堂與錫壽堂為對象，討論鸞堂在宗族內部所扮演的角色。過去有關鸞堂的研究，大多集中討論鸞書所展現的社會或教派性質的內容，或是從社會發展脈絡討論鸞堂在地方社會所扮演的角色。本文透過醒化堂與錫壽堂及其相關鸞堂的運作，說明這種宗族鸞堂的運作有其共同特色，鸞堂定期扶鸞，甚至在扶鸞時賜詩給相關鸞生，鼓勵其上進，宗族鸞堂亦不例外。宗族鸞堂常透過宗族祖先的封神及透過扶鸞講述其行述，甚至為鸞生及去世親人辦理陰陽會，便成為宗族鸞堂頻繁使用的手段。從上述鸞堂的相關特性與活動，可看到宗族鸞堂所採取的策略仍是倫理關係中的血緣關係等，配合宗教力 量進行約束族親行為，達到團結的目的。而鸞堂定期扶鸞與神人互動的宗教行為，與族規等條文相較顯然更為活潑及具有影響力，這也是為何鸞堂會在重視宗族力量的客家區傳布的原因。

This article takes as its object the Xinghua and Xishou halls founded by the Chiu clan in the Yongjing area in the sub-districts of Zhaicuodi 窄厝底 and Hulian 瑚璉 during Japanese rule and discusses the role played by luantang within the Chiu clan. In previous research concerning luantang, the majority of studies centers either on discussions of the society revealed in the contents luantang literature or the substance of the nature of various denominations, or, from the context of social development, discussions on the role of luantang in local society. Through an exploration of the Xinghua and Xishou temples and their related phoenix hall operations, this paper illustrates that in the operation of this kind of clan phoenix hall, commonalities exist [with other halls], such as periodic planchette writing in the phoenix hall and, even during the time of planchette writing, the bestowed poems that are given to related disciples of the phoenix (luansheng 鸞生), encouraging them to make progress; the clan phoenix hall is no exception [in adopting these activities]. In the clan phoenix hall, the deification of clan ancestors and planchette writing that narrates their biography, or even the convening of Yin-Yang Convocations (yinyang hui 陰陽會) for luansheng and deceased relatives, often become frequently used means for the clan phoenix hall. From the phoenix halls’ related characteristics and activities mentioned above, we can see that the adopted strategies of the clan phoenix hall still concern blood ties in moralized relationships; they coordinate with religious power to implement restraints on clan relative behavior and achieve an objective of solidarity. Moreover, by coupling the phoenix halls` religious behaviors of periodic planchette writing and the interaction between deities and human beings with clan relative [relationships], the clan`s written rules, comparatively speaking, are clearly even more dynamic and possess greater influence; this is the reason for the spread of phoenix hall convocations in Hakka (Kejia 客家) areas that value clan strength.