台灣社會與文化移地教學-台灣宗廟參訪

2023 年 4 月 12 日 PMP 台灣社會與文化的兩位授課老師-王志宇老師和張志相老師，帶著國際生們參訪逢甲大學附近的宗廟，老師一開始先向同學介紹廟宇祭祀的對象分為三個：鬼、祖先、神明；不同宗教會對應不同的廟宇名稱，「寺」結尾的通常是佛教的廟，「宮」結尾的通常是道教的廟，「廟」結尾的通常是民間的廟宇。

老師說：可以把廟當作藝術品來欣賞，廟柱的木頭上漆，除了美觀之外，主要是油漆可以達到保護木頭的作用，也更深入的探討廟與文學的關係，廟柱上的對聯和落款可以看出廟宇的名字、蓋廟宇的時間，還有為什麼會蓋這座廟。

拜拜祭祀當然少不了禁忌的知識!老師告訴同學，正常的廟會有三個門，一定要左進右出，廟宇的左側代表龍，右側代表虎，入龍門出虎口保平安，中間的門是神明在走的。龍邊通常會放鞭炮，所以如果看到廟宇附近很熱鬧，不要靠近。廟宇的左側，會危險。拿香的高度也是需要特別留意的事情!手的高度要在肚臍上方，把香插進香爐裡的手必須要用左手，因為右手是平常使用的慣用手，不乾淨，對神明不尊敬。

日本的神谷同學說：她第一次聽到因為右手是髒的手，所以要使用左手來插香，他覺得很特別。日本的松田同學說，經過老師的講解，他覺得台灣現代建立的寺廟受到之前日治時代蠻深的影響，但台灣的拜拜方式和日本完全不同，他覺得很有趣，學到很多台灣的信仰文化。

On April 12, 2023, two PMP’s instructors of Taiwan's Society and Culture, Professor Wang Zhiyu and Professor Zhang Zhixiang, took international students to visit a temple near Feng Chia University. At the beginning of the visit, the professors introduced to the students that the objects of worship in temples are divided into three categories: ghosts, ancestors, and deities. Different religions correspond to different temple names, with temples ending in "寺" usually being Buddhist temples, those ending in "宮" usually being Taoist temples, and those ending in "廟" usually being folk temples.

The professors explained that temples can be appreciated as works of art. The paint on the wooden pillars not only serves an aesthetic purpose but also protects the wood. Furthermore, they delved into the relationship between temples and literature. The couplets and inscriptions on the temple pillars reveal the name of the temple, the time it was built, and the reasons for its construction.

Of course, taboo knowledge is indispensable in worshiping and rituals. The teacher told the students that a normal temple has three gates, you must enter from the left gate and exit from the right gate. The left side of the temple represents the dragon, while the right side represents the tiger. Entering the dragon gate and exiting from the tiger gate to ensure your safety. The middle gate is for the deities to pass through. Firecrackers are usually set off on the dragon side of the temple, so if you see a lively atmosphere near the temple, do not go near the left side as it could be dangerous. It is also important to pay attention to the height of the incense. The hand should be held above the navel, and the incense should be inserted into the incense burner with the left hand, since the right hand is commonly used and dirty, which is disrespectful to the gods.

Student from Japan said, "It’s my first time hearing that the right hand is considered unclean and the left hand must be used to insert the incense, it is very interesting." "After the teacher's explanation, I found that Taiwan's modern temples have been heavily influenced by the Japanese colonial period. However, the way of worshiping in Taiwan is completely different from that in Japan. I learned a lot about Taiwan's beliefs and culture."

老師向學生說明神明供奉的位置