| 摘要: | 民間信仰是鄉土社會中重要的民俗文化，在東方國家中一直佔有一席之地，在韓國從早期社會開始便有民間信仰，如敬畏靈魂而產生的祖先信仰、農耕與漁撈所需求的生產靈信仰、祈願村落安寧的村莊守護神信仰；而在台灣，從明、清兩代渡台的移民們，因要冒著生命危險度過黑水溝到異地謀生，或抵達台灣後因水土不服歷盡艱辛，或為避凶祈福等等原因，便常將自己的命運交託給祖先、神靈、風水等, 以求精神慰藉，而產生各種民俗信仰。
民間信仰牽涉甚廣，因此本文除對台、韓民間信仰作概觀的論述外，主要以家神信仰為中心作較細部的考察比較，包括韓國與台灣家神信仰的產生背景、種類、特徵、功能、祭儀，並比較其間的異同，目的在深入瞭解台、韓民間宗教信仰與民俗文化。
民間信仰植根於歷史與傳統文化之中，在台灣，除了延續某些古代社會的習俗外，民間信仰已融合道教、佛教、甚至儒教及自然力量，甚至家神信仰也包括佛教的觀音、道教的三官大帝等，祭祀的種類也甚為豐富多樣。相較之下, 韓國不僅道教已幾近消失、佛教被天主教和基督教凌駕，目前的民間信仰以巫俗信仰與洞神信仰為主，家神信仰被視為傳統鄉土民俗的一部分，顯得較為單純化，少涉及宗教色彩， 純粹以家中的門、爐灶、地基、土地、祖先，以及與生育、行業等有關的神祇為奉祀對象，祭儀也較為樸素。韓國家神信仰的種類雖單純，與台灣傳統民俗有許多相似之處，應有其共同淵源。
隨著時代與社會環境的變遷，韓國民間信仰的形態與功能已漸萎縮，但至少有部分仍具民俗、觀光、甚至娛樂的價值而將繼續存在，家神信仰則將日趨淡化。 台灣的民間信仰種類多，兼具宗教、教化、娛樂、觀光等功能，將會維持一定的榮景，唯家神信仰大多局限於鄉土的傳統家庭，或將因社會環境變遷和環保等因素，祭儀可能逐漸簡化。
Folk beliefs are one of significant folk cultures in the rural society, and always have a place in the oriental countries. Since early society, the South Korea has had folk beliefs, including the ancestor belief for fear of soul, the production soul belief arising from farming and fishing and the patron saint belief for villages. In Taiwan, the immigrants in the Ming and Qing Dynasties risked their lives through the Black Water Trench during journey to Taiwan or passed away due to environmental inadaptability after they arrived in Taiwan; therefore, they entrusted their own lives to their ancestors, ghosts and gods, geomantic omen and so on.
Folk beliefs involve a lot. Therefore, in addition to general discussion about folk beliefs of Taiwan and South Korea, this thesis mainly conducts investigation and comparison of details with penates beliefs as the center, including the emergence backgrounds, types, features, functions, cults of the penates beliefs of South Korea and Taiwan, and compares their similarities and differences with the objective to deeply understand the folk religious beliefs and folk cultures of Taiwan and South Korea.
Folk beliefs are rooted in history and traditional cultures. In Taiwan, in addition to some customs handed down from ancient times, folk beliefs have combined Taoism, Buddhism and even Confucianism and the force of nature, and even the penates beliefs also include Guanyin (Kwan-yin) from Buddhism, three divine officials from Taoism and so on. The sacrifice types are fairly diverse.
In contrast, Taoism has almost disappeared and Buddhism has been overridden by Catholicism and Christianism in South Korea. The existing folk beliefs are mainly vulgar beliefs and cave spirit beliefs. The penates beliefs are considered part of traditional local folk customs, seem rather simplified, less involve religion and purely take door god, kitchen god, foundation master, land god, ancestor and the gods related to birth, industry and so on as the objects of worship and sacrifice and adopt plain cults. Although the penates beliefs in South Korea have simple types, they have many similarities to traditional folk customs of Taiwan; therefore, common origins between them exist.
With the change of times and social environment, the forms and functions of folk beliefs in South Korea have gradually shrunk, but at least some of them will continue to exist due to their value of folkways, sightseeing and even recreation, while the penates belief will weaken day by day. Taiwan has diversified folk beliefs integrating the functions of religion, humanization, recreation, sightseeing, etc. and thus will maintain certain prosperity; only the penates beliefs are mostly limited to local traditional families, or the cults may be gradually simplified due to such factors as social environment change and environmental protection. |
