2019-06-25

張家港地區薦亡法會儀式與宣卷調查報告


李淑如。〈張家港地區薦亡法會儀式與宣卷調查報告〉。《民俗曲藝》204 (2019.6): 197-250
Lee Shu-ju. “Field Research on Buddhist Mortuary Rituals and Precious Scroll Recitation in Zhangjiagang City, Jiangsu.” Journal of Chinese Ritual, Theatre and Folklore 204 (2019.6): 197-250.


Abstract

江蘇省張家港市南部地區有許多歷史悠久的民間宣卷活動,地方上的講經先生以宣唱寶卷為業,在齋主有需要時前往民家為主家宣卷消災或祈福。寶卷宣演由來已久,民間寶卷作為非物質文化遺產的一部分,在民間講唱具有其特殊性,在這種背景下,2007年首度由中國官方支持出版的《中國•河陽寶卷集》,集中收錄諸多能反映當地風俗民情與信仰文化的寶卷,如《香山寶卷》、《地獄寶卷》與《十王卷》等。然而,這些寶卷目前都仍在宣演,以《香山寶卷》的使用最為廣泛,所受到學界關注的面向與研究成果也最多。而《地獄寶卷》則只在薦亡(度亡)佛事上使用,因涉及喪禮與家屬隱私及情緒,過去的相關調查與研究較少。另外,薦亡(度亡)佛事儀式進行時間為晚上至隔天凌晨,要進行實際田野調查並不容易。上一個較完整的調查已經是1997年的案例,故筆者想藉由20176月張家港地區的一次薦亡(度亡)法會完整調查來記錄薦亡(度亡)佛事的流程。剖析當天使用的各部寶卷版本及內容,並比較二十年來薦亡(度亡)法會的變與不變,透過田野調查,瞭解薦亡(度亡)佛事所使用寶卷的影響和儀式功能,進行薦亡(度亡)法會儀式與宣卷的全面性討論。
Performances of “precious scroll recitation” (xuanjuan 宣卷) ceremonies are still held in the southern parts of Zhangjiagang 張家港 City in Jiangsu Province, with local “masters of scripture telling” (jiang­jing xiansheng 講經先生) working as precious scroll (baojuan寶卷) performers in rites to help people expel calamities and pray for blessings. Such performances occupy a valued place in local communities, and have been recognized by the state as one form of Chinese intangible cultural heritage. In addition, a book entitled Heyang Precious Scroll Collections that was published by the government in 2007 preserves works reflecting local customs and religious life such as the Precious Scroll of Incense Mountain (Xiangshan baojuan 香山寶卷), Precious Scroll on Purgatory (Diyu baojuan 地獄寶卷), and Precious Scroll of the Ten Kings (Shiwang juan 十王卷). Precious scroll recitation performances continue to flourish, with the Precious Scroll of Incense Mountain in particular attracting extensive scholarly attention and numerous findings published in academic circles. However, research about the Precious Scroll on Purgatory is relatively rare, one reason being that it is used in Buddhist mortuary rituals for delivering the deceased to the Pure Land that are held in private family settings during the late evening and midnight hours. Since the most recent field study of these performances was conducted in 1997, this paper presents a full account of one such ceremony that was held in Zhangjiagang in June 2017, and analyses the editions and contents of the precious scrolls used on that occasion. The paper also compares these two ritual events to see how they have changed during the past twenty years, thereby helping us better understand the key roles that precious scrolls can play in local forms of Buddhist mortuary ritual.