Special issue on “Redemptive Societies and New Religious Movements in Modern China,” I
「救世團體與現代中國的新興宗教運動」專輯I
David
A. Palmer, Paul R. Katz, Wang Chien-chuan. “Introduction: Redemptive Societies
as Confucian NRMs?” Journal of Chinese
Ritual, Theatre and Folklore 172 (2011.6): 1-12.
“Redemptive societies” is a term coined
by Prasenjit Duara in his article “The Discourse of Civilization and
Pan-Asianism” in 2001, referring to a wave of religious movements which
appeared in Republican China, including the Tongshanshe同善社, Daoyuan道院, Yiguandao一貫道 and so on, which combined the Chinese tradition of “syncretic
sects” with philanthropy, social engagement, and aspirations to build a new
universal civilization. These groups arguably constituted the largest wave of
religious revival in Republican China. The destruction or confiscation of local
temples opened a space for their deterritorialised networks, while elaboration
of new formulations of sovereignty, modernity and civic duty gave them cultural
and social significance as providers of charity and as mediators between
Chinese spiritual tradition and modern constructions of nationhood and
universal civilization. Redemptive societies were precursors of the qigong 氣功 movement in the post-Mao People’s Republic and of the popular
Confucian revival of the early 21st century; and they continue to occupy an
important place in the religious landscapes of Taiwan ,
Vietnam , and among Chinese
diaspora communities in Southeast Asia .
In spite of their significant role and
impact, redemptive societies remain relatively ignored in scholarship on
religion in modern China, appearing primarily in the mainland historiography of
“reactionary sects and secret societies” 反動會道門 and
in ethnographic works on religion in post-war Taiwan. This special double issue
(nos. 172 and 173) of Min-su chü-i 民俗曲藝 (Journal of Chinese
Ritual, Theatre and Folklore) represents an initial attempt to fill that
gap through a selection of articles which critically examine the category of
redemptive societies, present case studies, and explore their interactions with
their socio-political environment and with other types of religious groups.
王見川、康豹、宗樹人。〈導言：救世團體研究的回顧〉。《民俗曲藝》172 (2011.6): 13-20。
Wang
Chien-chuan, Paul R. Katz, David A. Palmer. “Introduction: The Emergence of
Academic Research on Redemptive Societies.” Journal
of Chinese Ritual, Theatre and Folklore 172 (2011.6): 13-20.
Abstract
1911年辛革命，隔年「中華民國」成立，由於政權變動帶來的政教分離與「宗教自由」，人民可以自由立教、傳教並得到政府保護。在清末即成立的教派便向官方登記，得到新的宗教身份，如：同善社、道德學社；另外也有在新環境創立的新教派，如：救世新教、道院、萬國道德會、世界宗教大同會等。這些新興宗教與之前教門不同的是，不僅公開傳教、宣教，更公開地從事社會慈善救濟，在政治、社會混亂不安的時期，得到廣大民眾的支持。
1927年國民政府立，以提倡迷信為理由禁止之前承認的新立案宗教，使得這些宗教又淪為非法。1949年中共政權成立，繼續打壓這些宗教，稱之為「反動會道門」。在中國及臺灣，救世團體又回到非法、祕密狀態。臺灣至1987年解除戒嚴，才重新承認這些救世團體及新興宗教；中國則是在政治越趨開放下，學者逐漸能公開研究並討論此議題。
目前所知較早研究救世團體是在中國的外國傳教士與外國學者，二次世界大戰前，中國學者注意及此的很少，即使到了戰後，這個課題在海峽兩岸依然是禁區。直到八○年代初，臺灣社會日趨開放，有越來越多的臺灣學者對這些教門進行調查與研究。而中國在政治逐漸開放下，有些重要史料得以透過學者的研究而公開。近年來有愈來愈多的中外學者，紛紛投入此課題之研究。本次《民俗曲藝》兩期「救世團體與現代中國的新興宗教運動」專輯的出版，正代表中外學者立足於充實的資料調查，所呈現的精細學術研究成果。
Articles in this special issue
David
A. Palmer. “Chinese Redemptive Societies and Salvationist
Religion: Historical Phenomenon or Sociological Category?” Journal of Chinese Ritual, Theatre and
Folklore 172 (2011.6): 21-72.
宗樹人。〈民國救世團體與中國救度宗教：歷史現象還是社會學類別？〉。《民俗曲藝》172 (2011.6): 21-72。
Thomas
David DuBois. “The Salvation of Religion? Public
Charity and the New Religions of the Early Republic.” Journal of Chinese Ritual, Theatre and Folklore 172 (2011.6):
73-126.
杜博思。〈宗教救濟？民初的新興宗教與慈善團體的演變〉。《民俗曲藝》172 (2011.6): 73-126。
王見川。〈同善社早期的特點及在雲南的發展(1912-1937)︰兼談其與「鸞壇」、「儒教」的關係〉。《民俗曲藝》172 (2011.6): 127-59。
Wang
Chien-chuan. “Early Characteristics of the Tongshanshe and Its Development in Yunnan
范純武。〈民初儒學的宗教化：段正元與道德學社的個案研究〉。《民俗曲藝》172 (2011.6): 161-203。
Fan
Chun-wu. “The Religious Development of Confucianism in Early Republican China
Li
Shyh-wei. “Promoting Confucianism in Remote Places: Confucian Associations and
Their Activities in Early Postwar Taiwan
Research
Paper
吳翠松。〈文字／電子時代的口傳技藝：一個苗栗客家山歌婚宴表演場域的觀察〉。《民俗曲藝》172 (2011.6): 231-77。
Wu
Tsui-sung. “The Verbal Art in a Literate/Electronic Age: A Case Study of Hakka
Folksong Performance in Weddings.” Journal
of Chinese Ritual, Theatre and Folklore 172 (2011.6): 231-77.