Page 24 - 澎湖海洋地質公園-文化與旅遊篇
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澎湖海洋地質公園 PENGHU MARINE GEOPARK 文化與旅遊篇 Culture & Travel Volume
The Importance of basalts in Penghu's Civil Culture
The belief
Except Huayu, the Penghu islands are composed the antithetical couplet with the date chiseled,
almost of basalt islands and islets. These islands golden censer, censer, stone lion, etc.
have a thin layer of soil. The crops are not easy
to grow on them. Furthermore, in winter, the 2.Suogang South and North Stone Pagodas:
strong northeast monsoon prevails over the is- The Suogang South and North Stone Pagodas
lands and the weather is bad. Most of their an- are also named as “Nanshita” and “Beishita,” re-
cestors could only make their livings on fishery, spectively. They can also be called “Nine-layer
which was very risky considering the wave and Pagoda” or “Pinnacle.” The pagoda body has 9
tide as well as pirate attacks. Therefore, the belief layers and eight out of nine layers were built
provided spiritual ballast and sustainable living with local basalt. The top layer was installed
strength for them. As a result, the temple, stone with a stone tablet inscribed with talisman
pagoda (Shihta), worship activity, folklore activ- script. The talsman of the North Pagoda was
ity, etc. surged and flourished over the past. This from Beiji Temple, and that of the South Pago-
development has shaped the characteristics of da was from Kunyuan Temple. The structure of
Penghu’s civil culture and economic activity. the temples are of cone shape, and their width
tapers off from bottom to top. Their height is
1.Penghu Tianhou Temple (Mazu Temple): 11 meters. They are the tallest pagodas in Pen-
Tianhou Temple is a typical Mazu spiritual ghu.
center for Penghu’s fishermen and it was des- The stone pagoda in Penghu is the symbol of
ignated as a national historical site. Being a the folk beliefs. The spiritual comfort brought
valuable cultural asset for Taiwan, Tianhou from expeling evil spirits and subduing demons
Temple has become a reliable mainstay of represents its intangible meaning. The pagoda
the preservation of Penghu's historical sites can complement the insufficient functions of
and historical buildings. The basalt was used Fengshui practices, formed by the geographical
for the construction of stone columns, stone environment. In addition, navigating ships into
pagodas, stone tablets, protective deities, and the port and defining the boundaries of fishing
relevant taismans of the temple. The forms of grounds are Pagoda’s practical functions. The
these taismans are versatile and the guantity is
天后宮 original pagoda had 3 layers and was about 3
Tianhou Temple numerous. The important cultural relics made meters tall. After its collapse, the stone pagoda
of basalt are found better preserved, main- was rebuilt to a 9-layer pagoda. Currently, pa-
tained and inherited than those made of other goda sites have interpretation signs and a pavil-
玄武岩在澎湖常民生活中之重要性 materials during many temple rennovations, ion.
for example: the inscriptions on stone tablets,
信仰
澎湖群島除了花嶼,幾乎都是大大小小的玄武岩島 存於多次的宮廟翻修中,維繫和傳承的,諸如石
嶼所組成的,土壤層淺薄、農作不易,加上冬天東北 碑的記載,鑿刻年代的對聯、金爐、香爐,以及
季風強勁,氣候惡劣,先民大多只能靠海維生,以 石獅等。
漁獵為主;但漁獵生活除了濤浪危險,還有海盜攻
擊,處處危機。因此信仰就提供先民精神寄託和力 2.鎖港南北石塔:
量的存續。其中包括廟宇、石塔、祭祀民俗活動等 南北塔又稱「南勢塔」、「北勢塔」,或是九層
等就因此蓬勃發展,形成澎湖地區特殊的人文與經 塔、塔尖。石塔分為九階,八階由澎湖本地玄武岩
濟活動。 所疊砌而成,最上階安置石碑,有符令文,北塔是
立北極殿的符令;南塔則是立坤元寺的符令。結構
1.澎湖天后宮:
上是由下而上的圓錐狀體。高達11米,是全澎湖最
是典型澎湖漁民的媽祖信仰中心,列為國定古 高的石塔。澎湖的石塔具有民間信仰上的象徵,無
蹟,其珍貴文化資產的地位,是澎湖的古蹟和歷 形意義代表著驅邪鎮煞的心靈慰藉,彌補地理風水
史建築可靠的後盾。玄武岩從宮廟的石柱到石 不足的作用。另其有型作用為海上船隻入港或是定
塔、石碑、石敢當,以及相關的避邪物,式樣和 漁場之用,原塔有三層,高約3米,倒塌後重建為 鎖港南塔 鎖港北塔
數量頗多。宮廟中重要文物以玄武岩製品最能保 九層,目前設有解說牌以及涼亭。 Suogang South Stone Pagoda Suogang North Stone Pagoda
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