Pilgrim's Progress: Conversion and Identity of Early Christian in Ching Taiwan

Cheng-wen Wang

本書探討清末臺灣基督徒的改宗歷程及其社會處境與身分認同，分析基督徒改宗的社會脈絡，描述信徒改宗基督教前後所面臨的社會壓力及其疑慮、惶恐、矛盾的心理。
 
作者清楚論述基督徒徘徊在文化、社會與族群之間的自我認同與價值衝突，說明基督徒與親人、周遭的人際關係及社會處境，解釋基督徒在尋求「天路」與「人路」之間的迷惘心態及生活轉變與調適。透過史料檔案的爬梳，重新為以往被忽略的清末臺灣基督徒尋找論述位置，凸顯基督徒生命的主體意識。研究方法更突破傳統教會史論述中重視傳教士傳教的研究範式，以此邁向一個新視野的臺灣基督徒生命史。
 

王政文

國立臺灣師範大學歷史學博士，東海大學歷史學系副教授兼系主任。研究領域為臺灣史、臺灣社會史、臺灣基督教史，主要探討基督徒社會網絡、改宗歷程、身分認同等相關議題。著有《臺灣義勇隊：臺灣抗日團體在大陸的活動（1937-1945）》、〈清末噶瑪蘭基督徒與漢番社會網絡〉、〈近代臺灣基督徒的婚姻網絡：以滬尾、五股坑教會信徒為例〉、〈重現與重建：論「臺灣基督徒史」的建構與書寫方法〉、〈麥仔落土：三重埔、錫口、水返腳的初代基督徒家族及其婚姻網絡〉、〈無語問上帝：十九世紀臺灣基督徒的社會處境〉等書及論文。

序／賴永祥
自序

第一章　導論
　第一節　基督教史研究中被忽略的一面
　第二節　方法與文獻

第二章　基督徒改宗的社會脈絡
　第一節　傳教士的傳教對象
　　　一、傳教對象的選擇
　　　二、發現平埔族
　第二節　傳教與改宗
　　　一、漢人與平埔人對基督教的態度
　　　二、平埔族的改宗
　第三節　改宗的社會脈絡分析
　　　一、改宗與地方勢力
　　　二、改宗的社會網絡
　第四節　小結

第三章　基督徒的社會地位
　第一節　改宗與社會地位
　　　一、平埔族
　　　二、漢人
　第二節　基督徒的形象
　　　一、基督教的形象
　　　二、基督徒的形象
　第三節　社會地位的變遷
　　　一、基督徒家族
　　　二、形象與社會地位變遷
　第四節　小結

第四章　基督徒的日常生活
　第一節　改宗與日常生活
　　　一、基督教知識的學習
　　　二、生活的改變
　第二節　基督徒的日常生活
　　　一、儀式與慶典
　　　二、日常作息與生活空間
　第三節　日常生活的轉變與適應
　　　一、基督徒與傳教士的生活互動
　　　二、基督徒的調適
　第四節　小結

第五章　基督徒的身分認同
　第一節　自我認同與價值衝突
　　　一、雙重教籍
　　　二、祭祖與認同
　第二節　族群與社會認同
　　　一、族群認同
　　　二、社會認同
　第三節　人際網絡
　　　一、家庭關係
　　　二、人際關係
　第四節　小結

第六章　基督徒的社會處境
　第一節　教案與基督徒處境
　　　一、謠言下基督徒的處境
　　　二、教案中基督徒的處境
　第二節　戰爭與基督徒處境
　　　一、戰爭中基督徒的處境
　　　二、清法戰爭中基督徒的處境
　第三節　基督徒的態度與反應
　　　一、面對的態度
　　　二、採取的反應
　第四節　小結

第七章　結論

參引文獻
索引
名詞索引
人名索引
地名索引

Foreword
 
Prof. John Yung-hsiang Lai
 
In the 19th century, Taiwan was just a remote corner of the Qing Empire. But the history of missionary activities in Taiwan in those days accurately reflected the trends current in that age. A careful look into what happened in Taiwan would thus advance our knowledge of the history of world-wide missions. It could also provide an answer to what we are still seeking today. How can Christianity be implanted successfully in a totally alien culture? Professor Wang’s Pilgrim's Progress : Conversion and Identity of Early Christian in Ching Taiwan《天路歷程：清末臺灣基督教徒的改宗與認同》is a significant and welcome addition to our understanding of these issues.
 
Many scholars in the past interpreted missionary activities in China as part of Western imperialism. However, those early missionaries who came to Taiwan had no thought of helping to obtain commercial advantages for their countrymen or becoming tools of their country’s military conquest. They gave medicine to the poor, cured illness, created 白話字 to teach the illiterate how to read, and started school education. Foremost in their thoughts were how to advance the spread of the good news. They were able to obtain mass conversion from the 平埔族 because the group had been ostracized by the majority Chinese population. But the ethnic Chinese resisted their efforts and conversion came rather slowly. There were many obstacles to overcome. 
 
Barriers were erected by the traditional belief systems. Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism all demanded ancestor worship as part of their religious observance. Christianity did not condone worship of ancestors. Its teaching that one ought to respect one’s parents did not satisfy the traditionalists. They perceived that Christianity posed a serious threat to the established order. The social hierarchy took various actions to stop its spread. The author cites the example of 板橋林本源家 who demanded that their tenants should never become Christians.
 
Christians suffered persecution. Some churches were burnt down because of the claim that it hindered the proper working of 風水. Some church members’ lives were threatened. Foreign missionaries’ rights were protected by the《天津條約》 (1858), but its protection did not extend to their converts. Chinese converts’suffering continued. The 廟’s annual festivals required contributions from local residents. Christians’ refusal to contribute to these expenses created further enmity against them. Thus Christians became isolated from the rest of the ethnic Chinese population. However, as time passed, they created their own social structure, and found solace in their own surroundings.
 
Events like these happened all over China. However, there is an advantage in making a case study by selecting Taiwan. To understand late Qing history, Taiwan provides three distinctive advantages: (1) Historical documents on local history are well preserved in Taiwan. Records were not lost through the Japanese occupation and through the war; (2) The upsurge in the study of Taiwan’s history since the late 1980’s has added significantly to our knowledge of Taiwan’s history; (3) Presently in Taiwan there is freedom of religion and scholarship. There is no fear of interference by the government, and scholars can delve freely into any subject of their choice. Dr. Wang has been able to take full advantage of these factors in completing his work.
 
Why did people choose to become Christians in spite of persecution? Dr. Wang believes that they were moved by the pure and ethical teachings of Christ, thankful for His grace, and accepted suffering in the manner Job did. They were willing to obey the will of God. Dr. Wang then likened their attitude to that of the pilgrim in John Bunyan’s Pilgrim’s Progress, choosing “heaven’s way,” and not “man’s way.” They took steps similar to those taken by the Early Church Christians.
 
This type of conclusion would not be easy to write in China today. If our Christians brothers in China could take hold of this book, I am confident that they would find encouragement from it.
 
We owe a great deal to the early Christians in Taiwan. In trying to describe their roles, Dr. Wang has made these significant contributions:
 
1. He gives a vivid portrayal of societal changes in the 19th Century by utilizing the latest historical methodology.
 
2. Most church history works have been written from the perspectives of the missionaries. This work in contrast gives information from those who were on the receiving end. It tells us how the indigenous people’s daily lives were affected, and how their relationships with their families and society at large were changed.
 
3. Lately missiology has become a branch of theology, but its methodology has not been well established. This book shows several approaches useful in establishing such methodology.
 
4. Past is always a good instructor for our future. This book tells us that the Christian community in Taiwan in the late 19th century was a community isolated from the rest. It begs an important question. Are we as Christians still remain isolated from other people in Taiwan today, and are satisfied with that isolation? If we want to fulfill His great commission, what should we do? Reading this book will give readers time to ponder these issues.
 
A good scholarly work does not answer all questions. It contributes to scholarship by raising more questions for other scholars to answer. This is the way we advance our knowledge.
 
On Table 5-1 Dr. Wang gives a list of people who were baptized and who were excommunicated between 1877 and 1895. In 1877 the ratio of excommunication was 7.86% and in 1895 that ratio jumped up to 13.08%. What does this mean? Does it mean that those who chose ‘heaven’s way” backslid into “man’s way” more frequently as the missionaries’ work progressed? How was the basic doctrine taught in those days? Did the believers know the meanings of original sin and redemption? Why did people choose to leave the church? When reading church history, these questions invariably will come up. It is my hope that either Dr. Wang or other scholars will someday be able to enlighten us on these issues.
 
As a person who has been interested in Taiwan’s church history, I greet this book with joy and pride. Dr. Wang has accomplished a great deal more than any scholar of my generation had been able to do. It is a significant contribution to scholarship worthy to represent today’s Taiwan’s high standard. I hope many will read this book and be encouraged by Dr. Wang’s accomplishment. Let us hope there will be more worthy books of this nature coming from Taiwan that we may all rejoice in the glory and majesty of our Lord.
 
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