淡水位居淡水河下游右岸，因其位居河流出海口之區位因素，自十七世紀起，即是北臺灣重要的港口市鎮。清乾隆年間，淡水市街逐漸形成以漢人為主體的聚落型態，隨着市街聚落發展，各籍移民亦陸續在市街內興建廟宇，地方社會呈現以福佑宮為市街各族群最主要、最大之信仰中心，其他信仰多元並立的信仰模式。然而，這樣的情況卻在清法戰爭後產生轉變。清光緒年間，淡水港因其經濟與戰略地位，被法軍納入攻佔臺灣的主要戰場。由於淡水地方社會在過去未曾受過大規模軍事攻擊，且清法戰爭的戰爭型態有別於傳統，再加上淡水之役後法軍長時間封鎖臺灣海岸，使得地方社會民眾無論在日常生活、經濟活動都受到影響。面對這樣的情況，民間信仰神祇成為民眾重要的精神寄託。因而，地方民眾透過口耳相傳，結合部分史實，逐漸建構神祇在地方「助戰有功」之傳說，其中又以清水祖師信仰地位的提升最屬特別。臺灣「神明助戰」傳說，自清初以來即帶有官方維護政權正統之色彩，尤其在光緒皇帝賜匾事件後，更對原本的地方傳說增添傳奇性。本文主要從淡水地方社會流傳許久之「祖師落鼻」、「祖師助戰」傳說之論述脈絡及其意涵，探究清水祖師信仰在淡水之發展，以及造成清末淡水地方社會信仰重構之原因。

Located at the right bank of downstream Tamsui River,Tamsui has been an important port town in northern Taiwan since the17th century. During the Qianlong reign, ethnic-Han settlements dominateddowntown Tamsui. With the development of markets and streets,immigrant groups from different regions established their separate temples.The Fuyou Temple became the largest and most important cult center.Circumstances changed after the Sino-French War. During the war,French troops took the economically and strategically important Tamsuias the major battleground. In this local society, which had rarely beenattacked by large-scale military force before, the new ways of battlefightingand the French marine’s siege of Taiwan Strait affected the residents’daily lives and economic activities.To cope with these circumstances, residents found their solace inpopular belief. The locals constructed oral legends mixed with historicalfacts that attribute success of battles to the help of certain deities. A particularlynotable example is the elevated status of Master Clear Water(Qingshui Zushi). Legends that feature deities who helped with militaryactions since early Qing dynasty indicate the regime’s intention to defendits legitimacy. The imperial plaque bestowed by EmperorGuangxu, in particular, enhanced the marvelous aspect of local legends.In this study, I analyze the narratives regarding Master Clear Water’sdropping his nose and his help with various battles, and investigate the development of Master Clear Water’s cult, as well as the factors contributingto the re-construction of cult in late Qing Tamsui local society.