本文結合歷史文獻、道壇抄本與實際田野調查認知，析論南臺灣和瘟 送船儀式所傳承的道法體系，及其身體技法表演的功能特質，以充實臺灣道 教作為「活傳統」的意涵。本文除前言與結語外，共分三節：第一節以溯源 的方法，整理歷史文獻中較早的和瘟送船習俗，並藉由經文的比對和考述， 以驅瘟逐疫主辦者的私密性與公眾性作為問題意識，探討臺灣道壇禳災和瘟 古抄本與《道法會元》中神霄遣瘟道法，以及閩南明清《送彩科儀》的關係， 並探究其中所蘊藏的意涵，以見其所保存道法的可能來源與體系。第二節討 論臺灣清代和瘟送船抄本所傳承的送船情境和參與營造的各種角色職司，以 及奉旨行瘟與解瘟的瘟神使者，被送回去繳旨地點的名稱內涵與象徵；並分 析1821 年屏東新園五朝王醮的文檢所反映的歷史意義與價值。第三節以《關祝五雷神燈》、《宴祀天仙》、《和瘟押煞》與《禳災祭船》四項關鍵科儀，比 較「臺南道」與「鳳山道」兩大區域道法的異同，以及行法者身體技法表演 的特質內涵。

Based on historical documents, Daoist manuscripts and field research reports, this study analyzes the Daoist/ritual system and characteristics of the body techniques of “pacification of plagues” boat burning ritual in southern Taiwan, in an attempt to explore the significances of the living tradition of Daoism in Taiwan. In addition to preface and conclusion, this article consists of three sections. I first analyze earlier rituals of the “pacification of plagues” and compare several manuscripts with a perspective on the public-ness and private-ness of the organizers of the plague offering rituals. I further explore the relations between Daoist manuscripts of the “pacification of plagues” in Taiwan, the Divine Empyrean plague exorcism rituals recorded in A Corpus of Daoist Rituals, and the Rituals and Liturgies of Sending Royal Boat of Ming-Qing southern Fujian. By investigating the significance of the manuscripts, we can identify the origins and lineages of these Daoist rituals. In the second section, I discuss the boat burning ritual scenario as well as the various roles and duties of the participants recorded in Taiwan’s Qing manuscripts, and the symbolic meanings of the place names to which the plague commissioners were supposed to report after the mission was completed. I also analyze the historical significance of a Daoist document of Five-day Offering Rituals dated 1821 from Xinyuan of Pingdong.
Finally, I examine four significant Daoist rituals and liturgies- Divine Lamp of Five Thunders Lightning; Celestial Immortals Feasting and Offering; Pacification of Plagues and Fiends Quelling; and Disaster Dispelling and Plague Offering and identify similarities and differences between Tainan Daoist school and Fengshan Daoist school, as well as characteristics of ritual practitioners’ body techniques.