「我就是女僕」與「我是你的專屬女僕」 -台灣與日本的女僕文化比較-

Abstract

女僕 (Maid) 文化源自於第十六至十七世紀的英國，主要為服務貴族家庭的行業，屬於父權主義下的產物，主要的工作是日常生活的雜務，生活起居的照顧及服從雇主的指示執行工作內容等等。但是在女性主義興起之後，相關的女性雇傭制度在西方便逐漸衰弱。然而日本新世代的動漫流行文化興起，其中部分的作品引用了女僕文化做為主題，這種以男尊女卑服務性質為主的文化才再度出現，進而轉變為一般民眾所喜愛並風靡的女僕文化，但是在現在社會觀念的影響之下，這種世紀交替前後的女僕文化，已經成為兩種屬性不同的存在，可以透過日本與台灣的女僕文化發展展現出來。 本研究認為台灣與日本的女僕文化充份的反映出兩國之間在男女地位的差異，因此深入研究日本秋葉原及台北地下街的女僕咖啡廳，了解在兩個社會不同傳統文化背景影響之下，女僕文化的服務有何不同，另一方面訪談女僕及顧客，記錄他們對於女僕文化的感想，最後彙整資料，以回歸到台灣及日本兩個社會文化中，比較影響男女地位的思想概念。 日本的社會本來就存在相當強大的男尊女卑概念，因此重新塑造了日式的女僕文化，當日本的女僕在問到為什麼想當女僕或是想成為怎樣的女僕時，他們會回答「我想成為主人的專屬女僕」。由此可知，日本女僕的心態是將他們的身心完全奉獻投入進女僕文化之中，讓自己成為主人所需要的專屬女僕，他們認為這樣才能做到百分之百的服務。 而在台灣的社會女性自主意識比較顯著，因此日式的女僕文化流傳過來後轉型成了一種台式女僕文化，台式女僕文化的核心已從「被動的服務」心態轉化為「主動的照顧」心態，也就是女僕以自我意識判斷參與者的需求，提供相對應的服務，這種型態的女僕在問到為什麼想當女僕或是想成回怎樣的女僕時，他們會回答「我就是女僕」。 但是不論是日本或是台灣的女僕文化，他們的功能在於「完全的服務與照顧」，可以讓參與者得到精神方面的慰藉，有別於一般社會的服務業，能更貼近顧客的需求，因此受到社會大眾的喜愛。

Maid Culture originated from the United Kingdom between the sixteenth and seventeenth century. It was a product of patriarchy. The main job was to serve the aristocratic families, including caring for their daily needs, dealing with chores, and obeying the employers’ instruction. The institution of maid wage labor had been gradually declined in the West since the feminism rose and developed. Nevertheless, the rise of ACG culture among the young generations in Japan has resumed the theme of maid culture in part of their works. The re-appearance of patriarchy-and-service-based career has become popular among the public. Under the contemporary social influences, the maid culture at the superseding era, becomes the existence of two different characters, which can be revealed through those in Japan and Taiwan. My research thinks that the maid culture in Taiwan and Japan reflect the essential difference of gender status between these two cultures. I have delved into the maid cafes in Akihabara in Tokyo and the Underground Shopping Zones in Taipei. I compared how the two maid cultures differed from each other under the influences of traditional cultures. I also interviewed the maids and their clients to record their thoughts. At last, I organized my data to compare the gender-related ideas rooted in the two cultures. Japan has been a society of patriarchy and has re-shaped the maid culture. When the maids in Japan been asked why they want to become the maids and what kind of maids they want to be, they answer: “I want to be THE maid of my master”. The Japanese maids think that by devoting themselves whole-heartedly then they can provide complete service. As in Taiwan I discovered that the females have stronger self-determination. Therefore it changed the Japanese maid culture and turned it into a Taiwanese one. The core of Taiwanese maid culture has transformed from a passive service to a positive care. That is, the maids, with their own awareness, provide their own correspondent services by judging the clients’ need. While being asked why and what kind of maid they want to be. They answer: “I AM the maid.” No matter in Japan or in Taiwan, what has been common in terms of maid culture is that its main function is to provide a complete service and care, and hence the participants can gain spiritual comfort. It is a client-tailored service and hence becomes popular.