跨文化情境下的讀寫實踐：以曼谷耀華力周遭的漢字為例

Abstract

本研究藉由基於漢字的讀寫實踐活動，從物質性(Materiality)的角度探討華人性的概念，以及這種族群性又如何反過來影響物質性。論文中採取「書寫系統的轉換」為切入點，檢視在泰國的脈絡中，原本使用漢字的實踐活動如何被泰文字取代，但內在其實延續了相同的文化邏輯。因為泰國的國族框架非常有彈性，從未被殖民的歷史背景以及統治階層持續地釋放政治權力，為吸引華人群體效忠提供有利的條件；通婚不受限制以及容易接受的佛教傳統也讓華人持續「同化」進入泰國社會。但兩個文化有不同的讀寫實踐傳統，兩相交融的結果是使用漢字的實踐活動影響了泰文字的使用習慣。 本研究採用人類學的田野研究法，並在泰國曼谷的Yaowarat地區進行參與觀察，因該地區是公認的「中國城」，在華人族群範疇不明顯的泰國屬於「華人性」較密集的區域。論文首先聚焦於街景中的招牌，並分析招牌之於華人並非只有商業的意義，以此回應「語言地景」研究對中國城的論述。在討論招牌的篇章中，將以文字的使用帶出華人重視家族倫理的概念，而這種概念在泰國華人的招牌上出現了由漢字向泰文字轉換的現象。其次，因重視家族的觀念使得華人具有追求光宗耀祖的傾向，即留名的渴望，並表現在重視頭銜和「儒者風範」的價值觀上，因為傳統的「儒者風範」包括書寫技術，使得泰華的領導階層間仍習慣用漢字作為交際的媒介，具體的形式就是報刊和社團刊物上的大量賀詞；但對於頭銜的追求則可以轉為以泰國王室頒授的勳銜為目標；除此之外，廟宇內的銘刻作為一種留名的管道也受到重視，但因為它並不需要進入領導階層的社群，因此泰文字也受到接納並取代了漢字。在最後的章節中，將看到漢字作為一種溝通抽象觀念的媒介，在宗教儀式中成為不可或缺的物質，為了讓難以捉摸的世界成為能夠感知到的實體，漢字承載了中介的功能。佈告或紙紮乃至於家戶內的幸運符等，都是用以輔助人群跨越「本體論的鴻溝」(Ontological gap)，而以這些「技術物」(Artifact)佈置空間的實踐活動，也代表了生產地方性(Locality)的過程。

This research is based on the observations of Literacy Practices among Thai-Chinese, and I try to reconceptualize the concept of Chineseness through materiality and figure out how Chineseness influences materiality too. Most of the crucial points discussed in this dissertation will be the transformation of writing system, which means some of the Hanzi literacy practices have been substituted by Thai alphabet, but the inner cultural logic is the same. Because Thai government have always gave a flexible definition of Nation and never been colonized, nevertheless, the Thai elites always felt comfortable to gave power to Chinese immigrants through history, which made a good condition to make those immigrants loyal to Thai elites and government. Unprohibited inter-ethnic marriage and acceptable Theravada Buddhism also encouraged Chinese immigrants continuously assimilated into Thai society. But these two different cultures have different literacy traditions, the consequence of hybridity is the practices of Hanzi literacy have influenced the literacy practices of Thai writing system. I did my fieldwork in Bangkok Yaowarat neighborhood. Although Thailand doesn't have vivid line between Thai and Thai-Chinese, but since that area is a well-known 'Chinatown', which means it is a place where people can observe some quite Chinese-like activities. The first issue of this dissertation is signboards in the streetview, and the key point is that signboards not only have commercial meanings. In this part, I suggest that the literacy practices among signboards can link to the family ethic and duty of traditional Chinese concept. Second, Chinese eager to be titled honorably because of the responsibility toward family and ancestors, which lead to some literacy practices among people, some of them are still worked among Thai-Chinese but some already changed. For examples, Thai-Chinese elites still like to use calligraphical products as a gift, but the Thai royal titles are the most welcome honor. In the end, I will disscuss some literacy practices which have the importance to cross the ontological gap. These artifacts are not only for decoration but also important object to create locality.