二十世紀初期北臺灣善書中的性別與性工作

Abstract

本論文以宗教性史料善書探討二十世紀初臺灣漢人之性別觀念與性工作。有關日治時期性工作的研究大多聚焦於公娼制度，仔細陳述這個制度從法律規範到實際運作的建立與演變，但至今也發現大多從事性工作的臺灣本島人被排除在這個制度之外。透過非官方史料的善書，本論文釐清臺灣漢人社會內部對當時性工作與性別的觀點，發現「淫」與「娼妓」這兩個觀念支撐了涉及女性貞操的性別規範。 從十九世紀末到二十世紀，善書是臺灣漢人重要宗教活動的產出，其文字隨著時代的變遷也有不同的表現，反映實際社會的狀況。在二十世紀初期，像本研究所聚焦的《愛行金篇》、《化民新新》與《訓世良箴》，都由重要地方菁英撰寫、贊助發行，甚至有板橋林家、老師府陳家等高層菁英家庭參與其中。以1920年代自由戀愛等討論來看，雖然「舊文人」與新一代的知識分子之間出現矛盾與爭論，我們依舊可看出整體知識階層關於「淫」的禁忌並沒有因此式微。此現象反映出嚴格的性別規範是其階層重要象徵之一。 關於善書之內容分析，第三章探討其中性別化的道德規範，指出有節操的正面女性榜樣與「淫盪」的負面女性榜樣，而「性」是定奪這兩種大相徑庭的榜樣之核心。雖然善書也呼籲男性守節，應在性方面加以節制，但從對性的懲罰到性本身對個人品德的意義，均不如女性被彰顯。其次，本章也指出男性通常是主動「淫人」之角色，而善書作者卻將主動發生性關係的女性視為個人品德有嚴重問題的特例。 第四章探討善書中所見的性工作，分開討論嫖客與經營者的形象、賣身的現象、娼妓及其他「下流」女性角色，如花婆與婢女。本章發現善書用極其負面的言詞描述參與性買賣的所有角色，包括嫖客、經營者與娼妓，將之污名化，變成民眾應該遠離並鄙視的危險人群。作者對女性性工作者的厭惡與排斥也特別重。在報應故事中，即使這些女性有時是因為經濟、家庭等無法掌握的因素而賣春，作者依舊激烈的譴責，忽略女性所面臨的困境。他們認定，「犯淫」的女性知法犯法，故意為之，不值得被同理、寬恕，並藉此支撐強調女性節操與清白的性別規範。

This thesis uses morality books (shanshu 善書), a type of religious text produced by temples in Taiwan in the 19th and 20th centuries, to explore gender and sex work in Japanese colonial Taiwan. Much of the research devoted to sex work during this period is focused on the legalized prostitution system; however, the local Taiwanese sex trade existed primarily outside of this system. Through this investigation of morality books, an unofficial source created outside of the institutions of the colonial government, I provide a contemporary Han Taiwanese perspective on gender and sex work, which through concepts of licentiousness (yin 淫) and prostitution supports gender norms aimed at maintaining female chastity. From the 19th to the 20th century, morality books were an important product of Han Taiwanese religious activity. These texts changed with the times, reflecting shifting social conditions. During the early 20th century, morality books were often composed and published with the support and participation of important local elites. Some of the most prestigious families of the time were involved in the composition and publication of the three morality books that are the focus of this study, including members of the Banqiao Lin Family and the Chen Yueji Family. Despite new differences and disputes between the “old literati” and the new generation of intellectuals that occurred in public discussions of the liberalization of romance in the 1920s, taboos around licentiousness were unweakened, likely because they were important symbols of socioeconomic class. Chapter Three explores gendered moral proscriptions in morality books, describing a chaste female moral model and a licentious female archetype, with sexuality being the key factor drawing a line between the two. Although the morality books studied here also call upon men to limit their sexuality, the punishments ascribed to sexual misbehavior and its impact on personal moral standing are significantly less severe than for women. Additionally, morality books describe men as the typical initiators of sexual transgressions, while women who initiate sexual encounters are portrayed as motivated by severe personal moral shortcomings. Chapter Four discusses sex work as it is described in morality books, separately exploring portrayals of clients and managers, human trafficking, prostitutes and other despised female roles, such as “flower”-selling women (huapo 花婆) and maidservants (binü 婢女). This chapter shows that morality books describe those involved in the sex industry, including clients, managers and prostitutes, in extremely negative and stigmatized terms, portraying them as groups that should be despised and kept at a distance. The authors’ contempt and rejection of female sex workers is extreme. Though even in morality books women are often described as entering sex work for reasons of economy or family that are out of their direct control, the authors still condemn them in the harshest terms. They believe that these women engage in this work despite an awareness of its corrupt nature, making them unworthy of compassion or understanding. This portrayal of sex workers was used to maintain gender norms that mandate female chastity.