頂頭角，為東港七角頭之一，作者* 先曾祖父蔡白先生，為頂頭角公 廟東隆壇廟址捐地人之一。作者* 為頂頭角世襲轎班。現存關於東港迎王的 學術文獻，對於東港迎王起源、闡述的研究成果，大抵是延伸前島信次的送 瘟風俗，劉枝萬的和瘟押煞，接續產生康豹的厲鬼轉化、李豐楙的英靈崇拜 及洪瑩發的瘟王巡狩，上述的看法，大抵是與東港民眾世代所承傳與認知的 王爺公有所不同。也就是說，現有之研究文獻，產生了外在的學術論述與在 地的實際承傳，發生認知差異。然而，東港迎王整個祭典過程中，最重要的 運作主角，即是東港七角頭轎班。作者藉由長達十年以上的研究與紀錄，透 過與角頭轎班耆老們進行系統性訪談與整理，並承襲參與角頭轎班事務，冀 望以紀錄角頭轎班所應承傳的各項禮儀與職務為基礎，頂頭角即東港七角頭 之一，經由敘述公元2009 年頂頭角轎班擔任己丑正科大千歲轎班的過程， 以在地的觀點與立場論述東港迎王的底蘊內涵，與當今學界不同的思維與看 法。讓各界能夠認識東隆宮溫府千歲爺與世代東港人之間，世襲罔替的擔任 各式各樣職務誓約，並更瞭解其永久承傳的歷史意義與時代價值。更因為東 港七角頭轎班等祭祀結社組織之傳承與堅持，保留了華人世界中絕無僅有 的，具有代表性，完整嚴格遵循古制的迎王科儀祭典，足彌珍貴。建議公部 門應立即著手計劃，向聯合國教科文組織(UNESCO) 依據其《保護無形文 化遺產公約》，提出將「東港迎王平安祭典」，申請為「無形文化遺產」。

Dingtoukai, one of the seven head settlements at Donggang township. Mr. Tsai Bai, the great-grandfather of authors, one of donator of base land of Ding Tou Kai hamlet temple. The second author is also an inherited palanquin porter of Dingtoukai settlements. According to contemporary studies of Donggang Wangye Inspection Ceremony, almost focus on plague dispelling, therefore, in deep minds of old residents in Donggang. Wangye is not a plague spreader but a heaven inspector, he bring prosperity not diseases to Donggang. However recognition of academics is not parallel with identification of residents. Methodologies of this paper use in-depth interview and participant observation with a successor viewpoint. By depicting diverse duties of those inherited palanquin porters through the whole procedure of Donggang Wangye Inspection Ceremony in 2009, we go the extra mile to unveil the essence of Donggang Wangye Inspection Ceremony, the significance of generations’ duty pledge between the seven head settlements palanquin porters with Donggang Wangye. The tradition of the seven head settlements palanquin communities and the culture of Donggang Wangye Inspection Ceremony are unique and representative among the Wangye worships in Chinese-speaking world, the persistence and preservation of which are urgent and substantial, we propose public sector commence to file an application that register Donggang Wangye Inspection Ceremony to the list of Intangible Culture Heritage according to the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage adopted by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

王爺；王船；七角頭；東港迎王

Wangye; Wangye Boat; Seven Head Settlements; Donggang Wangye Inspection Ceremony