La troupe et la cérémonie traditionnelle rituelle Zu Ma Zhen du temple Tu An Gong de Tuku de Taïwan : un patrimoine en danger

Abstract

The Zu Ma Zhen troupe dedicated to Tuku’s Tu An Gong Temple (土庫土安宮竹馬陣) in southern Taiwan is one of the many listed intangible cultural heritage religious troupes in Tainan City of Taïwan. The term Zu Ma Zhen (竹馬陣) literally means religious processional troop of bamboo horses. It designates both the troupe and its performances. The troupe brings together twelve artists who embody the twelve animals of the Chinese zodiac. They once wore costumes and accessories made from bamboo. Among them, the white horse is considered the noblest character, hence the origin of the troop’s name. Transmitted over a period of nearly three hundred years with remarkable fidelity, this troupe plays two genres: an exorcising ritual, the Zu Ma Zhen, followed by short entertaining operas, the Zu Ma Xi. The aim of this ritual is to demonize the Word and bring harmony and purity to the Cosmos. This research note proposes a hermeneutic approach to the religious musical and paratheatrical procession of the Zu Ma Zhen troupe dedicated to the Tu An Gong Temple in Tuku Village, in Taiwan’s southern Tainan County. The Zu Ma Zhen refers to a performance art that combines spoken dialogue, incantations, songs, acting and dance. This note provides a better understanding of this tradition: what are its origins, particularities, mode of transmission and scenic characteristics that makes troupe different from other troupes and give its uniqueness? Faced with social changes, modernization of customs, the rural exodus and the population ageing, this art will survive?

Keywords

• transmission
• tradition
• Zu Ma Zhen
• Zhentou
• Chegu
• ritual ceremony