人見人愛土地公
Tudi Gong：The God of Everybody
文｜陳維霖
圖｜陳維霖
土地公是最基層的神明，其職位相當於人間的村里長。土地公也是鄉土的守護神，台灣俗諺：「田頭田尾土地公」，意謂土地公遍佈各地且無所不在，凡是人煙所至之處，無論城市鄉鎮、田野山林都有土地公的存在，因此土地公是台灣最普遍的民間信仰。
台灣幾乎各村里都有土地廟，且各廟宇無論供奉任何神明，也都會配祀土地公，因此土地公是勢力最龐大、「神口」最眾多的神祇。
阿杰透早起來，就看著飯桌仔頂囥一塊古早味海綿雞卵糕佮果子，
阿媽講：「今仔日是初一，佮阿媽鬥陣去公園邊的土地公遐拜拜！
拜好就會當食雞卵糕矣！」
一下聽著會當去公園，閣會當食雞卵糕，遮爾好空的機會呔會當耽失！
毋過土地公到底是啥人啊?是按怎阿媽定定去拜土地公咧？
He tables were all covered with offerings. There were veggie pigs made of string noodles and sachima
A-jie woke up to find fruits and Taiwanese sponge cake on the dining table.
“Today is day one of the new lunar month,” Grandma said.
“Come worship the Tudi gong beside the park with me. Once we finish, those offerings are yours.”
How could A-jie miss such goodies? It’s park visiting and cake in one go!
But who is Tudi gong? Why does Grandma go to Him all the time?
北管樂團佇廟埕演奏，阿公指一个樂師講：「光仔，你
阿媽講：「乖孫的！土地公是佮咱上親的守護神喔！
嘛號做『福德正神』、『土地公伯仔』，客人稱呼伊『伯公』。
土地公是土地之神，就像咱的村里長，便若身體健康、農作生產、
結婚生囝、官司冤屈、起厝搬厝、生理順序、旅遊平安等大細項代誌，
攏會當共土地公祈求，希望考試懸分的時嘛會當共土地公講喔！
毋過你嘛愛好好仔讀冊才會用得，土地公干焦保庇認真讀冊的囡仔，知無?」
「我知影！」阿杰歡歡喜喜咧講。
“He’s the guardian god closest to us, my little boy,” Grandma said.
“He’s also known as Fude zhengshen or Uncle Tudi gong.
The Hakka call Him ‘Bag gung’ or Granduncle.
“Tudi gong is the lord of the land we live on, like our burgomaster in the heavens. You can ask Him about anything: health, harvest, marriage, birth, lawsuit, injustice, relocation, construction, business, career, travel, etc. If, for example, you want a good grade in your next exam, talk to Him.
But you still need to study hard; otherwise, He won’t give you favors.”
“I see,” chirped A-jie.
佇半路阿杰看著一間干焦服侍一粒大石頭的土地公廟仔，
阿杰好玄問阿媽講：「土地公嘛會當用石頭代替，是無? 」
「是啊！早期先民來臺灣開墾非常辛苦，內心急需精神的倚靠，
就對溪仔、山路邊揀較大粒的石卵當做土地公來拜，
對上簡單的孤粒石頭到三粒石頭楗的三粒石；
對建材樸實的廟仔，到金鑠鑠、麗篤廟寺造型的土地公廟仔，
攏是住民崇敬土地公保庇、出入平安的表現。」
In 669, south Fukien was an area lack of management and fell behind other places. The mountain tribal people
On their way, A-jie noticed another Tudi gong shrine, which housed a mere boulder. “Is that also Tudi gong?” asked A-jie.
“Yes,” Grandma said. “The early settlers wanted spiritual guidance so bad. They picked large pebbles from creek beds and worshipped them as Tudi gong. It could be single stone, or a three-piece construction. Tudi gong may live in a shrine made of whatever materials at hand, or in an abundantly decorated and full-scale temple.
Either way, it’s a show of devotion to Tudi gong, who decides whether to bless our activities.”
俗語有講：「山管人丁，水管財」，
所以渡船頭、田岸、庄頭、庄尾抑是山路邊一四界攏看會著石頭仔土地公廟仔。
「田頭田尾土地公，水頭水尾土地公」，遮的俗語佇彼當時是一四界咧流傳。
‘The river is in charge of wealth; the mountain, the growth of population,’
goes the old saying.
That is why those stone Tudi gong are everywhere: by fords, between paddy fields,
at village outskirts, or alongside mountain paths. As another saying goes,
‘Tudi gong is at both ends of the field; Tudi gong is on both banks of the river.’
阿媽紲咧講：「農民閣會佇田岸抑是茶園插土地公枴，因為𪜶認為『只要插土地公枴，土地公就會來鬥巡田喔！』
這土地公枴，通常是取一枝竹仔抑是竹箍，對半破了後鋏一疊金紙佮三枝香插佇田邊。
以前的人認為土地公的年歲大，行動無方便，所以體貼做一枝枴仔予伊，予伊咧巡田頭的時會較方便行徙，金紙是欲答謝土地公保庇的謝禮，希望土地公會當賜予農民五榖豐收。」
Grandma continued. “There are also ‘Tudi gong crutches’ that farmers stick into field paths or tea gardens in the hope that Tudi gong pass by their property on His patrol.
The crutch is usually a stem of bamboo split in part along the length, clipping a stack of joss paper and three incense sticks.
Tudi gong is old and probably has difficulty walking, so crutches are made to please and make things easier for Him.
The joss paper is payment for His protection and blessing of the upcoming harvest.”