本研究採用參與觀察法、歷史文獻分析法、訪談法等方式進行。深入探討嘉義市具代表性之傳統寺廟：「雙忠廟」、「城隍廟」、「九華山地藏庵」、「忠義十九公廟」之沿革、廟內組織、管理制度等面向，之所以會以此四間寺廟做為研究對象，是因為其對於嘉義市早期之開發有相當的關聯以及歷史悠久等特性。 台灣是典型的移民社會，綜觀漢民族之開拓史，先民從內陸渡台必須要先渡過海象惡劣的黑水溝，登陸後還必須面對未經開發之山林。在醫藥不發達的時空背景下，傳染病、瘟疫時有所聞；加上政治因素的不穩定及與原住民及閩、粵、漳、泉各族群間的相處問題等，都是先民渡台艱難之所在。離鄉背井的先民，將心靈寄託於一同渡台的故鄉神祇，希望藉由信仰的力量能夠給予其精神上的慰藉，傳統民間宗教信仰成為漢民族社會，無形中最重要的支配力量；當族群人口到達一定數量的時候，就會集資興建寺廟，該寺廟就會成為區域性的信仰中心，而台灣幾乎所有的傳統聚落及城市發展大都以寺廟為重心，特別與族群的發展有相當密切的關係與展現出台灣文化的獨特性，也因為寺廟與地方的關連性相當密切，因此寺廟可以說是聚落中最重要的公共空間，亦是公共事務之處理中心，早期亦具有權威性，但是自從台灣政治體制改變，寺廟的公共事務機能相對降低，寺廟反而更具有親和性與開放性，加上豐富的文化內涵，成為地方上重要的休憩、文化重要場所，值得社會大眾推廣。 本文首先對台灣傳統民間信仰中的神衹種類、各種常見之宗教儀式乃至於與台灣早期開發史的關係作詳細的回顧，再整理嘉義市具代表性傳統寺廟之相關文史資料，並剖析經營管理之新思維，希望能夠藉由本研究協助傳統寺廟找出合適的方法以經營廟務，以及企盼能讓大眾瞭解傳統民間信仰與神廟對台灣人民之重要性，藉此引起共鳴。 This research used the methodology of field study, historical comparative research, and qualitative interview method. The reason that we choose traditional temples in Chiayi city is due to the connection of historic characteristics to the development of Chiayi in earlier period. Taiwan is a typical immigration society. Observing the history of Han nation, ancient people have to pass through Taiwan Strait and must survive among the original mountain forest. Under the lack of medicine supply,infectious disease and epidemic happen quite often. Uncertainty of political factor and unable to get along with aborigine and ethnic group etc. are major problems that all ancient people have to face. The traditional religious faith becomes the invisibly most important domination strength of the Han nation. When the ethnicity population arrive a certain amount of time, properties were accumulated and so temples were build. The temple is becoming a regional faith center. Temples are the most important public space in the settlement. So the temples are the center of public business in early days and having influential in the settlement. However, when Taiwanese political system changed, the public business function of the temples is hence reduced. The research shows the types of god in the traditional popular believers and various religious rites. Detailed review about the historical movement with traditional belief in the early days is revealed. Also, sorting the literature of Chiayi traditional temples and history data, and analyzing their management thinking could help traditional temples to find out a suitable method to run the temple in the future.
