活動摘要

國立高雄大學語文中心帶領 11 名外籍學生前往嘉義新港地區，實地參與大甲媽祖遶境。活動透過行前文化導入、現場觀察與互動，將語言學習延伸至真實文化場域，打造沉浸式學習經驗。

Amid crowds and the rhythmic sounds of gongs and drums, a group of international students walked alongside devotees in one of Taiwan’s most iconic religious events—the Dajia Mazu Pilgrimage. The Language Center of National University of Kaohsiung recently led a small group of 11 international students to Xingang, Chiayi. Through on-site participation and cultural instruction, the program extended language learning into authentic cultural contexts, creating an immersive learning experience that could not be reproduced inside a conventional classroom.

中文摘要

在人潮與鑼鼓聲交織的遶境現場，一群外籍學生跟隨香燈腳緩步前行，親身走入臺灣最具代表性的宗教盛事——大甲媽祖遶境。語文中心帶領 11 名外籍學生前往嘉義新港，透過實地參與與文化導入課程，將語言學習延伸至真實文化場域。

According to Language Center Director Jyh-wen Chern, the program focused on one of Taiwan’s most representative forms of religious culture and integrated language education with local field experience. By participating in the pilgrimage, students were able to understand how language is used in authentic social and cultural settings, while strengthening their cross-cultural communication skills. The program also demonstrated how a university can transform local history, belief, and community practices into meaningful educational resources.

中文摘要

語文中心主任陳志文表示，本次課程以臺灣代表性宗教文化為核心，結合語言學習與在地場域體驗。學生透過實地參與遶境，在真實情境中理解語言使用脈絡，深化跨文化溝通能力，也展現大學將在地文化轉化為教學資源的實踐方向。

Mandarin instructor Pei-yin Tsai explained that the course adopted a “culture-first, contextual participation” approach. Before entering the field, students learned key vocabulary, ritual meanings, and the cultural background of Taiwanese folk belief. This preparation enabled them to move beyond simply attending the event and begin understanding its cultural logic and symbolic meanings. Instructor Ching-miao Wang added that immersive learning encourages active questions and communication. Conversations with pilgrimage participants and observations of religious behavior offered forms of learning that are difficult to reproduce in a classroom and helped students understand Taiwanese society from a cultural perspective.

中文摘要

華語老師蔡佩吟指出，本次課程採「文化先導、情境參與」模式，行前先引導學生掌握媽祖遶境相關詞彙、儀式意涵與民間信仰脈絡，再進入現場觀察與互動。華語老師王菁苗表示，沉浸式學習能促進學生主動提問、與香燈腳交流，並培養從文化視角理解臺灣社會的能力。

The field course incorporated multiple forms of cultural experience. Students first visited an incense culture park, where they participated in incense making, incense appreciation, and sachet crafting. These sensory activities helped them understand the symbolic and emotional role of incense in Taiwanese religious culture. In the afternoon, students entered the core pilgrimage area in Xingang and walked alongside devotees. They observed the rhythm of the moving procession and its collective rituals, and participated in traditional practices such as passing under the palanquin. Within the movement of the crowd and the rhythm of the ceremonies, students became more than observers—they became participants in the cultural setting.

中文摘要

實地課程融入多元文化體驗，學生走訪香藝文化園區，參與製香、品香與香包製作，從感官層面理解香在宗教文化中的象徵與情感連結。下午則進入新港遶境核心場域，跟隨香燈腳前行、觀察集體儀式，並體驗鑽轎腳等傳統文化行為。

Vietnamese student Nguyen Cui-ren shared:

During the event, Indonesian student Susan spoke with a devotee who explained that they had joined the pilgrimage to fulfill a promise made to Mazu. This cycle of “making a vow, fulfilling it, and expressing gratitude” helped students understand that Taiwanese folk religion is not merely a collection of abstract rituals. Instead, it is a form of practice deeply embedded in everyday life. Many students felt that entering the pilgrimage in person allowed them to understand the cultural meanings and social values carried by language more clearly than classroom study alone.

中文摘要

越南籍學生阮翠任表示，現場所有人為共同信念前進的景象令她深受震撼。印尼籍學生 Susan 則透過與香燈腳交流，認識「許願、實踐、還願」的信仰循環，理解臺灣民間信仰並非抽象儀式，而是深植於日常生活中的行動實踐。

The Language Center emphasized that small-group learning improves the depth of learning and quality of on-site interaction. It allows students to engage more closely with cultural settings, strengthen their observation skills, and develop more meaningful interpretations of what they encounter. This program represents an important application of immersive cultural learning. The center continues to promote a culture-based Mandarin teaching strategy grounded in the idea that “culture is the teaching material, and the field is the classroom.” Following ecological field trips in Maolin and hands-on food culture workshops, the inclusion of religious culture further expands the center’s curriculum. These programs allow international students to deepen their language application and cross-cultural understanding through direct participation in Taiwanese society.

中文摘要

語文中心指出，小型學習團有助於提升學習深度與現場互動品質，是文化沉浸式學習的重要實踐。中心持續推動文化場域導向華語教學，以臺灣在地文化為語言學習基礎，落實「文化即教材、場域即教室」理念，深化學生的語言運用與跨文化理解。