| 摘要: | 「性別平等」在祭祀公業中是爭議不斷的議題。在早期客家社會中，祭祀公業是相當重要的社會組織，主要目的為祭祀祖先、發揚孝道並延續宗族文化，另也有西方學者指出祭祀公業的經濟功能對成員的重要性。隨著時代變遷，舊有的傳統價值觀可能與現有法律制度中的性別平等產生衝突，在以男性為核心傳承者的祭祀公業中，女性能不能享有派下員的資格，引發各學界對祭祀公業重大的討論。
本文從派下員及其相關問題出發，探討在民國112年（2023）憲判字第1號其判決結果影響之下，客家祭祀公業間是否仍存有性別歧視的現象抑或是隨著時代變遷和政策的推動是否改變舊有的文化價值觀，以及性別平等在客家祭祀公業的實際情況。
本研究發現部分客家祭祀公業在調整規約時，開始意識到有些家庭缺乏男系子孫，已開始接納女系子孫作為派下員的合格人選。傳統上，一旦未婚子女出嫁，通常會喪失其派下員資格，現今的情況有所改變。女性在出嫁後仍享有派下員資格，不會因此而失去其繼承權利。但在多數客家祭祀公業體系中，仍有內部規定來篩選外姓成員，要求出嫁女性的派下子孫必須以母姓繼承，才能保留繼承權，以防止未來出現百家姓的情況。
另一方面，大多數受訪者對同性結婚議題持保守態度，認為這與傳統價值觀相悖，且目前尚未普及，不願深入討論。僅極少數受訪者表達若派下員出現同性婚姻情況，將召開派下員大會就相關議題進行討論，並視大會決議是否允許派下員及其配偶納入體系中，這也表明管理人在面對現實情況時，傾向於以開放的態度尊重集體討論的結果。
許多客家宗族仍然對女性擔任派下員持保留態度，認為這違背了父系同宗同血緣的傳統宗旨。這樣的反對聲音使得女性在爭取權益的過程中，仍需面對來自家庭和社會的多重壓力。隨著法律政策的變革和社會觀念的逐漸開放，女性在客家祭祀公業中的地位的爭取勢必將多元發展，以現況看來，還有漫長的爭取之路待走。;"Gender Equality" is a continuously debated issue in ancestral worship organizations. In early Hakka society, these organizations were significant social structures with the primary purposes of ancestor worship, promoting filial piety, and preserving clan culture. Additionally, Western scholars have noted the economic importance of these organizations to their members. As times have changed, traditional values may conflict with gender equality principles in current legal systems. The debate centers on whether women can qualify as inheritors in these traditionally male-centered organizations, sparking significant academic discussion.
This article examines the issue of inheritors and related questions, exploring whether gender discrimination persists in Hakka ancestral worship organizations under the influence of Constitutional Interpretation No. 1 of 2023. It investigates whether traditional cultural values are changing with the times and policy advancements and the actual state of gender equality in these organizations.
The study found that some Hakka ancestral worship organizations are beginning to recognize families lacking male descendants by accepting female descendants as qualified inheritors when revising their regulations. Traditionally, unmarried children lost their inheritor status upon marriage, but this has changed. Married women now retain their inheritor status and inheritance rights. However, many Hakka ancestral worship systems still have internal rules to screen out non-surname members, requiring descendants of married women to inherit with their mother′s surname to preserve inheritance rights and prevent a mix of surnames in the future.
Most respondents hold conservative views on same-sex marriage, considering it contrary to traditional values and not yet widespread, thus reluctant to discuss it deeply. Only a few respondents indicated that if an inheritor were in a same-sex marriage, a meeting would be convened to discuss the issue, and decisions would be made on whether to include the inheritor and their spouse based on collective discussion outcomes. This indicates that managers tend to respect collective decisions with an open attitude when facing real situations.
Many Hakka clans still hold reservations about women serving as inheritors, viewing it as a violation of the patrilineal and consanguineous traditional purpose. Such opposition means that women still face multiple pressures from family and society in their struggle for rights. With legal policy changes and gradually opening social attitudes, the fight for women′s status in Hakka ancestral worship organizations will inevitably develop in diverse ways. As it stands, there is still a long road ahead in this struggle. |
