在馬來西亞以及鄰近地區華人社會，「五方五土龍神，唐番地主財神」可說是當地華人信仰體系裡頭最為基層的崇祀對象，常見於家家戶戶。可是，嚴格來說，「五方五土龍神，唐番地主財神」作為保障家居環境的守護神靈，並非單數的地祗崇拜，而是結合著「五方龍神」與「本宅土地」兩大土地神靈體系，集中崇拜五位龍神以及唐、番兩位地主財神，成為南洋特有的信仰現象。南洋華人先民大多源自華南各地，本應深受原籍地之信仰文化薰陶；「五方龍神，唐番地主」三結合的信仰現象能在南洋流傳超過百年，信眾猶能相安無事，可知其最初之存在絕非單純源於民間信仰之隨機組合。反之，如果從閱讀歷代文獻對照其中信仰現象，又可發現「五方五土，唐番地主」之信仰內涵最早源自於古代儒學經籍有關「中霤」與「化厲為神」的神道設教，並且接納了道教自南北朝以來對「五方龍神」之神學建構；到了南洋華人拓殖往昔中華南海諸藩的過程，則又進一步詮釋中華中霤神祀結合居住地先靈崇拜的演變，滲入了當地對土地神靈的設想，認為感恩先前開拓其居住範圍的先人，必定包括原來落地生根的「唐、番」兩族，兼對「中華」與「地方」雙構安居樂業因素的神聖象徵崇德報功。原有的「五方五土龍神，唐番地主財神」是繼承著上述儒道論述相融於華南民間的信仰實踐，面向南洋本土脈絡再次演變成為地方信仰。 The worshiping of the Collective Land Deities who are collectively named as “Wu Fang Wu Tu Long Shen, Tang Fan Di Zhu Cai Shen” on a piece of landed Tablet is really common among the Chinese families in Malaysia and neighboring region. Anyway, such combination of beliefs is not a disarray random arrangement. The twelve words written in the form of Chinese calligraphy are actually meant it is a combined belief of Zhou Dynasty’s Zhongliu Deity (Lord of Household Area) and Taoistic Five Dragons for Land Stability. While the belief of “Di Zhu cai shen” (deity of household area who serve as spirit for wealthy) could referred it evolement from confucius doctrine such as “Li Ji” (Book of Rites), the teaching of “Wu Fang Wu Tu Long Shen” or “Protective Dragons of the Spirit of Five Elements for Land Balance” could trace it authenticity as part of Taoism theology by refer to “Dao Zang” (Collections of Taoism Doctrines).Anyway, by declared the local “Di Zhu” co-exciting as “Tang” (Chinese) and “Fan” (Non-Chinese), the way of description shown that the Chinese collectively aware that their local achievement are based on the contributions of former generations no matter they are Chinese or natives and the sense of gratitude must be performed in a proper way that treat the all the “Di Zhu” as a spiritual elders of the family. As conclusion, the Nanyang Chinese worshiping of “Wu Fang Wu Tu Long Shen, Tang Fan Di Zhu Cai Shen” is a inheritance of both the tradition of Confucianism and Taoism that have a long history of practice in Southern China, but sustain and strengthen it tradition by evolute and localize according to the recognition and absorbing of vernacular context.
