臺灣於2002年通過《殯葬管理條例》，鼓勵多元葬法，2007年11月24日「新北市金山環保生命園區」正式啟用，帶動國人環保自然葬風氣。本研究以法鼓山生命園區植存家屬為訪談對象，透過半結構式訪談及資料分析，企圖瞭解國人選擇環保自然葬的理由，面對傳統掃墓祭祖文化，環保自然葬家屬的想法與作法，以及環保自然葬對傳統祖先信仰、慎終追遠觀念的影響之試探性研究。從訪談結論來說，支持環保自然葬最多數的理由可歸納為四點。(1)環保意識及對傳統殯葬文化的反思。(2)家庭結構改變，間接改變祭祖內涵及形式。(3)環保自然葬「入土為安」思維和自然風水相吻合。(4)法鼓山生命園區提供的境教，以及國人生死觀念的提昇。追根究源來說，是社會變遷等諸多因素改變了傳統殯葬習俗，進而改變了祭祖（祖先信仰）的方式。研究分析結果指出，環保自然葬並不影響慎終追遠的精神，改變的只是「思時之敬」的祭祀方式。現代人不拘泥傳統掃墓祭祖形式，重視從情感層面表達不忘本的精神，亦不失孝道情懷。 In 2002, Taiwan passed the Regulations on Funeral Management to encourage multiple burial practices. On November 24, 2007, the New North City Jinshan Environmental Protection Life Garden was officially opened, which promote the trend of eco-friendly natural burial. By interviewing the families who adopted green burial in DDM Life Memorial Garden, this study attempts to understand the reasons why people chose eco-friendly natural burial through semi-structured interviews and data analysis. We would try to find out the ideas and practices of family members who accept eco-friendly natural burial in the face of traditional tomb sweeping and ancestor worship culture, as well as the natural burial's impact on the traditional ancestor beliefs and the memorial customs for the dead. From the conclusion of the interview, most of the reasons for supporting eco-friendly natural burial can be summarized into four points. (1) The rise of environmental awareness and rethinking on traditional funeral culture. (2) Changes in family structure have indirectly altered the connotation and form of ancestor worship. (3) the eco-friendly natural burial's idea of “into the earth for peace” is consistent with traditional “geomantic beliefs”. (4) The environmental education provided by DDM Life Memorial Garden and the upgrade of public perceptions for life and death issues. We find the root causes of changing in traditional funeral and burial customs are social shifts and other factors, which further altered the way of ancestor worship. The analysis results show that eco-friendly natural burial does not affect the spirit of memorial customs for the dead, but only change the sacrificial form of tomb sweeping. Modern people do not stick to the old tomb sweeping practice, but emphasize the emotional expression to memorize their ancestors, which is also a kind of filial piety.
