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"Territory" is the forming, either by arrangement or staking out, of the existence and scope of awareness of "space" based on the psychological motives of "occupation" and "retention". This behavior can be defined as the "territoriality" of man. The harsh living conditions of Penghu produced in the local residents sincere belief in ghosts and spirits. Viewed from the angle of folk beliefs, "village territory" is a two- dimensional response to the fear of and confrontation with the supernatural world. Residents follow principles as defined by traditional universal views as they constructed a symbolic spiritual line of defense of temples to distinguish the different qualities of different spaces, thereby congealing a common cultural awareness. The following preliminary research results were arrived at through the three steps of "expression of territorial consciousness", "construction of territorial significance", and "reflections on territorial similarities and differences", used to analyze the way residents think about and explain village space which was then tested and verified by the analysis of an expert Taoist Master and deductions by the observer: 1.The residents of both islands have three principles regarding territorial consciousness as based on their understanding of life, i.e. imagery (e.g. landmark structures and signs), scope (e.g. topography, arrangement of residences, and area for making livelihood), and requirements (e.g. division and management of administration, and folk religion). Of these, their territorial views of religion can best bring together and reflect the actual life and culture of the Penghu area. 2.The community of each village expressed concrete influence and standards and used regularly scheduled and irregular rituals to promote and strengthen the awareness of "territorial" defense systems. The significance of their construction system uses "interior-exterior" (內外), "central"(中心), and "boundary"(邊緣) as foundations for awareness and arrives at the goal of spatial formation by means of "rituals"(儀式). 3.The concept of implementation of the two islands are currently typified by the three territorial types "panliengshih"(邦聯式), "lienheshih"(聯合式), and "shuangchongshih"(雙重式). 4."Man" is the starting point for the nature of all territoriality. The manipulation of tangible elements and spatial awareness are used to manifest intangible holy meaning for the purpose of maintaining harmony. Differences and similarities between them form a multi-factor environment, exchange, or human dominance to continually adjust and deal with the environment.
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