无形的象征:抗战时期首都忠烈祠筹建始末

抗战时期国民政府对首都忠烈祠的筹划,不仅意在彰显国家褒忠之典,形塑社会民族意识,还极力凸显其“中外观瞻”的国际意义。然而在祠址的选取、勘测与接收过程中,首都忠烈祠却遭遇以关岳崇拜为代表的传统文化和地方利益群体的对抗与阻挠,加之受物价上涨和经费不足影响,筹建计划最终流产。不过,作为一种象征,首都忠烈祠的营造却在无形中创造出一种超越籍贯的“共有民族英雄”形象,使国民政府所建构的忠烈符号得以逐层级、多方位扩散,抗战记忆被强化。

Invisible Symbols:The Planned Construction of the Capital Martyrs Shrine During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression

Martyrs shrines in the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression were erected by the Kuomintang government for commemorating the martyrs to the War and mobilizing the people.As the topmost memorial,the Capital Martyrs Shrine would play the leading role in the four-level temple sacrifice system.During the War of Resistance,the Kuomintang government s planning of and preparation for the Capital Martyr s Shrine,were not only intended to display the state s veneration of the martyrs and to shape national consciousness in society,but also intensely purposed to highlight a significantly“domestic and international sight”.Yet in the process of the Shrine s site selection,survey,and handover,the Kuomintang government was confronted with objections and resistance from both worshipers of the traditional cultural heroes Guan Yu and Yue Fei and local interest groups.Further obstructed by the inflation of prices and lack of funds,the construction plan was finally aborted.Despite all this,the construction of the Capital Martyr s Shrine as a symbol invisibly created an image of“common national heroes”transcending places of birth,making it possible for the martyrs symbols created by the Kuomintang government to be proliferated throughout all levels and to multiple directions,and for memories of the War of Resistance to be reinforced.