本文試圖了解民間信仰在都會區中的轉變情形。舊加蚋地區位於台北市西南一角，在整個台北市中此區的宮廟神壇成長快速，研究此區有其代表性。從2000年3月至2002年8月進行宮廟神壇的實地訪談，一共訪得113間。加蚋地區是中南部移民北上的落腳處，大量湧入的外來人口使得具有公廟性質的宮壇，無法扮演傳統村廟的地方整合功能，反而是由私壇向公廟發展的宮壇，比較能擔負起整合人群的功能，但是這種整合已脫離地緣關係。爐主頭家或是重要的委員，絕大部份不是當地人。此區宮壇大都是自行到佛像店雕像開光，絕大部份會提供辦事服務，經由辦事的媒介，結合一批社會背景相似的信眾，其組織運作類似社團。宮壇提供信眾情感或財務上的支援，甚至是休閒活動。另外，對教育程度普遍不高，以及職業經常流動的信眾而言，宮壇是幫助個人成長的團體，並藉由籌備活動，學習組織、計畫、採購的能力。台灣以往並未有社區營造的積極做法，因此宮壇是弱勢移民因應都會生活的一種方式。此外，宮主若較年輕，教育程度稍高，就會做一些大幅度的改革，譬如，不燒金紙、鼓勵打坐自修等；改革的宮壇已具有新興宗教的雛形。總之，都會生活型態促使民間信仰轉變，脫離了地緣關係的信仰形式。

This study illustrates the change of folk religion in an urban setting at the turn of this century. This study surveys 113 folk religion temples in Gara area, and finds that the change is directly related to the consequences of urbanization in Taiwan. From the late 1950s to the middle of 1970s, people from the other parts of Taiwan flooded into Taipei city to look for a better life. Gara area, the southwestern corner of Taipei city, had long been served as an important rest stop for immigrants who brough in their hometown belief, folk religion, with them. However, due to the highly mobile urban population, the role of folk religion temples has gone through some profound changes. In early days, a typical temple served as a local center to integrate all local residents. This study finds that nowadays in Gara area, most of the believers of one temple do not live in the same neighborhood but live sparsely across the big metropolitan area. The finances of most temples in Gara area are from the "service fee" of their believers who come to see spiritual mediums and look for concrete opinions to change their lots. The believers, most of them immigrants, gradually form a group to hold religious activities regularly. Through temple's activities, they build up their personal networks and find their needed support. The network building is not easy for them to find outside the temple setting, because most of them are less educated and worked as unskilled laborers or temporary workers. An urban temple serves more like a social club, and no longer serves as a local center. Finally, this study also demonstrates that there is a close relationship between urban folk religion temples and indigenous new religions.