本文以「類屬生成的辯證觀J 為基礎，借用「社會類別化/群體 認同化」這組分析性概念，討論歷史過程、文化與行動對於形塑身分認同的作用。本文首先說明1955年經由大陳撤退來台的大陳島居民，先是回應了國家賦予的「大陳義胞」這一類屬，呼應1950年代至1970年代的國家戰爭體制，並在蔣中正生前與逝世後白發建立固定的「蔣公崇拜」儀式與象徵。接著解釋為何到1980年代後期，出現了大陳地區傳統信仰復興，以及「蔣公崇拜」至2000年開始退位的現象。此種象徵意義的轉變，對應於「大陳義胞」類別從公共領域逐漸淡出，被「大陳人」的群體稱謂所取代的過程。透過「蔣公」與「大陳神明」這兩個有集體象徵意義的符號，本文分析了不同身分類屬對大陳人所具有的生存利益、社會尊嚴與生命意義上的意義。本文認為國家具有建構社會類屬的主宰性力量，而人群則透過儀式以及符號進行認同的建構來面對它。身分認同是一個持續建構的過程，大陳人先是努力將這種外部類屬建構成為自我認同的一部分，接著隨著外部認同環境的變遷，在其本身特殊的生存條件下，透過宗教與社群的集體力持續發展與追尋其身分認同。

Based on the “ dialectical view of categorization and identification," and adopting a “ social categorization/group identification" set of concepts, the article discusses the importance of historical process, culture, and agency in shaping people's identities through their traditions and making collective symbols. We suggest that æsidents of Da-chen islands, who were withdrawn and resettled in Taiwan in 1955 because of military operations, responded favorably and positively to the war regime and the category of “Dachen Yibao" (Dachen Righteous Compatriots) given by the State and the public in the 1950s and the 1970s. They even formed their own symbol for “Chiang Lord Worship" and practice. We explain why there was a revival of collective interest in traditional Dachen beliefs in the mid-1980s, and why the Chiang Kai-shek Worship receded, especially after the year 2000. In the meantime, we observe a gradualfading of the category of Dachen Yibao and its replacement with “Dachen Ren" (Dachen people). Through analyzing changing symbols-from the collective symbol of Chang Lord Worship to traditional symbols of Dachen belief-we interpret the meanings, interests, and social dignities of different social categories and identifications. We submit that the state, as an extemal force, can easily create social categories, and it is the people who give meanings to the categories and develop their own identities through rituals and symbols, recreating their own identities with religion and other social collective forces in relation to the extemal category because of environment and institutional changes that affect their existence and living conditions.