本文透過嘉義內埔仔祭祀圈的田野觀察，引用懷金格的遊戲理論，分析神明遶境活動裡，是否還存有遊戲的因素？研究發現，內埔仔神明遶境的儀式活動裡，仍維繫著較多的遊戲因素。因為，內埔仔神明遶境的參與者，幾乎來自祭祀圈裡的庄民，他們並投入志工的行列。每年相同的遶境路徑、相同的時辰、相同的宮廟，相同的庄民。內埔仔神明遶境不受交通規則與噪音管制，亦不受政治、商業和媒體的涉入，儘管遶境的儀式活動，沒有嚴密的制度與組織，仍能井然有序，人人按照認同的規則執行。整個儀式活動保有高度的自由性、非日常性、時空限制性、規則性、模仿性和不確定性。內埔仔神明遶境的儀式活動之展演性多於競爭性，各種陣頭喬裝模仿成瑞獸、神將、護衛、使者，自娛娛人，透過贊炮、具誇富宴特質活動展演自我，與人拼場，充分呈現出秩序、張力、運動、變化、莊嚴、節奏、迷狂的特質，讓儀式活動多數的參與者獲得純粹的樂趣。然而，受到工商社會環境的影響，內埔仔神明遶境的遊戲因素逐漸在淡化之中，人口老化導致庄頭陣頭社團瓦解，在自由性與非日常性遊戲特質上不夠純粹。

This paper adopted the philosophy of Johan Huizinga’s play theory as a basis for the field study on the pilgrimage-procession ritual at Neipu, Chiayi County, in Taiwan. The research found that Neipu pilgrimage-procession culture has maintained many elements of play. The results are as follows: Most of the participants are local residents acting as volunteers. Every year, the pilgrimage procession ritual is held along the same course, at the same season, at the same temple, and by the same residents as well. The Neipu pilgrimage neglects traffic regulations and noise management and has nothing to do with politics, business or the media. Nevertheless, the ritual has no rigid organization, varying according to the individual participants. It is characterized by an unusually high level of freedom, without the limits of time, space, rules, character imitation or uncertainty-just as in play. The performance of ritual pilgrimage processions at Neipu is not just a matter of competition. Troupers imitate lucky animals, gods, guards, missioners; they set off firecrackers and serve rich meals to show off. The ritual performance fully shows the qualities of order, tension, motion, change, solemnity, rhythm and ecstasy, so that the majority of participants in the ceremony consider the ritual as pure fun-as play. The pilgrimage procession at Neipu has been increasingly influenced by the social environment of commerce and industry, so that their play character is gradually fading. Moreover, an aging population has led to a collapse of local troupes, affecting the extent of freedom and non-routine nature of play.