《勅水禁壇》為道教醮儀類的法事節目之一，多用在重大祭典或三朝以上的醮科。「勅水」即以法水灑淨，目的在掃除壇場一切邪魔穢氣，使醮主、會首等參拜人員可以一身清淨、滌除邪慮、齋心侍帝；「禁壇」則是將壇之五方結界，使凡境轉化為聖境，恭迎上聖高真降臨壇場。通過實地調查研究方法，以台南善化道壇鍾昂翰道長所科演之《勅水禁壇》為主要觀察對象，依其祖父鍾作人道長所抄《龍虎山正乙留侯張天師真人玉訣全集》，詳實記述單一道壇、道長之科儀文本、演法與過程，藉由鍾道長局內人（insider）的立場與角度來分析、詮釋科儀內容，研究者局外人（outsider）的觀察與參與，與先前《勅水禁壇》相關之研究及在地社群之地方傳統進行對話，對演法的想像、理解作出回應，試圖為《勅水禁壇》科儀提供另外一種釋義的可能，為道教儀式研究之地方個案作出基礎的貢獻。

The Ritual of Sprinkling with Water and Sealing an Altar is an important Daoist ritual used on special occasions. Water is sprinkled to ward off the influence of evil spirits so that the Daoist practitioners may worship the god in purity and with undivided hearts, free from evil. Sealing the altar means establishing boundaries in the five directions so that the area within them is propitious to welcoming the highest gods to descend. My study involved interviews with Master Chung Ang-Han of the Tainan Shanhua Altar. His practice comes from a book about a Daoist Master of Longhu Mountain, China, copied by Chung's grandfather which gives details for the setting up of the altar and the rites to be carried on. Master Chung is the insider who can analyse and explain the altar from his point of view, whilst I, as researcher, am the outsider observing and participating. Taking account of previous studies of this ritual I suggest the possibility of a new interpretation which I offer as my contribution to the field of Daoist studies.