本研究關注蘇澳南天宮媽祖與解嚴前後蘇澳地方社會的發展變化，並試圖探究解嚴後這場漁民的集體行動對突破當時兩岸特殊的政治框架帶來的影響。本研究以地方宮廟的一尊神的形象建構作為研究切入點，試圖從民間的角度，從下至上地重新檢視戰後臺灣地方社會的發展歷程與冷戰體制的互動關係。當地漁民自蘇澳開發始便沒有停止與外界的貿易與交流。本研究發現，在戰後的發展中，他們為了適應時局變化，不停地試圖在貿易經濟、漁業經濟、宗教經濟中周旋以取得最大利益。本文透過田野調查，結合民間與官方論述進行討論，集中探究蘇澳漁民1987年接受中國大陸製神像和1989年發動的直航進香活動及其意涵。作者企圖展示蘇澳地方社會與現代國家的互動過程與利益競逐的過程。而其中，宗教作為一種被國家與地方社會認可的協調方式被提上檯面。作為行動的結果，南天宮因此崛起成為東臺灣首屈一指的媽祖廟，蘇澳的媽祖成為當時兩岸津津樂道的「海峽和平女神」，同時最早由漁民首開的交流經驗也隨著戰後兩岸政治的發展被逐漸被大眾認知並進入法律視野。

This thesis focuses on the history of societal development in postwar Su'ao, and tries to understand the development of Su'ao local society in post-war period. By using religion as the starting point of analysis, this research figures out how the collective action of Su'ao's fishermen used religion to package their requirement. This research tries to understand the temple (Nantien Temple) as a gathering point for locals, and observing how the temple functions as a center for both competition and cooperation between local society and the regime. This research attempts to comprehend Taiwan's post-war political history and the patterns of Cold War era political affairs by understanding the life experience of people living on the frontier. Even in the turmoil of the Cold War, fishermen acting in the Taiwan Strait never stopped their communication through the black market. This research considers this experience of communication through nongovernmental channels as the fountainhead of the Post-Cold War Cross-Strait relationship. In addition, leaders of collective anti-government action used religion as a negotiation tool to catch the public's attention. By analysing those two actions in 1987 and 1989, this research gains first-person insights into the mutual interaction between local and government powers as well as local responses to government control. Result of the collision with government authority, Nantien Temple has become an influential temple of Taiwan; the experiences and needs of local fishermen who represent the peoples who has the needs to contact with each sides were also recognized by both sides of the Strait of Taiwan through religion.