「北管」一詞實為一集合名詞，不僅指稱樂種，也指稱劇種，更指稱了一種傳統藝術文化型態，廣泛融入臺灣漢人的宗教、民俗與生命禮儀的各個層面，在移民社會中產生了新的傳統與認同。 「臺北靈安社」為子弟軒社，是臺灣北管文化圈內重要的團體類型。清同治10年（1871），為配合霞海城隍的祭典活動，由大稻埕地區從商的信徒們集資，共同籌組而成，係臺北霞海城隍廟的輿前子弟團。 臺北靈安社在以城隍信仰為中心所展現的一系列儀式行為上，不僅具有軒社、曲館與神明會的本質，負責在慶典時排場扮仙或迎神遶境，並展現出軒社與大稻埕在地公廟—霞海城隍廟、法主公廟、慈聖宮，以及比鄰的大龍峒保安宮，在人文地理與自然地理的緊密連結。另與大稻埕、大龍峒地區，以及臺北、基隆、宜蘭，乃至中臺灣、南臺灣等地之各子弟軒社、曲館、宮廟等單位，形成多元型態的交陪與競合關係，並隨歷史、社會的脈動而變遷。 本研究以民族誌（ethnography）之研究技術，嘗試詳盡的深描（thick description）臺北靈安社在臺灣民間宗教活動中的三大類型北管演出型態：「排場」、「出陣」和「演戲」。將北管音樂視為一種文化符碼（cultural code），對於臺灣的漢人而言，其表徵和指涉便是「儀式（ritual）之進行」，無論是聖誕慶典的遶境排場，或是婚喪喜慶的生命禮俗，北管音樂的聲響暗示人們處於某種閾限（仲介）狀態（liminality），是神聖與非常時期；儀式進行者以北管音樂宣告儀式之開始、延續儀式之進行，最後再以北管音樂來終止儀式。 本研究中臺北靈安社所展現的文化意涵，是以臺灣民間宗教的神話與神仙系譜中，所形塑之城隍爺神格特質為基礎，延伸出陪祀的文武判官及謝范將軍，並在合境平安的信仰訴求下，由臺北靈安社雕塑神將，負責執行遶境的儀式行為。臺北靈安社的遶境，傳承臺灣地區以北管帶領神將、神轎的三段式陣頭模式。同時為此儀仗陣頭製作出各式裝飾文物，充分發揮傳統民間工藝水準，包括西燈、彩牌、花籃鼓架及大量的繡旗等。 此外，為作戲酬神，也為遶境所需，傳習福祿派的北管音樂系統，將儀式行為與信仰象徵延伸至北管扮仙戲的舞臺上，同時也因此奉祀了傳統戲曲之神—西秦王爺，自稱梨園子弟，形成一個由北管音樂傳習及西秦王爺信仰所凝聚的社群（social group）。 臺北靈安社透過上述一系列的儀式行為，將虛擬的神聖世界以象徵化的手法與世俗生活連結，並透過神將、北管等傳統藝術之傳習，以及城隍爺、西秦王爺的信仰凝聚力，還有與各宮廟、軒社間的連結交陪，形塑出獨特的子弟軒社文化；成為臺灣民間風俗、宗教活動中不可或缺的要素，具備傳統性、地方性、歷史性、文化性及典範性。 但臺北靈安社在展現子弟軒社文化的同時，也面臨軒社經營與北管牌子散軼、俗化的困境。歷經清代、日治、民國三代，臺北靈安社不斷因應著臺灣社會環境的變遷，遵循不同政權的政策法令，加入不同的協會組織，嘗試與學術文化界合作，致力於文化資產保存工作；這些歷史上先賢們與目前社員們多元的努力，都為臺北靈安社的延續與發展提供了進路，這些記錄對其他軒社、曲館、武館、神明會等，這些和臺灣民間宗教相關的團體都將有所貢獻。 / “Pei-kuan” is a collective term, which refers not only to music genre but a type of genre as well. Moreover, it refers to a kind of traditional artistic and cultural type. It merges Chinese religions, folk customs, and rituals of life in Taiwan, which results in a new tradition and identification in the migrating society. . “Taipei Ling-An Association” is voluntary association, which one of the important associations in the Pei-kuan cultural circle in Taiwan. In 1871, the tenth year of Tungji period, in order to serve the festival held by Xia-Hai City God, the association was established by its believers engaging in business who came from Dadaocheng and raised the money to set up the voluntary association of Taipei Xia-Hai City God Temple. The rituals developed by Taipei Ling-An Association are based on the belief in City God. The rituals have derived their essence from Voluntary Association, Music Association, and the Association of gods. Besides, Taipwi Ling-An Association is in charge of playing the role of God, welcoming God, and Pilgrimage Procession, which show the tight alignment between cultural geography and natural geography of Voluntary Association and the Local God Temple in Dadaocheng-- Xia-Hai City God Temple, Fachukong Temple, Cihsheng Temple, and Dalongdong Baoan Temple nearby. The multiple modes of accompanying and competitive relations formed by the connection among Voluntary Association, Associations of Music, temples located in Dadaocheng, Dalongdong area, Taipei, Keelung, Yilan, the central Taiwan, and the Southern Taiwan are changed with the flow of history and social changes. This study is based on ethnography to conduct a thick description of the three important types of pei-kuan performance performed in Taiwanese folk religions in Taipei Ling-An Association: “concert,” “procession,” and “drama.” Taking music of pei-kuan as a cultural code, for the Han Chinese living in Taiwan, people here deem Pei-kuan as a symbol and reference to “the procession of ritual.” Whatever the procession and concert in birthday celebration of gods or the life rituals of marriage, funeral, or festivals, Pei-kuan music implies people are in a kind of liminality, between the period of divinity and critical moments; the performers of the rituals begin, continue, and end the rituals with Pei-kuan music. In this study, the cultural content bringing forth by Taipei Ling-An Association is based on the divine characters of City God who is listed in Taiwanese folk mythology and the genealogy of gods, and then develop the literary and martial judgements and General Hsieh and Fan accompanying the rituals. Basing on the appeal of peace around the area, Taipei Ling-An Association was commissioned to carve the image of God General and conduct the procedure and ritual of entering the area. The pilgrimage activity of Taipei Ling-An Temple inherits the three-segmented mode of the leader of the procession—God General and God palanquin led by Pei-kuan. Meanwhile, the ritual of the procession has created different kinds of historical relics, as shows the spirit of the traditional folk artefacts, including palace lantern, carved plaque, carved drum stand, and great numbers of embroidered flags. Besides, in order to perform a drama for thanking gods and meet a demand from the pilgrimage activity, the musical system of pei-kuan follows the Fulu style to extend the ritual activities and the symbol of religions to the drama of playing the role of God on the stage. In this way, the tradition forms a social group made from the combination of the tradition of Pei-kuan music and the belief in Lord Xiqin, the God of traditional Chinese drama and called himself as the Children of the Pear Garden. Through the rituals mentioned above, Taipei Ling-An Association combines the virtual divine world with the secular living styles by means of symbolization. It also forms a unique voluntary association culture by inheriting the traditional arts of General God, Pei-kuan, and merging the beliefs in Lord City God and Lord Xiqin, and the experience exchange with different temples, and voluntary associations. All of these create a necessary elements in Taiwan’s folk customs and religious activities, which has the essence of tradition, historicity, culture, and paradigm. While Taipei Ling-An Association is developing the culture of voluntary association, it is facing the dilemmas of the operation of the association and the dispersing and secularization of Pei-kuan sheet music as well. Through Quing dynasty, Japanese occupation period, and the Republic of China, Taipei Ling-An Association is devoted to following different policies and regulations of different political powers, participating different organizations, attempting to cooperate with academic and cultural fields, and preserving cultural heritages. Owing to the efforts taken by the predecessors and the current members, Taipei Ling-An Association is able to continue and develop. These records have great contributions to other folk religion associations in Taiwan, such as voluntary association, music association, martial arts association, and the Association of gods.