通靈板

通靈板（Ouija board，發音為），也稱為靈乩板、靈應牌（spirit board）、對話板（talking board）或威加盤（ウィジャボード），流行在歐美的一種占卜方式，可能起源於古代巫術。它的外型為一種平面木板，上面標有各類字母（或文字）、數字及其他一些符號，其目的在於讓使用者與所謂鬼魂對話。中華文化中的碟仙就來自通靈板。

Ouija 也是一種被註冊的對話板商標，隸屬於帕克爾兄弟公司，並成為可用來指代任何此類產品的標誌性商標。

## 來源

通靈板（Ouija board）的名稱來自於Oui與ja的組合，這兩個字相當於yes，用在詢問句的回答上。它是一種與靈魂進行對談，以詢問答案的占卜方式。

## 使用方法

在降靈會舉行之際，與會人員用手指按在類似於心形的小乩板（Planchette）或可移動的指示物上。等到小木板被推動時，就可以逐字拼出亡靈所要呈現的資訊內容。

## 歷史

它最早起源於歐洲古代的巫術。

1890年代末，通過生意家埃里加·邦德的商業推銷後，人們視對話板為一種無害的室內遊戲，不再把其與巫術相聯繫，直到美國靈異學研究員Pearl Curran在歐戰時期 再次以其作為具有神性的工具而加以推廣。基督教的主流思想和一些巫師由於擔心鬼魂附身 （Demonic possession）的威脅而不允許它的使用，另外的一些人則告誡他們的信徒遠離此物。

相信通靈板的人覺得這是靈性作用，屬於超常現象/超自然的範疇，但科學界普遍認為這是一種被那些控制通靈板的目前不能作出解釋的無意識活動，是一種心理現象，稱作觀念運動作用 （Ideomotor effect）。

儘管通靈板被科學家揭去了神秘面紗，它在一些年輕人中仍然流行。此外，古代中國的扶乩所使用的工具即為靈乩板，是最早有記錄（在宋朝時期）的用來進行通靈的方法之一，古印度、古希臘、古羅馬和中世紀的埃及也有靈乩板被廣泛推廣的類似現象。如今，有大約10個不同種類的對話板以各異的商業名稱在市場上出售，通靈板還給文學作品提供了創作可用之素材。

## 引用

### 書/文章

- Cain, D. Lynn, "OUIJA - For the Record" 2009 ISBN 978-0-557-15871-3
- Carpenter, W.B., "On the Influence of Suggestion in Modifying and directing Muscular Movement, independently of Volition" , Royal Institution of Great Britain, (Proceedings), 1852, (12 March 1852), pp. 147–153.
- Cornelious, J. Edward, Aleister Crowley and the Ouija Board. 2005 ISBN 1-932595-10-4
- Edmond C. Gruss|Gruss, Edmond C., The Ouija Board: A Doorway to the Occult 1994 ISBN 0-87552-247-5
- Hunt, Stoker, Ouija: The Most Dangerous Game. 1992 ISBN 0-06-092350-4
- Hill, Joe, Heart-Shaped Box
- Murch, R., "A Brief History of the Ouija Board", Fortean Times, No.249, (June 2009), pp. 32–33.

## 外部連結

Information on talking boards

- Museum Of Talking Boards
- The Official Website of William Fuld and home of the Ouija board

Skeptics

- Ouija board helps psychologists probe the subconscious from New Scientist
- The Skeptics' Dictionary: Ouija
- An Encyclopedia of Claims, Frauds, and Hoaxes of the Occult and Supernatural
- How does a Ouija board work? from The Straight Dope

Trade marks and patents

- Trade-Mark Registration: "Ouija" (Trademark no. 18,919; 3 February 1891: Kennard Novelty Company)
- "Ouija or Egyptian Luck Board" (patent no.446,054; 10 February 1891: Elijah J. Bond – assigned to Charles W. Kennard and William H. A. Maupin)
- "Talking-Board" (patent no.462,819; 10 November 1891: Charles W. Kennard)
- "Game Apparatus" (patent no. 479,266: 19 July 1892: William Fuld)
- "Game Apparatus" (patent no. 619,236: 7 February 1899: Justin F. Simonds)
- "Ouija or Talking Board" (patent no.1,125,833; 19 January 1915: William Fuld)
- "Design for the Movable Member of a Talking-Board" (patent no.D56,001; 10 August 1920: William Fuld)
- "Design of Finger-Rest and Pointer for a Game" (patent no. D56,085; 10 August 1920: John Vanderkamp – assigned to Goldsmith Publishing Company)
- "Message Interpreting Device" or "Psychic Messenger" (patent no.1,352,046; 7 September 1920: Frederick H. Black)
- "Design for the Movable Member of a Talking-Board" (patent no.D56,001; 10 August 1920: William Fuld)
- "Ouija Board" (patent no.D56,449; 26 October 1920: Clifford H. McGlasson)
- "Psychic Game" (patent no.1,370,249; 1 March 1921: Theodore H. White)
- "Ouija Board" (patent no.1,400,791; 20 December 1921: Harry M. Bigelow)
- "Game Board" (patent no.1,422,042; 4 July 1922: John R. Donnelly)
- "(Magnetic) Toy" (patent no.1,422,775; 11 July 1922: Leon Martocci-Pisculli)
- "Psychic Instrument" (patent no.1,476,158; 4 December 1923: Grover C. Haffner)
- "Game" (patent no.1,514,260; 4 November 1924: Alfred A. Rees)
- "Amusement Device" (patent no.1,870,677; 9 August 1932: William A. Fuld)
- "Amusement Device" (patent no.2,220,455; 5 November 1940: John P. McCarthy)
- "Finger Pressure Actuated Message Interpreting Amusement Device" (patent no.2,511,377; 13 June 1950: Raymond S. Richmond)
- "Message Device With Freely Swingable Pointer" (patent no.3,306,617; 28 February 1967: Thomas W. Gillespie)

Other

- "'Ouija board' appeal (against second guilty verdict) dismissed" – R. v. Young (1995)
- BBC video on Ouija Board
- Society/Paranormal/Psychic/Ouija/