因宗教信仰而創造的佛像是佛教精神的直接表徵。日本的石佛文化反應出其石頭崇拜和信仰的喜好，石佛信仰是非常典型的日本庶民信仰，小石佛在日本隨處可見。巡禮，則是一種結合旅行和信仰，巡拜聖地的宗教行為。千餘年前日本發展出屬於自己文化的多種宗教巡拜儀式，中最為著名和傳承最久，則屬「西國三十三觀音巡禮」。此種宗教傳統，也隨日本殖民統治傳入台灣。伴隨巡禮文化的推行，其象徵物-巡禮石佛，也隨之一批批送來台灣。不僅在日本移民村中是日人重要的信仰象徵，與日本締結從屬關係的台灣寺院，也都競相設置和擺放巡禮石佛。觀音山凌雲禪寺在日治時期成為日本臨濟宗的下游寺院，使其成為台灣第一個西國三十三所的地方靈場。然而宗教是一種由下往上，從民間自然紮根的力量，這種日本傳承千年的庶民信仰，短短五十年很難深植於台灣。隨著統治的結束，在台灣沒有文化基底的石佛，其存在與否自然乏人問津。因破壞、損毀或流入私人收藏等，石佛將隨著時間逐漸消失在這塊土地上。為了進一步感受或瞭解日本的巡禮文化，針對西國三十三所觀音靈場，筆者於2009 年實際走訪其中的23 個寺院，觀察迄今仍盛行於日本關西地區的巡拜儀式及巡禮石佛的造型，做為研究在台石佛遺緒之基礎概念。有形的東西或會消失，但歷史的軌跡卻無處不在，筆者希望能透過文字的記載，照片的印証，或從一些斷壁殘垣，經由吾人的追尋與努力，希望仍能拼湊原還出屬於這個土地的歷史。

The statues created in Buddhist faith directly characterizes the spirit of Buddhism. The stone Buddha culture in Japan reflects the preferences of worship and belief of its stone. The stone Buddha is a very typical Japanese symbol of religious faith and can be seen commonly in Japan. The pilgrimage is a combination of travel and beliefs, in practice of giving thanks to the holy land’s religious behavior. More than a thousand years ago, the Japanese developed their own culture through a variety of religious parade worship ceremonies. One such famous ceremony with the longest heritage is the “Saigoku-Sanjuusansho”. Such religious traditions also made its way to Taiwan with the Japanese colonial rule (Japanese Colonial Era). Its symbols which included the Parade Stone Buddha, and a number of other statues,along with the implementation of the pilgrimage culture, were brought to Taiwan. Not only are they an important religious symbol of Japanese immigrant village in Taiwan. The Taiwan temples that have a membership relation to the native Japanese temples are competing to set up and place their own Parade Stone Buddha. Because Lingyun Buddhist Temple (located in Guanyin Mountain) became Lin Ji Zen Buddhism’s downstream temple,during the Japanese rule. The Japanese decided to make this place its first Saigoku-Sanjuusansho in Taiwan. Basic religion is derived from the deeply rooted beliefs of the common people rather them from their government.Building similar roots within 50 years of practice would prove difficult in Taiwan. With the end of the rule, because there were no deeply rooted stone Buddha heritage in Taiwan, its continued religious existence in question.Stones that are damaged, or placed in private collections, will gradually disappear over time. In order to further feel or understand Japanese pilgrimage culture, Goddess of Mercy Sacred Sites, and the Saigoku-Sanjuusansho, the author personally visited 23 temples in 2009,made observations of Japanese regional pilgrimage ceremonies, and the shape of the pilgrim ge’s stone Buddha, which are used as the basic concepts of the author’s research in the legacy of Taiwan’s stone Buddha remains.Tangible things may disappear, but historical memories remain, the author hopes to preserve this memory through the study of written historical records,photographs, and stone remains. Along with others, the author hopes to assist in the effort to piece together and restore what belongs to the history of this land.