北方真武玄天上帝，有北極玄天上帝、北極大帝、真武大帝、玄武帝、玄天上帝等的別稱，神的形象宋朝以來就是「仗劔蹈龜蛇」模樣，所以民間流傳的玄天上帝傳說，常是述及玄天上帝腳踏龜、蛇的原由，或是有關手中寶劍的故事。1998 年2 月，筆者在阿里山受鎮宮聽聞一位林如祿老先生講述玄天上帝的故事，除了龜、蛇的來歷之外，還多了玄天上帝前幾世的化身，以及廟中蝴蝶祝壽的傳奇。本文即略述阿里山受鎮宮的信仰原由，並討論此一故事。
Since the Song Dynasty, XuantianShangdi's image of holding a sword and stepping on a turtle and snake has left a deep impression in the people's minds. Because of this, it is no surprise that the folklores regarding XuantianShangdi often involves the depiction of this image. In 1998, I visited Shou-Zhen Temple located in Alishan and heard Ru-Iu Lin's narration on XuantianShangdi's story. Mr. Lin narrated the origins of the turtle and snake and on XuantianShangdi's past lives. The following dissertation will thus serve to outline and discuss the story of XuantianShangdi in addition to the origins of faith and religion revolving around Alishan's Shou-Zhen Temple.
