Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
During the late Qing dynasty into Japanese times, a period of increasing wealth and
mobility, many temples began to expand their influence beyond the village level. Famous
pilgrim sites arose, and Matsu started her rise to pan-Taiwan deity status.
The Kuomintang (KMT) at first tolerated local religion but then attempted to both sup-
press and coopt it, fearing that it was at best superstitious nonsense and at worst a rally-
ing point for Taiwanese independence. They were largely unsuccessful and even before
the lifting of martial law had abandoned trying to direct local culture.
Three Faiths (Plus One)
The Taiwanese approach to spirituality is eclectic and not particularly dogmatic; many
Taiwanese will combine elements from various religions to suit their needs rather than ri-
gidly adhering to one particular spiritual path. Religion in Taiwan is largely about an in-
dividual relationship to a deity, dead spirit or even spiritual leader. Many of the gods,
customs and festivals have little to do with any of the three official religions and are
sometimes described as part of an amorphous folk faith. But don't expect anyone to ever
tell you they are a believer in this faith: instead, they will say they are Taoist or Buddhist.
Temples have many statues of the same god because different statues can play differ-
ent roles. In Tainan's Matsu Temple, the Great Matsu statue oversees the local neigh-
bourhood; a second watches over the internal affairs of the temple; another is a helper
of the Great Matsu. Each is said to have a different personality and be receptive to dif-
ferent requests.
Confucianism
Confucian values and beliefs
(Rújiā Sīxiǎng)
form the foundation of Chinese culture. The
central theme of Confucian doctrine is the conduct of human relationships for the attain-
ment of harmony and overall good for society. Society, Confucius taught, comprises five
relationships: ruler and subject, husband and wife, father and son, elder and younger, and
friends. Deference to authority and devotion to family are paramount.
The close bonds between family and friends are one of the most admirable attributes
of Chinese culture, a lasting legacy of Confucian teachings. But Confucianism's continu-
ing influence on modern Taiwan society is often overstated. The effects of modernisa-
tion, which include greater mobility, mass education (for both males and females) and
democratic elections (which allow ordinary citizens to make demands of their rulers) are
all centrifugal forces acting to push society away from a simple adherence to Confucian
values.
