Religion

Many Taiwanese worship the Buddhist deity Guan Yin, Goddess of Mercy, for security and peace of mind.

Freedom of religion is a constitutional right of every ROC citizen. According to the Ministry of the Interior (MOI) 內政部, as of June 2001, there were 23,146 temples and churches in the Taiwan area serving the spiritual needs of nearly 12.96 million religious believers.

Polytheistic and syncretistic, Taiwanese religion blends aspects of ancestor worship, religious Taoism, Buddhism, and folk beliefs. For example, the Taiwan folk deity Ma Zu 媽祖, Goddess of the Sea, and the Buddhist deity Guan Yin 觀音, Goddess of Mercy, are often worshiped in the same temple. Many people have religious shrines in their homes, and shopkeepers can often be seen making offerings in front of their shops.

This syncretistic approach reveals the special character of the Taiwanese people’s religious outlook, which is tolerant of different faiths and able to accommodate seemingly contradictory beliefs. Today, old and new deities alike share the Taiwanese people’s loyalties, with various religions peacefully coexisting side-by-side.

Confucianism

Confucianism is fundamentally a moral philosophy. It is named after Confucius 孔子, whose discourses on ethical behavior have become definitive of all things “Chinese.” Most Taiwanese do not view Confucianism as a religion, but rather as a philosophy. For this reason, Confucian temples are regarded more as halls to honor Confucius and other Confucian thinkers, as opposed to places of worship. Elaborate birthday ceremonies honoring Confucius are held every year at Confucian Temples 孔廟 around Taiwan on September 28, which is also known as Teachers’ Day in Taiwan. Confucian thought is important in Taiwan’s educational system, and students memorize the words of Confucius and other Confucian thinkers.

Folk Religion

Most Taiwanese follow at least some of the beliefs of Chinese folk religion. Like Taoism, folk religion has a broad pantheon of gods and goddesses. Relations between deities and people and amongst the deities themselves are of paramount importance. People often place folk religion in the same category as Taoism, though they will concede that folk religion has a number of gods not recognized in Taoism. The commonest deities in folk religion are the Earth God 土地公, the local protector, and Ma Zu, Goddess of the Sea.

Taoism

Religious Taoism developed from a philosophic system based upon the writings of Lao-tzu 老子 (sixth century b.c.) and numerous subsequent writers. Taoists place great emphasis on individual freedom, laissez-faire government, human spontaneity, harmony with nature, and mystical experiences. They also believed that people who lived in harmony with nature, followed a special diet, consumed special medicines, and exercised regularly could achieve immortality.

Taoist believers today emphasize good moral conduct, consult and provide offerings to various deities, and conduct religious ceremonies to ensure a smooth and harmonious life. A huge pantheon of deities and immortals are worshipped, including folk heroes, famous generals, and sages.

As of June 2001, the Taiwan area had 8,604 Taoist temples and 33,850 Taoist clergy providing instructions in Taoist doctrines and rites for the 4.55 million Taoist faithful living in Taiwan.

Buddhism

Buddhism was first introduced into Taiwan in the late 16th century, with Japanese Buddhism exerting an influence during the period of Japanese occupation (1895-1945). After the end of World War II, there was a resurgence of Chinese Mahayana (Great Vehicle) Buddhism, with a renewed stress on moral and disciplinary codes and the ceremony of ordination. In recent years, Buddhism in Taiwan has placed greater emphasis on education and charity work, and many Buddhist colleges and hospitals have been established.

Since 1980, Tantrism, a form of Buddhism, an esoteric sect that developed between the second and fourth centuries A.D. in India, has become increasingly popular in Taiwan. This sect of Buddhism received an even greater boost in March 1997 with a visit to Taiwan by the exiled religious and political leader of Tibet, the Dalai Lama. During his second visit in April 2001, more than 20,000 people attended Buddhist ceremonies conducted by the Nobel Peace Prize winner.

As of June 2001, there were 4,037 Buddhist temples, 9,866 clergy, and 5.48 million Buddhists in the Taiwan area.

Yi Guan Dao

The third most popular religion in Taiwan is Yi Guan Dao 一貫道, or the Religion of One Unity. A syncretistic religion founded in the 17th century, Yi Guan Dao seeks to identify the common principles underlying Buddhism, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, and Taoism. In addition to following many of the rituals of Confucianism and ancestor worship, Yi Guan Dao usually holds its services at family shrines to cultivate personal character and regulate family relations. As of June 2001, there were 3,218 Yi Guan Dao temples, 2,326 temple priests, and roughly 887,000 Yi Guan Dao believers in the Taiwan area.

Christianity

Dutch Protestants first brought Christianity to Taiwan in 1624, and the Spanish introduced Roman Catholicism two years later. Soon thereafter, however, both countries and their respective religions were driven out of Taiwan by the Chinese general Jheng Cheng-gong 鄭成功, also known as Koxinga 國姓爺. Christianity was reintroduced to Taiwan late in the 19th century, and by 1945, Taiwan had about 238 Protestant churches and 60,000 adherents.

After China’s fall to the communists and the central government’s relocation to Taiwan in 1949, Christian groups began flocking to Taiwan. As of June 2001, there were 3,609 Protestant Christian churches, 2,566 local ministers, 1,087 foreign ministers, and 605,000 Christian believers in the Taiwan area. Of the 21 Christian denominations registered with the MOI, the largest sect is the Presbyterian Church. In addition, there were also 677 clergymen and 664 foreign missionaries serving 298,000 adherents in 1,135 Catholic churches in Taiwan as of June 2001.

Popular independent churches include the True Jesus Church, Seventh-day Adventists, Mandarin Church 國語禮拜堂, Ling Leung Tang 靈糧堂, Jehovah’s Witnesses, and Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormon Church). Religious freedom was reaffirmed in December 2000 following the promulgation of the Alternative Military Service Act 替代役實施條例, when President Chen pardoned 19 conscientious objectors who were Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Islam

Around 20,000 Muslims accompanied the ROC government to Taiwan in 1949, and two Muslim organizations followed: the Chinese Muslim Association (CMA) 中國回教協會and the Chinese Muslim Youth League 中國回教青年會. The CMA has been sending Muslim students in Taiwan overseas to receive formal Islamic education for decades.

Since the 1980s, thousands of Muslims have come to Taiwan from Indochina in search of a better life, and three Arabian-style mosques─located in Kaohsiung, Taichung, and Longgang 龍岡─are currently led by imams from this part of the world. There are also two mosques in Taipei, one of which was recognized as a Taipei City religious heritage site in 1999, and a mosque in Tainan that was built with funding from Tainan and Kaohsiung’s Muslim communities. Together, these six mosques serve the needs of the 53,000 Muslims in the Taiwan area.

Independent Religious Groups

Other religious groups in Taiwan are classified into one of four categories. The first includes religions brought to Taiwan from China, such as Jhai Jiao 齋教, Sia Jiao 夏教, Li-ism 理教, Tian De Jiao 天德教, and most recently, Falun Gong 法輪功. The second category is made up of religions that were brought to Taiwan from abroad, including Baha’i, Judaism, Mahikarikyo 真光教, and Tenrikyo 天理教. The third category consists of new religions that were developed on the basis of previously existing ones, such as the Confucian Spirit Religion 儒宗神教 and the Lord of Universe Church 天帝教. The fourth and final category encompasses religions founded in Taiwan, such as Syuan Yuan Jiao 軒轅教, Hai Zih Dao 亥子道, and Da Yi Jiao 大易教. The latter two religions were registered with the MOI in 1999.