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| Folk Beliefs | |||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Taiwan folk beliefs have their roots in polytheism and various seasonal customs and festivals. Through these customs and festivals, the people of Taiwan are able to add enjoyment to their daily lives, maintain cultural identity with friends and relatives, and remove doubts or ease difficulties through religious rituals. Many early Han immigrants lost
their lives on the perilous voyage across the Taiwan Strait or in the
difficult conditions on the island. For this reason, Ma Zu
¶ý¯ª,
Goddess of the Sea, and Wang Ye ¤ý·Ý, God of Pestilence, became
the two most worshipped deities in Taiwan. As in other parts of the
world, such deities as the Heavenly Jade Emperor ¥É¬Ó¤j«Ò; Wang Mu Niang
Niang ¤ý¥À®Q®Q, the "Queen Mother of the West"; and lesser gods, representing
thunder, lightning, wind, rain, mountains, rivers, farmlands, wells,
and bridges, are also worshipped out of a combination of fear and reverence
for nature. Taiwan folk beliefs also include the veneration of one's
ancestors, especially during the Lunar New Year and on Tomb-Sweeping
Day.
Some deities in Taiwan are worshipped for special blessings or for cultural purposes. For instance, coming-of-age ritual held on the seventh night of the seventh lunar month at the Ci Sing Niang Niang ¤C¬P®Q®Q Temple in Tainan is performed only for teenagers who have reached 16 years of age. Other gods are revered for loyalty and justice.
However, with the exception of several special days set aside for specific ceremonies and rituals, the worship of deities is often directly integrated into seasonal customs and festivals. Gods and goddesses associated with spring and autumn are usually kind and benevolent, while those connected to the scorching heat of summer tend to have violent tempers and are often gruesome and frightening.
Suei ·³, or year, represents
the beginning and end of one year, while shih ®É, or time, represents
the four seasons. Ba jie ¤K¸`, or eight festivals, refers to the
eight stages of distinct climatic changes that take place within the 24
divisions of one solar year. Those eight stages are: the Beginning of
Spring, the Spring Equinox, the Beginning of Summer, the Summer Solstice,
the Beginning of Autumn, the Autumnal Equinox, the Beginning of Winter,
and the Winter Solstice. Su «U refers to the miscellaneous customs
and other important activities that cannot be classified under the categories
of suei, shih, or jie.
Even in modern Taiwan, various traditional religious activities are still readily apparent. Indeed, a few of these activities have even become annual cultural ceremonies. The most important activity in traditional Taiwanese society is the celebration of the Lunar New Year. During this holiday, every ritual and custom used to worship various spirits holds a special meaning. Traditionally, Lunar New Year festivities last until the Lantern Festival on the 15th day of the first month of the lunar calendar.
On the day of the Lantern Festival, the people customarily set off firecrackers in front of an image of either Han Dan ´H³æ, one of the Gods of Wealth; a palanquin, used to transport deities; or the Earth God. Merchants, in particular, perform this custom in front of their stores to bring good fortune to their businesses. The practice of setting off large quantities of firecrackers in Tainan County's Yanshuei Township during the Lantern Festival has a history of more than 190 years. Although the custom is not related to the worship of the Earth God, the activity still has similar meaning for the people of the area.
Another important custom during the
Lantern Festival is the ritual of praying for a son. This tradition comes
from the fact that in the Taiwanese dialect the words for "lantern" and
"boy" are homophones.
In recent years, another important annual event has become popular in Taipei during the Lunar New Year and Lantern Festival holidays. At the main plaza of the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a massive animal lantern, corresponding to the Chinese Zodiac animal of the year, is constructed and decorated with many lights and illuminated with laser beams.
Since Taiwan is hot and humid in the summer, the early Chinese immigrants were plagued by many diseases, leading them to devise numerous rites and ceremonies to prevent epidemics. One traditional ritual to drive away the God of Pestilence is the burning of Wang Ye's boat, an event held in the spring and autumn in southern Taiwan.
Similar activities are held during the Dragon Boat Festival, which marks the arrival of summer. On this day, people drink syong huang ¶¯¶À wine (a liquor containing a small amount of realgar) and adorn their doors with moxa and calami branches to drive away pestilence. They also wrap glutinous rice in bamboo leaves (zong zih ºê¤l) and hold dragon boat races. In the past, dragon boat races were held annually with great fanfare in every major port and riverside city. This tradition is still very strong today, and the dragon boat races held on Taipei's Keelung River even attract foreign teams.
Another traditional event in the summer is the Ghost Festival, which has been the largest and most representative ceremony in Keelung City for 145 years. In Ilan County's Toucheng and Pingtung County's Hengchun, the Ghost Festival celebrations include a traditional pole-climbing event called ciang gu ·m©t. Regardless of which activity is practiced, the people of Taiwan are sincere in their desire to deliver these wandering spirits.
When autumn arrives, votive offerings are made to the deities, particularly the Earth God and the Tree God for providing rich harvests for the year. Some have likened the respect shown to these gods to a concern for the ecology and environment.
As winter sets in, the wei ya §À¤ú brings a perfect end to the year. Families gather together to eat run bing ¼í»æ, which consists of finely chopped vegetables and shredded meat wrapped in a thin piece of pastry. Employers also treat employees to a wei ya feast, thanking them for their hard work during the past and encouraging them to continue their efforts in the coming year.
Folk beliefs in Taiwan are a positive reflection of the people's wish for harmonious interaction, coexistence, and co-prosperity among heaven, earth, and mankind. They also reflect Taiwan's reverence for the basic social virtues of loyalty, piety, fidelity, and justice. These ideas are the most valuable assets enabling people to live on this earth.
CULTURAL TAIWAN |
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