A mix of cults
The island's two most-praised deities, Matsu, the Taoist protector of sailors, and Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, can be celebrated in the same temple by both Taoists and Buddhists. This amalgam is not just a token of tolerance, but has its origins in the island's turbulent history. During the Japanese occupation (1895-1945), the policy of integration extended to the religious sphere: Buddhism, the official Japanese religion, had to be celebrated in all Taiwanese temples; the islanders complied with this obligation, continuing to pray in secret to the Taoist deities installed in the back of the temples. At the end of the Second World War, the mostly Taoist Chinese reversed the layout imposed by the Japanese, emphasizing Taoist worship while retaining the Buddhist statues. This is how, even today, temples can be the scene of seemingly contradictory beliefs. This phenomenon was made all the more possible by the fact that the first settlers, on arriving in Taiwan, imported their own cult. This was adapted to the needs of a new society, whose harsh living conditions, subject to the vagaries of the sea and mountains, called for soothing and encouraging religious practices. Thus, new rites and even new gods were created, forming what is known as popular religion. Cemeteries bring together the graves of all religions.
Taoism
Taoism is considered by some to be the only true Chinese religion, Confucianism being more of a philosophy and Buddhism being imported from India. Taoism was founded by Laozi (pronounced Lao Tzu, 570-490 BC), an enigmatic contemporary of Confucius. Unlike Confucius, Laozi was not a politician, but a mystic who advocated human harmony with the cosmos. Laozi is credited with a highly original but obscure philosophical work, the Book of the Way and Virtue (Dao de jing, in Chinese). It was probably originally a collection of proverbs, copied by scribes over hundreds of years, and then modified. However, the fundamental idea of the book is the Tao (or Dao), the way. Laozi urges us to flee the world, to seek personal freedom and power. Taoism is a blend of the worship of spirits, nature and ancestors, a mystical quest for the laws that govern our lives, a kind of quest for immortality. This religion seeks to liberate man from the world in which he lives in order to lead him to perfect harmony, the world of the true Tao.
Taoism grouped around it a host of customs and representations that had no place in rationalist Confucianism. This is why there has been such a proliferation of forms involving divination, exorcism of evil spirits and all manner of popular beliefs(feng shui). Another important Taoist principle is wu-wei, action without action, the art of being active while remaining passive. The principle of polarity(yin and yang) also permeates all Taoist thought. Towards the end of his life, Laozi left China on the back of a buffalo, disappearing forever into Tibet and the West. Some would later say that he had gone to convert the barbarians, and that the Buddha was none other than Laozi himself... There are over 8,500 temples in Taiwan, with a population of 4.5 million.
Confucianism
Confucianism, which is more a school of thought (moral and political) than a religion, dominated China for two millennia. Confucius was neither a prophet nor a religious thinker, but essentially a learned scholar and educator. He was concerned above all with human relationships, seeking to define an aristocratic ideal of the honest man, and teaching a practical social order. Confucius' system is essentially a practical morality. It insists on self-edification based on the acquisition of the seven virtues: zhong, fidelity, both to oneself and to others; shu, altruism "what one does not desire for oneself, do not do to others"; ren, perfect humanity; yi, equity; li, respect for rites; zhi, insight, intelligence and xin, righteousness. The five canonical books of Confucianism are the Book of Changes, the Book of Odes, the Book of Origins, theHistory of Spring and Autumn and the Book of Rites. Confucius' moral and political philosophy had become the Empire's state religion. When the First Chinese Republic was proclaimed in 1911, the cult was abolished. In 1988, Confucius, a symbol of traditional values, was officially rehabilitated, having also been banished by Mao. Confucian thought has been constantly reinterpreted throughout Chinese history, to serve the needs of the ruling dynasties. The Communists were no exception to the rule: after banning all references to Confucius, they progressively reincorporated into their ideology elements of Confucianism reinterpreted to their advantage. As a result, in the 1990s we began to speak of National-Confucianism (nationalist Confucianism). Ancestor worship derives directly from Confucian thought. Obedience and respect for parents was one of man's first duties (to be a good son). This filial devotion and veneration of ancestors remains the cornerstone of Confucian practice. These values can also be found in societies that have adopted the Chinese script. The respect of children towards their parents, of wives towards their husbands, leading to the obedience of workers to their bosses, partly explains the discipline that reigns in Chinese companies. The New Dragons (Korea, Singapore, Taiwan, Hong Kong) have based their economic rise on these values: loyalty to the group, respect for superiors, family spirit. Small altars protect every home, store and office. Almost every family has tablets commemorating their ancestors, placed on a special altar in the main room of the house, usually the living room.
Buddhism
Taoism and Confucianism, the two main systems of thought, were already established when Buddhism (whose ideal is the elimination of suffering) arrived in China during the Han period (around the 3rd century), probably by Indian traders and via the Silk Road. In 645, the great traveler-monk from Chang'an (Xi'an), Xuan Zang, returned from a pilgrimage to India with a large number of Buddhist sutras, which took him eleven years to translate from Sanskrit into Chinese. Some early followers saw Buddhism as a modified form of Taoism. There were profound influences between Taoism and Chinese Buddhism, which developed rapidly in Northern China. Two major trends emerged in Buddhism: the Greater Vehicle(Mahayana) and the Lesser Vehicle(Theravada or Hinayana). The Great Vehicle, or the great means of progression, offers everyone the possibility of attaining the enlightenment of Nirvana. Bodhisattvas, who help beings towards salvation, go so far as to sacrifice their own salvation for the salvation of the world. The Little Vehicle, the Buddha's original doctrine, offers the prospect of salvation only to the religious. Followers must succeed by their own efforts, through successive lives, in acquiring sufficient merit to escape samsara (the infernal cycle of reincarnation) and attain enlightenment. Followers of the Greater Vehicle are currently in the majority in the Buddhist world (China, Tibet, Mongolia, Korea, Japan, Vietnam). The Small Vehicle is most widespread in Thailand and Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Sri Lanka. As far as Tibetan Buddhism is concerned, the two main doctrines are those of the Red Caps (the oldest) and the Yellow Caps. The Red Caps apply magical practices and take liberties with moral rules and monastic discipline. The Yellow Caps practice a stricter discipline, and tolerate no compromise with the rule of monastic celibacy. In China, several schools of Buddhism were formed, including a branch known as Chan, from which Japanese Zen evolved. In ancient China, Buddhist monasteries served as inns for travelers, orphanages and hospitals (you can still spend the night in some monasteries, which is convenient when climbing sacred mountains). Buddhism has also brought with it a new sense of respect for all living beings, leading to vegetarianism, insofar as people refuse to kill animals for food. As Buddhist monks (bonzes) and many practitioners are vegetarians, temples often have vegetarian canteens. Taiwan has around 3,900 Buddhist temples, 10,000 monks and almost 5 million worshippers.
Other religions
Taoist ikuan. I-kuan-tao can be translated as "the way of one unity" in Chinese. This religious doctrine has its origins not only in traditional Chinese teachings, but also in other world religions. Ikuan Taoism is the third-largest religion in Taiwan, with almost a million followers who also adhere to the teachings of Confucius. Worship generally takes place in front of a family altar.
Christianity. In the 17th century, the Dutch were the first to introduce Protestantism to the island. They carried out major evangelization missions. Two years later, the Catholic Spaniards followed suit. But the Christianization of the population orchestrated by the Dutch, who were the sole masters of the island after driving out the Spaniards, was interrupted by Koxinga and his army. It was not until the 19th century that Protestant missionaries returned to the island, surrounding themselves with 60,000 faithful, whose ranks were swelled by Christians from mainland China fleeing communism in 1949. Today, the island is home to some 450,000 Protestants and 300,000 Catholics, mainly in the predominantly Christian aboriginal communities.
Islam. The Muslim community, numbering 50,000, was first settled in the 17th century. Indeed, Koxinga was home to a number of Muslim soldiers, some of whom settled on the island. The second settlement dates back to 1949, when 20,000 Muslims landed with the government of the Republic of China. There are several mosques in Taiwan, including two in Taipei. More and more restaurants are offering Halal food.
