Whether the religious groups are large or small, they address certain universal spiritual needs, requirements that can be met in the Constitutionally protected pluralistic religious environment of the ROC.
To illustrate some of the diversity of religious activity found on the island, staff writer Chang Chiao-hao visited representatives of four of Taiwan's smaller religious groups-with spiritual roots in Japan, Iran, mainland China, and Taiwan itself—and filed the folio wing story.
One newly founded local religion with claims to ancient Chinese roots is the Hsuan Yuan Chiao. Adherents worship Hsuan Yuan, which is another name for Huang Ti, the Yellow Emperor of ancient times, whose traditionally accepted dates are 2697-2597 B.C. (Chiao is the Chinese word for religion,) The appellation "yellow" was given to the emperor because it was believed that his kingdom was built along a section of the Yellow River, China's second longest river and the place of origin of the Chinese people. In ancient China, it was common for both tribes and kingdoms to be named after their geographical place names.
Hsuan Yuan Chiao was founded in 1957 by now 89-year-old Wang Han sheng, a member of the Legislative Yuan. The new faith blends Confucian, Taoist, and Mohist philosophical theories, with greatest emphasis placed upon respect for heaven and ancestors.
This ancient tradition has set the scene for a relatively recent form of religious belief in the Hsuan Yuan Chiao. Yook Kuen Chan, the secretary-general of the religious group, explains the reason for worshipping the Yellow Emperor:
"We worship Huang Ti because he is recognized as the common ancestor of all the Chinese people-the ancient Chinese before him didn't have any last names." Chan adds: "It is said that Huang Ti had 25 children. He gave them 12 names, then some of the children chose to have last names of their own as well, thus starting the varieties of Chinese names. Therefore, all of us are Huang Ti's children."
Hsuan Yuan Chiao has several main goals: to revive what is seen as an ancient, originally unnamed religion; to maintain and strengthen traditional Chinese culture; to unite the national strength in order to eventually reunite all of China; and for believers to pursue the highest attainable mixture of the essences of heaven and man. The religion holds that this goal best can be achieved through the study of Tao or the Way.
The Tao has been a key concept in most Chinese schools of philosophy and religion since antiquity, including the teachings of Lao Tzu (ca. 561-469 B.C,), Confucius (551-479 B.C.), Mo Tzu (ca. 468-376 B.C.), and Chuang Tzu (ca. 369-? B.C,). Hsuan Yuan Chiao draws extensively upon this rich tradition.
"Therefore we don't have a single book of scripture, like the Bible of Christianity. Instead, we have several classics of our own that can be called bibles. We study the books of the greatest four Chinese philosophers," Chan says. He adds that he believes the philosophical works of these four early thinkers actually originated in the four volumes of scripture attributed to Huang Ti.
Despite its short history, Hsuan Yuan Chiao already has 20 temples and over 100,000 followers. There are 16 dioceses in Taiwan and a church in Hongkong. The religion's appeal is credited in part to Wang's profound knowledge of Chinese culture and his determination to disseminate his belief. When once asked why he founded the new religion, Wang answered:
"After following the government to Taiwan in 1949, I was haunted by the problem of understanding why the mainland, with its vast area, had fallen into Communist hands in such a short period of time. After long deliberation, I decided that the failure could be primarily attributed to the loss of national spirit, which could only be restored by a Chinese cultural renaissance. Hsuan Yuan Chiao is an attempt to revive an unnamed religion which dates from Huang Ti to the Western Han Dynasty."
Wang added that the religion inherits orthodox Chinese traditions from Huang Ti through Kings Wen and Wu (revered ancient rulers), the Duke of Chou, and Confucius, to Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
Before Wang founded the religion, he spent four years lecturing on the Chinese classics, including the classical philosophical texts of Mohism by Mo Tzu, of Taoism by Lao Tzu, and the classic works entitled The Book of Changes, The Great Learning, and The Doctrine of the Mean. The religion was formally established in 1957 after the conclusion of his lectures.
The new venture in religion had its critics. Wang reported afterwards that "Many of my friends thought I was wasting my time. Others criticized me or even called me a lunatic. Other religions attacked me. I had faith I would realize my ideal, however, and this inspired me to work toward my goal."
Hsuan Yuan Chiao holds that man can become a divine being through self-cultivation and enlightenment in the Tao. The Huang Ti Ching, which is the bible of the religion, holds that Tao is the origin of divinity.
According to the basic beliefs of Hsuan Yuan Chiao, the highest state attainable is "the union of heaven and man" where "the self is denied and yet is omnipresent." This can only be accomplished through a process of self-purification, cultivation of illustrious virtues, and helping others to achieve salvation. Huang Ti's own life stands as the highest exemplary form for all followers to emulate.
Because of Huang Ti's unique attainment, all other worthies—like the four great philosophers Mo Tzu, Lao Tzu, Chuang Tzu, and Confucius—can only be considered saints compared with his attainment. Nevertheless, they are still worth worshipping, and their great works should be carefully studied. Adherents to Hsuan Yuan Chiao study only these worthy works, and pay no attention to the supernatural phenomena favored by other religions, which they consider no more than superstitions. No wonder a close observer and commentator suggests that Hsuan Yuan Chiao is more like a group formed to study Chinese classics than a religion.
Li-ism's tsung-ling cheng in yellow robe with newly promoted Fa Shih, or religious teachers.
Li-ism, or rationalism, was originally called Tsai Li Chiao and was rounded by Yang Lai-ju (1621-1753 A.D.) in the Ming Dynasty. Its creed stresses traditional Chinese morals and ethics, such as the loyalty and filial piety round in Confucianism, the ideas or world salvation and forgiveness in Buddhism, and the natural way or the Tao in Taoism. It is, in fact, a mixture or all three religions, but given a new dimension by the worship or Kuanyin, the Goddess or Mercy.
Chao Tung-shu, who was the 22nd tsung-ling-cheng, equivalent to a cardinal) once explained the meaning or Tsai Li Chiao: "Tsai means cherishing, while Li means politeness, including adopting a social and national code. In short, tsai li means keeping to heavenly and earthly laws and moral codes."
Yang Lai-ju, the rounder or Li-ism, was a Ming Dynasty scholar. When the Ming fell to the Ching Dynasty forces, the new Manchu court issued orders to present special honors to the courtiers and recluse scholars or the previous dynasty, and tried to appoint him as a magistrate in Kwangtung Province. Yang, as a Ming patriot, refused the offer, choosing first the lire or an activist, then a recluse.
Yang first served a three-year mourning period after the death or his mother. Then he sold his home and traveled to Shantung, Hopeh, and Honan Provinces in an attempt to forge alliances with other patriots in China. His goal was to overthrow the Manchu court.
But Yang, who considered the rail or the Ming to be the result or declining ethical standards in the country, experienced several "miraculous happenings" during his years or traveling. These eventually prompted him to shirt his ambition from national revival to world salvation. The History of Li-ism describes how Kuanyin, the sacred person age or Li-ism, showed herself twice to Yang in order to pass on the great doctrine and sacred classics to him.
Afterwards, the master led a reclusive fire at Shuilan Cave in Hopeh Province, cultivating his mind and heart. After completing Li-ism's ideological system for world salvation at the age or 81, Yang ended his withdrawal to the mountains and began preaching the doctrine or Li-ism publicly.
When Yang died, reputedly at the age or 133, he had written the classics, creed, commandments, and liturgy of Li-ism for his successors to follow. His adherents honored him as Yang Tsu, or Master Yang. Before he died, Master Yang had written the great law or Li-ism called Fa Pao Tieh Wen, or the Precious and Official Decrees. Over the next 350 years, the law was passed down from generation to generation.
Although Li-ism followers worship Kuanyin, they do not reject deities or other religions. They believe God may appear in different images, including Christ, the Buddha, or Mohammed.
Adherents or Li-ism must strictly abstain from smoking, drinking, or taking drugs. They use incense, flowers, and fruit during worship, and can eat meat except on fast days, or the birthday or Kuanyin, which falls on the 19th day or the second month in the lunar calendar. It is said that Yang observed while preaching: "The world cultivates the mouth rather than the heart. Li-ism cultivates the mind rather than the mouth."
Before the Communist regime occupied mainland China, more than 14 million Li-ism adherents had been baptized in the religion, and there were 4,800 Li-ism temples, with the largest concentrations in Peking, Tientsin, and Shanghai. Following 1949, many adherents came to Taiwan with the government, and the religion's administration was restored in 1950 with Chao Tung-shu serving as local head of the faith.
Chao died in June 1980, and the leaders or Li-ism gathered to select Chung Hsiang-chiu, a national assembly-man and former secretary-general or the Li-ism General Council to be his successor.
Statistics show that up to the end or 1984, Li-ism had established 368 temples in Taiwan with 66 priests and over 21,000 adherents. Chung says, "Regretfully, only about 6,000 or the local Li-ism adherents keep in regular touch with us."
Unfortunately, a sudden fire broke out on April 5, 1975, Tomb Sweeping Day, and destroyed all the antiques, classics, documents, and other materials in the Li-ism General Council Hall. Despite the catastrophe, the religion continues its philanthropic and religious teaching while building its new main temple, and the believers have remained a strong religious force in society.
A palace-style building with yellow roof and white walls is one or the most prominent architectural features or the Yuanshan area or Taipei. On the 10th day or each month, the building is crowded with worshippers wearing black kimonos with the three characters Tenrikyo printed in white on them.
The building is the headquarters or the Tenrikyo sect in Taiwan, which has two main branches in Chiayi and Changhua counties, and 61 smaller places or worship all over the island. The religion has approximately 7,500 local followers.
Founded in 1838, Tenrikyo calls on its followers to worship God the Parent, called Tenri-O-no-Mikoto, who is said to have created the world and all mankind. Worshippers also believe that God the Parent gives all things lire and his full protection. Human beings who do not know about this are apt to think they are living by their own power. As a result, they are selfish, and the world is full or diseases, disputes, and disasters.
A Fa Shih begins a formal celebration of Kuanyin's birthday.
In order to lead his children to live a full fire, God the Parent revealed himself through the Foundress or the religion, Miki Nakayama, who was appointed as his "shrine" on October 26, 1838, according to the religion.
Miki Nakayama was born in Japan at Sammaiden, Nara Prerecture. Though a plain farming woman, she displayed extraordinary love for mankind and enthusiasm for helping people throughout her lire. Miki became the shrine or God the Parent when she was 41. From that time on, she spoke and acted in person the will or God the Parent, and taught people to abide by God's will in order to lead a life of joy.
The religion holds that a joyous life in accordance with God the Parent is not just an individual idea. When illness, disasters, disputes, and all the sufferings or man are resolved, there will be nothing but joy in the world.
To lead an exemplary life, people must first root out the concept that they are living by their own power. All ideas or opposing God's will are regarded as "dust." Only when the dust is swept away can mankind be saved. As it is believed that God the Parent is the true parent of all humanity, so all people are equally brothers and sisters. Thus, Tenrikyo followers must save not only themselves but all people.
Tenrikyo's sacred instruments and dances were designed by the religion's Japanese Foundress.
The Tenrikyo church, which is a branch of the Shinto religion, is headquartered at Tenri City in Japan's Nara Prefecture. Services are performed at a temple complex at Jiba, said to be the place of the original creation of man.
For Tenrikyo followers, Jiba is the source of universal salvation and the home of all mankind, so the district is also called the "ancestral home." Many Tenrikyo followers make pilgrimages to Jiba to worship God the Parent.
To perform the religious rites, Tenrikyo followers must first clap their hands four times and then chant 21 times the words "Sweep away evil and save mankind, Tenri-O-no-Mikoto." Chi-chang Leu, the supervisor of Tenrikyo, says: "Clapping four times matches the four Japanese vowels of the last name of the religion's foundress, Nakayama. Also, by clapping, the left and right hands meet each other. This means the coming together of heaven and man, reflecting the will of heaven. This is one of our goals, to meet heaven's ideal."
During the monthly grand services, the worshippers dance to the music of nine instruments accompanying sacred songs. The music was composed and choreographed by the Foundress herself.
At first, persecution and interference by police increased in direct proportion to the growth of Tenrikyo in Japan. It was only after World War II that the doc trine spread rapidly. Now the religion has more than 3 million followers, and Tenrikyo has spread from Japan to other nations around the world. Before the Communists occupied mainland China, Tenrikyo dioceses had been set up in numerous areas across the country.
Tenrikyo priests started to preach in Taiwan from the time the Japanese occupied the island. Because the religion's doctrine stresses respect for ancestors, filial piety, self-cultivation, and offering service to mankind, it coincides with traditional Chinese ethics, making the religion more readily accepted by Chinese.
In 1973, the Ministry of Interior permitted the establishment of a Tenrikyo mission headquarters in Taiwan, and the number of followers has grown rapidly since then. Besides engaging in religious activities, adherents sponsor such public service works as keeping the streets and parks clean.
Members of the Baha'i faith meet in Taipei for prayer and fellowship.
The Baha'i faith, one of the world's youngest religions, was founded in Iran in 1844 by "Bab," who was followed by many thousands as God's Promised Messenger. The religion is named after "Baha'u'llah," a Persian nobleman who fulfilled the teachings of the Bab that a great new teacher would come after him. Baha'u'llah wrote more than 100 books.
In the early 1900s, the Baha'i faith reached East Asia. The American journalist Martha Root arrived in Kwangtung in 1924, where she introduced the Baha'i faith to Dr. Sun Yat-sen. She later wrote articles for a number of local papers, spoke at universities, and generally helped popularize the religion in China.
Yet it was not until the 1930s that the Baha'i faith first came to Taiwan through the efforts of a Malaysian believer. In the 1950s, this initial effort was bolstered by an Iranian couple, who previously had served in mainland China. They landed in Taiwan's northern port city of Keelung, and eventually went to Tainan in the south to set up the first Baha'i church. The religion actually began its work in Taiwan from this location.
Baha'i believers hold that all men are the children of one Creator, and the various races are like flowers of many colors in one garden; though different, all should live together in harmony. In order to achieve real world peace, Baha'i teachings say that men must remove all forms of prejudice, whether they be religious or racial. People should investigate the truth independently and should not be superstitious.
Baha'u'llah taught that all religions come from one and the same source: God, who is but one. In different ages, God sent his messengers such as the Buddha, Jesus, and Mohammed to teach His purpose, so that all men might live their lives in purity, happiness, and peace. The Baha'i faith was one of the first religions to mention the equality of men and women, compulsory education for all, and the need for religion and science to go hand-in-hand. It also teaches that one should be loyal to the government and obey society's laws.
A distinguishing point of this faith is its unique calendar in which a year of 365 days is divided into 19 months with each month subdivided into 19 days. The last four days are holidays.
The way this faith's followers communicate also makes it different from other religions. They do not attend formal worship services and listen to sermons. Instead, they gather together on the first day of their unique month and communicate with each other in any way they wish and believe comfortable.
Because there is no professional clergy, Baha'i believers hold that each member should take advantage of the ample opportunities for education and must investigate the truth independently. Every Baha'i should have a full understanding of the religion's teachings, and be responsible for propagating them. Since there is no clergy serving in a hierarchy, Baha'u'Ilah established an ad ministration that is elected, in a spirit of prayer and without any campaigning, to administer and be responsible for the progress of the religion and the happiness and welfare of all believers.
At present, the Baha'i faith has over 1,600 followers in more than 150 localities in Taiwan. Its headquarters is in Taipei. Informal public discussions are major Baha'i activities where participants introduce their faith to interested friends. Baha'i members also meet regularly every 19 days at special gatherings for prayers, community consultation, and social activities.
There is no formal ceremony when becoming a Baha'i; one simply signs a card declaring belief. But after joining, there are obligations to observe. One must pray daily, treat others with courtesy, and educate one's children. All Baha'i members work, since begging and laziness are considered sins. Gambling and drinking are forbidden, the latter because it destroys the mind and body, thereby inhibiting one's spiritual progress.
Baha'i is not a monastic religion, and believers are encouraged to be involved in society, including social work. The religion has established 118 schools and institutes worldwide, has published literature in 660 languages, and has spread its beliefs to more than 335 countries and regions of the world. And like the other religions discussed above, Baha'i believers add to the fascinating religious texture of life in the Republic of China.