RELIGIOUS LIFE IN PRESENT-DAY TAIWAN
1. Aspects of Complexity
177
The study of Chinese religion has a long record of complexity and the situation does not seem to improve: to the series of historical and literary problems is now added the new dimension of tradition vs. modernity. The rise of an industrial age has had a considerable impact on Chinese religiosity, as will be seen in the following observations.
(a) The participants on the religious scene today are even more numerous than ever before: besides the intricate problem of categorizing the various ‘old-timers' or the so-called 'Three Religions of China', there is a rich amalgam of 'new arrivals'—Western and Oriental religions actively engaged in finding a wider audience. However, since it is my impression that the “rush hour of the gods" (i.e., the period of enthusiastic mass conversions especially to Christianity during the fifties and sixties) has almost come to a standstill, it is necessary to re-examine the position of these Western religions vis-à-vis the Chinese religious tradition and Chinese culture in general.
(b) Socio-economic factors: religion in Taiwan nowadays, as perhaps always in China's past, is intimately linked with socio-economic conditions. In an industrialized age, religion has changed considerably, or rather, the attitude of various groups of people and of individuals toward religion has undergone great changes. On the one hand, there is a growing skepticism and even disbelief, but on the other hand, paradoxically enough, there is an intense growth of religious fervour and activity, so much so that often the doubt arises as to which of the two is primary—religious faith or the economic and social fringe-benefits derived from religious activity.
(c) Political factors: religion in traditional China had always been carefully, or even strongly regulated (controlled?) by the imperial government. It is not amazing that also in modern Taiwan, religion and political authority have some close links, which does not always allow a free and unbiased discussion. However, in order to obtain a complete and objective picture of the situation, this aspect needs to be included without exaggerating its overall importance.
(d) Publications on Chinese religion and ethics have become more and more numerous in recent years. They are not only written
RELIGIOUS LIFE IN PRESENT-DAY TAIWAN
1. Aspects of Complexity
177
The study of Chinese religion has a long record of complexity and the situation does not seem to improve: to the series of his- torical and literary problems is now added the new dimension of tradition vs. modernity. The rise of an industrial age has had a considerable impact on Chinese religiosity, as will be seen in the following observations.
(a) The participants on the religious scene today are even more numerous than ever before: besides the intricate problem of cate. gorizing the various ‘old-timers' or the so-called 'Three Religions of China', there is a rich amalgam of 'new arrivals'-Western, and Oriental religions actively engaged in finding a wider audience. However, since it is my impression that the “rush hour of the gods" (ie. the period of enthusiastic mass conversions especially to Christianity during the fifties and sixties) has almost come to a standstill, it is necessary to re-examine the position of these Western religions vis-à-vis the Chinese religious tradition and Chinese culture in general.
(b) Socio-economic factors: religion in Taiwan nowadays, as perhaps always in China's past, is intimately linked with socio- economic conditions. In an industrialized age religion has changed considerably, or rather, the attitude of various groups of people and of individuals toward religion has undergone great changes. On the one hand, there is a growing skepticism and even disbelief, but on the other hand, paradoxically enough, there is an intense growth of religious fervour and activity, so much so that often the doubt arises which of the two is primary-religious faith or the economic and social fringe-benefits derived from religious activity.
(c) Political factors: religion in traditional China had been always carefully, or even strongly regulated (controlled?) by the imperial government. It is not amazing that also in modern Taiwan religion and political authority have some close links, which does not always allow a free and unbiased discussion. However, in order to obtain a complete and objective picture of the situation, this aspect needs to be included without exaggerating its overall impor-
tance.
(d) Publications on Chinese religion and ethics have become more and more numerous in recent years. They are not only written
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