|
Serving
Students at
Santa Ana
College and
Santiago
Canyon College
TAIWAN
Religion
|
Religion
The religious
distribution in Taiwan is 93 percent mixture of Buddhist (4.86 million)
with a smaller number of Confucian and Taoist (3.3 million); 4.5
percent Christian (422,000); and 2.5 percent other religions (Catholic
304,000).
According
to Taiwan's Interior Ministry figures, there are about 11.2 million religious
believers in Taiwan, with more than 75% identifying themselves as Buddhists
or Taoists. At the same time there is a strong belief in Chinese
folk religion throughout the island. These are not mutually
exclusive, and many people practice a combination of the three. Confucianism
also is an honored school of thought and ethical code. Christian
churches have been active on Taiwan for many years, and today the island
has more than 600,000 Christians, a majority of whom are Protestant.
Confucianism,
although not a religion in the Western sense, has a great influence on
Chinese society. Confucius was a Chinese scholar and statesman who
lived during feudal times over 2000 years ago. He established a rigid
ethical and moral system that governs all relationships.
Confucius
taught that the basic unity of society is the family. In order to
preserve harmony in the home, certain reciprocal responsibilities must
be preserved in relationships. These relationships are between ruler
and subjects, between husband and wife, between father and son, between
elder brother and younger brother, and between friends. Since all
but the last are hierarchical, rank and age are very important in all interactions.
The concepts of face and not causing shame to another are paramount.
And since all actions of the individual reflect upon the family, filial
piety is of utmost importance. The virtues of kindness, righteousness,
propriety, intelligence, and faithfulness are also revered.
Links
to More Information
Eastern
Religions: Confucius
Who
is Confucius?
World Religions
.
|
