The Development of Temple Culture in Taiwan

Abstract

The prevalence of temples in Taiwan is indeed a unique phenomenon. According to literature and news reports, the development of traditional religions was not encouraged during the Japanese Occupation Period and the Kuomintang administration. Rather, religious practice in Taiwan was controlled and derogated. This study investigated the structural factors affecting the flourishing development of well-known temples in Taiwan based on the religious and cultural policies from the Japanese Occupation Period to Kuomintang’s lifting of martial law. It also attempted to understand the impact of local factions and clientelism on temple culture.