The Significance and Crisis of Religious Rituals in Taiwanese Cultural Landscape

Wang, Chun-Hsi and Fu, Chao-Ching (2008) The Significance and Crisis of Religious Rituals in Taiwanese Cultural Landscape. In: 16th ICOMOS General Assembly and International Symposium: ‘Finding the spirit of place – between the tangible and the intangible’, 29 sept – 4 oct 2008, Quebec, Canada. [Conference or Workshop Item]

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Abstract (in English)

The local religious territory in southern Taiwan is centered by a primary temple, associated with lots of subordinated temples. The collective rituals of these temples form a worship system called “Gua Xiang”, which is a mutual ritual procession among temples within the territory .The temples and people have been connected by means of this system, and the rituals, celebrations, myths and legends in the system have become one of the most touching intangible heritage of a community. This paper will argue that the “Gua Xiang” worship system reflected the life styles or defense organization of societies in the past. With the help of them, the emotion of people and temples spreading separately had been linked together, and more splendid type of belief, worship activities will be created jointly. In other words, the “Gua Xiang” worship system has become an intangible heritage to reinforce the spirit of a place in a cultural landscape.

Item Type:	Conference or Workshop Item (Paper)
Authors:	Authors Email Wang, Chun-Hsi ufjk0256@ms6.hinet.net Fu, Chao-Ching ccfu@mail.ncku.edu.tw
Languages:	English
Keywords:	religions; rituals; cultural landscape; temple; spirit of place; intangible heritage; "Gua-Xiang" system
Subjects:	H. HERITAGE TYPOLOGIES > 06. Cultural landscapes O. INTANGIBLE HERITAGE > 01. Generalities O. INTANGIBLE HERITAGE > 03. Performing arts O. INTANGIBLE HERITAGE > 04. Social practices, rituals and festive events H. HERITAGE TYPOLOGIES > 19A. Places of religion and ritual
ICOMOS Special Collection:	Scientific Symposium (ICOMOS General Assemblies)
ICOMOS Special Collection Volume:	2008, 16th
Depositing User:	Jose Garcia
Date Deposited:	10 Sep 2010 10:17
Last Modified:	30 Aug 2023 14:07
References:	Chiu, Mei-Jen. 2006. The Study of the Style of Wang Boat in Tung-Kang. Master Thesis, National Cheng Kung University. Directorate General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics, Executive Yuan, R.O.C. 2000. Age structure of population by metropolitan area in Taiwan-Fukien Area. Internet. Available from http://www.stat.gov.tw/public/Attachment/5311419271.pdf; accessed 6 June 2008. Fang, Shu-Mei. 1991. The Spatiality of Gua-Xiang of Xi-Gang in Tainan. Master Thesis, National Taiwan Normal University. Fu, Chao-Ching et al., eds. 2007. 2007 Reference for Implementing of Cultural Heritage Preservation Act, Vol.2 Settlements and Cultural Landscapes. Taipei: Council of Cultural Affairs. Huang, Wen-Bo. 1994. The Records of Gua-Xiang in Tainan County. Tainan County, Taiwan: Cultural Center of Tainan County. Huang, Wen-Bo. 2000. The Records of King Boats in Tainan County. Tainan County, Taiwan: Cultural Bureau of Tainan County Government. Lee, Fong-Mao, ed. 2006. Preservation Project of Ritual of King Boat in Tainan County: The Ritual in Tai-Jiang Lagoon Area. Yilan: National Center for Traditional Art. Lee, Su-Ying. 2005. The Research of Shih-Kong Chin-An Temple Religious Activities. Master Thesis, National Tainan University. NCKU Research and Development Foundation. 2006. 2005 Cultural Landscapes Investigation Report of Tainan County. Tainan, Taiwan: Tainan County Government. UNESCO. 2005. Operational Guidelines for the Implementation of the World Heritage Convention. Paris: UNESCO World Heritage Centre. von Droste, Bernd, Harald Plachter, and Mechtild Rossler, Eds. 1995. Cultural Landscapes of Universal Value: components of a global strategy. Stuttgart and New York: Gustav Fischer Verlag. Wang, Ya-Li. 2002. Deviation ? Relocation_ A Study of Adolescents' Joining the Ba-Jia-Jiang. Master Thesis, Shih Hsin University.
URI:	https://openarchive.icomos.org/id/eprint/102

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