Modernity and the Supernatual in Taiwan: Gods, Ghosts, and Ancestors Revisited

Abstract

This research examines how religious and supernatural beliefs have changed with the rapid modernization and increased standard of modern, scientific education in Tainan, Taiwan. Participants in my project were between the ages of 20-40, had at least some post secondary education, and were from Tainan or had lived in Tainan for a significant amount of time. Tainan, a city of over 750,000 people, is one of Taiwan’s oldest cities and is a traditional cultural stronghold. Through a look at beliefs about and experiences with Taiwanese ghosts, gods and ancestors, I explore how modernization has affected beliefs about the supernatural for young adults in Taiwan who are struggling to balance their filial obligation to honor what has been passed down for generations and preserve what makes their culture unique with their desire to be seen as modern and progressive in the global arena of transnational cultural flows.