All cultures have their own views on the subject of death and dying, no one culture’s follows the same methods as another. A reason for this is religion; there are so many diverse religions in the world enabling distinct values and customs towards death. Taiwan is no exception to this; religion within the country is made up of a variety of different religious beliefs and practices, as a result of their multicultural history. Compared to countries with a large immigrant population, the majority of people living in Taiwan are either Aborigines or Han Chinese (Tan, 2003)
Even with their small ethnical groups in the country, the number of different religions is overwhelming; there are 26 officially recognized religions within Taiwan ("Taiwan yearbook 2006," 2006). Taiwan has an estimated population of twenty-three million people living in an area approximately 13,000 square miles ("International religious freedom," 2006). Meaning that within a very small country there is a great deal of religious diversity. This paper will look at religion within Taiwan more specifically examining ancestor worship compared to Christianity, by looking at the different burial customs and belief system. There are no universal guidelines to address issues such as death. Cultures have formed their own meaning behind death and have produced rituals to normalize the process in order to create a social script around death.
In an April 2006 survey conducted by the Ministry of Interior (MOI) Religious Affairs Section reported that the majority religion of the country was Buddhism, which encompasses around one-third of the Taiwanese population at 35%. The second largest religious group within Taiwan are the Taoist, which make up another one-third of the popula...
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Tan, C. K. (2003). Tradition and christianity: Controversial funerals and concepts of the person among the paiwan, taiwan. Oceania, 73(3), 189-207.
US Department of State, Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. (2006). International religious freedom report 2006
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The five Eastern religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Daoism, and Shinto have some similarities when it comes to the their beliefs on death. Hinduism and Buddhism both believe in karma and reincarnation, while Daoism and Shintoism revolve their beliefs around nature. Confucianism chooses not to focus on things we do not know, so their beliefs on death are limited. In deciphering the different beliefs on death associated with each religion, it is important to understand the different belief systems and their origins. While some religions merged the views of the other religions, some came from the views of an originating founder. Each religion has their own view on life after death and whether or not their followers should be concerned
Deaths were a form of social event, when families and loved ones would gather around the bed of the dying, offering emotional support and comfort. Myth, religion, and tradition would combine to give the event deeper meaning and ease the transition for all involved. The one who was dying was confident in knowing what lay behind the veil of death, thanks to religious faith or tradition. His or her community held fast to the sense of community, drawing strength from social ties and beliefs. (“Taboos and Social Stigma - Rituals, Body, Life, History, Time, Person, Human, Traditional Views of Death Give Way to New Perceptions" 1)
Liu, Jiahe, and Dongfang Shao. “Early Buddhism and Taoism in China (A.D. 65-420).” Buddhist-Christian Studies 12 (1992): 35–41. JSTOR. Web. 7 Nov. 2013.
Johnson, Christopher Jay., and Marsha G. McGee. How Different Religions View Death & Afterlife. Vol. 2. Philadelphia, PA: Charles, 1998. Print.
The Western philosophical tradition has developed numerous viewpoints on, and fostered various attitudes toward, our mortal nature. There was once a situation where people regarded death as a theme and we shall die. In Western Attitudes Toward Death and Dying (1974) Aries proposes that death itself has, from the early medieval period onward, undergone a series of gradual yet discernible changes, which he titles “tame death,” “one 's own death,” “thy death,” and “forbidden or wild death.” This fourfold division centers directly on how people experience and understand death. As such, it stands as a peculiar history, one that often eschews more visible changes (e.g., the Reformation) in favor of less discernible shifts present in literature, art (including funerary art), liturgy, burial practices, and wills. It is characterized by the use or assumption
"Grieving and death rituals vary across culture and are heavily influenced by Religion (Medscape)." Cross cultural beliefs, ceremonies, and rituals allow for the deaths of individuals to be encompassed in a more organized social order (Death and Dying, A sociological perspective). The religious rituals encountered are often influential in funeral arrangements and grieving behaviors. On a sociological level, we can interpret these things in a more objective way. I believe that in order to understand religion and culture: we must first understand the concepts that may be seen as highly influential. These concepts include religion and culture in association with social class, social norms, social reality, and class systems. The two religions I found most interesting were Hinduism and Buddhism.
Since the beginning of time religion has been a key factor in the establishment and maintaining of civilizations. Popular religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity have played a major role in society. ??? Each religion has a different form of ??? In this paper i will be discussing the differences in how they view death and applying it to how it affects their cultural beliefs. In order to fully discuss these dissimilarities we must first look at a brief background of each major religion.
Odd as it sounds, there can be little question that some deaths are better than others. People cross-culturally have always made invidious distinctions between good deaths and bad. Compare, for instance, crooner Bing Crosby's sudden death following eighteen rounds of his beloved golf with the slow motion, painful expiration of an eighty-year-old diabetic. Bedridden following the amputation of his leg, the old man eventually began slipping in and out of consciousness. This continues over a period of years, exhausting the emotional, physical. and financial resources of his family. The essence of a "good death" thus involves the needs of the dying (such as coming at the end of full and completed lives, and when death is preferred to continued existence) as well as those of their survivors and the broader society.
Sylvia Grider. “Public Grief and the Politics of Memorial.” Anthropology Today (London), June 2007, 3-7. Print.
Living in a society where several cultures and religious beliefs are represented, such an event as memorable as death is bound to be celebrated differently. The paper attempts to look at the various ways different culture and religious practices prepare the body of the deceased for burial and the role of health care workers.
Each month our educational center section provides the Hinduism Today staff with a 'kind of group meditation. Individually we ponder our subject, and together we discuss it in detail. These past 30 days our meditation was on death. You might think we had a morbid March. Not so, since, as U.S. General George Patton rightly noted, "For Hindus death is the most exalted experience of life."
Chinese people might find naming their religion challenging as it is a mixture of “traditional religion, Buddhism, Confucianism, and Daoism” (Corduan, 2012, p.388). The Chinese Popular Religion continues to evolve and change as the world around it changes and outside influences enter the Chinese culture (Corduan, 2012). Investigation of the Chinese Popular Religion includes its key features, practices, and influences, along with tis role in contemporary China, and how Christians can enhance their interactions.
There are numerous cultures in this planet today; however the Jewish view of death makes this culture unique from the rest. Jewish death and mourning rites have two basic principles: kevod ha-met, respectful treatment of the dead, and kevod he-chai, consideration for the feelings of the living. These two principles are highly regarded by the Jewish community (Kolatch 7-8).
China is officially an atheist country, a variety of religions and beliefs can be found. Confucianism and Taoism, plus Buddhism, constitute the so-called “three teachings”, philosophical frameworks which historically have had a significant role in shaping Chinese culture. The basics of this three beliefs are commonly incorporated into traditional folk religions. Chinese religions are family-oriented and practice of several beliefs at the same time is allowed.
Makeham, John, Hsiau, & A-chin, eds. (2005). Cultural, Ethnic, and Political Nationalism in Contemporary Taiwan: Bentuhua. New York: Palgrave Macmillan.