Theme and variation in Chinese religion

Abstract

This paper is a study of religious differences and similarities as reported in ethnographies from Taiwan. The paper descusses the calendrical observations of the Lunar New Year and the birthday or other celebrations in honor of the patron god of the village, when reported, and to the noncyclical observations of birth, marriage, and death. In addition, the hierarchy of gods as envisioned by the villagers will be described. Ethnographies from the Taipei basin (Wolf 1972, 1974; Ahern 1973, 1974), near Taichung (Gallin 1966), near Tainan (Diamond 1969, Pasternak 1972), and near Kaohsiung (Pasternak 1972, Cohen 1976) are utilized.