TAIWANESE TRADITIONAL FOLK BELIEFS

The author discusses the ways the post-war Taiwan has become a depositary of traditional Chinese culture and its important part - i.e. beliefs. The author provides a panorama of the phenomena composing the rich image of popular beliefs of Taiwan - folk religion, animistic beliefs and religious syncretism. The folk imagination concerning the rapport between Heaven, Earth and Hades is being presented. Within such a frame, the author provides a description of the most important gods' functions, symbols and attributes. An analysis of the so called contemporary New Religions of Taiwan has also been made - highlighting the syncretism seen as a key of their construction. The author also provides an analysis of the way the new religious movements satisfy the crucial needs and reassure social inquietudes of the modern Taiwanese society.