Hsuan Yuan Chiao--The Youngest Religion in Taiwan

July 1980

中文

Worshipers venerate Huangti or the Yellow Emperor, whose other name is Hsuan Yuan.

Hsuan Yuan Chiao is a new religion established by 82-year-old legislator Wang Han-sheng in Taiwan in 1957. As its name implies, the religion venerates Huangti or the Yellow Emperor (2697-2597 B.C.), whose name was Hsuan Yuan, while Chiao is the Chinese word for religion. The new faith blends Confucian, Taoist and Mohist philosophical theories, and its main creed is respect for heaven and ancestors.

Despite its short history, Hsuan Yuan Chiao already has four temples and some 80,000 followers. There are 16 dioceses in Taiwan and a church in Hong Kong.

Factors contributing to the establishment and rapid development of the religion include Wang's profound knowledge of Chinese culture, his determination to disseminate his belief and the religious freedom in the Republic of China guaranteed by the Constitution.

Wang explained how he founded the new religion. "After following the government to Taiwan in 1949, I was haunted by the problem of understanding why the mainland, with its vast area, had fallen into Communist hands in such a short period of time. After long deliberation, I decided that the failure could be primarily attributed to the loss of national spirit, which could only be restored by a Chinese cultural renaissance.

"Hsuan Yuan Chiao is an attempt to revive an unnamed religion which dates from Huangti to the Western Han Dynasty," he said. The religion inherits orthodox Chinese traditions from Huangti through Kings Wen and Wu, the Duke of Chou and Confucius, to Dr. Sun Yat-sen.

Before he founded the religion, Wang spent four years lecturing on the Chinese classics, including Motzu (the bible of Mohism), Taoist Taoteching and Nanhwaching, Book of Changes, Great Learning and the Doctrine of the Mean. He formally proclaimed the establishment of Hsuan Yuan Chiao in 1957.

To establish a religion is no mean feat. Wang admitted: "Many of my friends thought I was wasting my time. Others criticized me or even called me a lunatic. Other religions attacked me. I had faith I would realize my ideal, however, and this inspired me to work toward my goal."

Wang pointed out that though there are many religious sects in the world, international religions are few. A new religion must pass numerous tests before it is established.

Like other religions, it affirms the existence of a creator, who can be identified as the "Tao" or Way. "In modern terms, Tao is the particle," Wang Han-sheng said. "It is the basic constituent of all matters. Science does not contradict, and can supplement religion."

Wang explains the cause and effect in his religion in terms of the "wave mechanics," known to physics. "The cause is similar to the highest point of wave, and the effect is its ebb," Wang said.

Hsuan Yuan Chiao holds that man can become a divine being through self cultivation and enlightenment in the Tao. The Huangti Ching (bible) holds that Tao is the origin of divinity.

The highest state attainable in the new religion is "the union of heaven and man" where "the self is denied and yet is omnipresent." This progress can only be accomplished through self-purification, cultivation of illustrious virtues and helping others to achieve salvation.

To honor Huangti, a large-scale ceremony is held every year on the ninth day of the first moon, according to ancient rites. Other ceremonies are held on the 5th day of the fourth moon and the ninth day of the ninth moon to commemorate Huangti's birthday and celebrate his ascent to heaven.

Ordinary services are held on Sunday, which the followers of Hsuan Yuan Chiao call "Laifu Day," a term derived from the Book of Changes.

The spiritual head of the religion, called the "Tachungpo," is its founder, Wang Han-sheng. Each of the 16 dioceses has a leader, a number of preachers and a ritual master.

The largest temple dedicated to Huangti is a crimson building located at Tamsui to the north of Taipei.

Chen Kuo-ming, a young follower of the religion, said Hsuan Yuan Chiao has satisfied his desire for a faith and pursuit of knowledge. "In college I studied Western literature and philosophy," he said, "but after reading the classics, I found that Chinese culture is more profound and that my horizon of thought does not lie beyond Confucianism, Taoism and Mohism."

Chen said he would devote the rest of his life to translating the classics into English.

[Picture Caption]

Left: Worshipers venerate Huangti or the Yellow Emperor, whose other name is Hsuan Yuan. Above right: Wang Han-sheng, founder of Hsuan Yuan Chiao, presides over the worshiping ceremony. Below right: The largest temple dedicated to Huangti is a red brick building located at Tamsui to the north of Taipei.

1. A wooden table painted with pa kua (eight diagrams) hangs on the door of the Hsuan Yuan Chiao temple. 3. Worshipers practicing boxing. 2 & 4. Disciples venerate Huangti.