Religion in Chinese culture contrasts sharply with religions in other civilizations. For one thing, many Chinese gods were flesh-and-blood human beings who came to be deified, unlike most ancient gods of Europe or the Middle East or Egypt. Mazu, the Goddess of the Sea, is one example. And today she is becoming the patron goddess of Taiwan. Alice tells us about the reporting she did this year on the annual Mazu Festival, which 300,000 Taiwanese attended.Another notable phenomenon is the historical belief that certain personalities, such as the poet Li Bai, might have been avatars of gods.But do people genuinely believe? We discuss the use of religion in politics. In contemporary Taiwan, politicians still sometimes claim to receive signs from Mazu. Historically, a general in the Song Dynasty who was thought to be a god's avatar happily exploited his troops' faith for his own purpose.
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