Bahá'í Faith in Taiwan
Encyclopedia
The Bahá'í Faith in Taiwan, 巴哈伊教, began after the religion entered areas of China and nearby Japan. The first Bahá'ís arrived in Taiwan in 1949 and the first of these to have become a Bahá'í was Mr. Jerome Chu (Chu Yao-lung) in 1945 while visiting the United States. By May 1955 there were eighteen Bahá'ís in six localities across Taiwan. The first Local Spiritual Assembly in Taiwan was elected in Tainan in 1956. The National Spiritual Assembly was first elected in 1967 when there were local assemblies in Taipei
, Tainan, Hualien, and Pingtung. Circa 2006 the Bahá'ís showed up in the national census with 16,000 members and 13 assemblies.
entered the region of the Far East
, in Hong Kong
, in the 1870s, during the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh
, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. While the religion continued to enter other nearby regions to Taiwan — Bahá'ís being in Shanghai
in 1902, Japan in 1912, Canton
in 1949, and Macau
in 1953, there was no Bahá'í contact with the island until 1949. Between 1895 and 1945, until ending with World War II
, Taiwan was under Japanese rule
and then there was the period of the Chinese Civil War
.
's retreat from the mainland: Jerone Chu, Yan Hsu-chang, Chien Tien-lee, and Gellan Wang. The first Bahá'í in Taiwan was Mr. Jerome Chu (Chu Yao-lung), a newspaper man, who had become a Bahá'í in Washington D.C. in 1945. Chu arrived in Taiwan after a stay in Nanking where an associate, Yuan Hsu-chang, had accepted the religion and also came to Taiwan. Major Chien Tien-lee (Lee L.T. Chang) had had a Bahá'í marriage ceremony in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. and came to Taiwan after a stay in Shanghai.
The first American Bahá'í visitors to Taiwan were Dr. David Earl and Lt. Col. John McHenry in 1952, and Rafi and Mildred Mottahedeh in 1953. In October of that year Dhikru'llah Khadem
visited Taiwan, the first Hand of the Cause — people who achieved a distinguished rank in service to the religion — to do so and at a meeting he held in Chu's home three more people accepted the Bahá'í Faith: these three were Professor Tsao Li-shih, who was an instructor of architecture at the College of Engineering at the National Taiwan University
; Hong Li-ming (Jimmy), the first native-born Taiwanese to become a Bahá'í; and Wong Ho-len (Wong Ho-jen).
Later, Mr. and Mrs. Suleimani, who where Bahá'ís in Shanghai, left that city in 1950, and arrived in Taiwan in 1954 at port Keelung
where they found there was already a community of ten Bahá'ís spread among some of the cities of Taiwan: Taipei (2), Tainan (4), Tao-yuan
, Tsoying and Chiayi
. Mrs. Suleimani was from a Bahá'í family from Ashqabad
who left in 1923.
, then head of the religion. The members were Mr. Wang Chi-chang, Mrs. Suleimani, Mr. Pai Chung-chen, Mrs. Ruthy Tu, Mr. Tsao Li-shih. Standing. Dr. Ni Jun-chung (ching), Mr. Chu, Mr. Winston Luk, and Mr. Ho Chung-tzu. Mrs. Tu was the first woman citizen of Taiwan to become a Bahá'í and was elected to be a delegate in 1957 to the election of the regional National Spiritual Assembly but was unable to travel. Noted Bahá'í Agnes Alexander visited the island in 1956, and, after being appointed as a Hand of the Cause, visited the island again in 1958 and 1962.
From 1955 through 1957, petitions by the Bahá'í community were submitted to the Taiwanese government to be recognized as a religion by the government had failed, though permission was given to have a temporary Bahá'í summer school in Sept. 1957.
In 1957, the first regional National Assembly election convention of the Bahá'ís of North East Asia, held in Tokyo, was convened; the jurisdiction of the National Assembly included Taiwan. In 1958, the second Local Spiritual Assembly of the island was established in Taipei
with the arrival of two pioneers and one more citizen convert. By April 1958 the number of Bahá'ís in Taiwan had reached twenty-two. The first official use of the Tainan Bahá'í Centre was in 1959. In 1960 the book Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era was revised, translated and reprinted and one copy was given to every Bahá'í in Taiwan. In 1963 Mrs. Tu was able to attend the first Bahá'í World Congress
which also the year of the first Bahá'í marriage ceremony in Taiwan.
The first Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan was first elected in 1967 — the members of the institution were Mrs. Isabel Dean and Mrs. Ridvaniyyih Suleimani, Mr. Kuo Rong-hui, Mr. Robert Yen, Dr. Sidney Dean, Mr. S.A. Suleimani, Mr. Tsao Kai-min, Mr. Huang Tsen-min and Mr. Huang Ting-seng. At the time there were local assemblies in Taipei, Tainan, Hualien, and Pingtung. Then in 1970 the Bahá'í community of the island was recognized by the government.
In 1990, the Chief of the indigenous Puyuma
Tribe, Mr. Chen Wen-sheng, became a Bahá'í.
beginning by giving greater freedom to women, promulgating the promotion of female education as a priority concern, and that involvement was given practical expression by creating schools, agricultural coops, and clinics. The religion entered a new phase of activity when a message of the Universal House of Justice
dated 20 October 1983 was released. Bahá'ís were urged to seek out ways, compatible with the Bahá'í teachings
, in which they could become involved in the social and economic development of the communities in which they lived. World-wide in 1979 there were 129 officially recognized Bahá'í socio-economic development projects. By 1987, the number of officially recognized development projects had increased to 1482. In more recent years the Bahá'ís of Taiwan have participated in a number of local and international activities. By 1995, the Bahá'í Office of the Environment for Taiwan, in collaboration with the national government, had trained hundreds of teachers throughout the country to introduce conservation issues into curricula. The Office also produced a series of national radio educational programs on environmental care and protection. In December 1997 Bahá'ís were invited to participate in a local exhibit of religions. In 2001 Bahá'ís from Taiwan attended the opening of the Seat of the International Teaching Centre. In 2004, the Taiwanese Baha'i community organizes 20 regular children's classes, attracting some 200 children.
(relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia
) agreed with that estimate in 2005.
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
, Tainan, Hualien, and Pingtung. Circa 2006 the Bahá'ís showed up in the national census with 16,000 members and 13 assemblies.
Far East
The Bahá'í FaithBahá'í Faith
The Bahá'í Faith is a monotheistic religion founded by Bahá'u'lláh in 19th-century Persia, emphasizing the spiritual unity of all humankind. There are an estimated five to six million Bahá'ís around the world in more than 200 countries and territories....
entered the region of the Far East
Far East
The Far East is an English term mostly describing East Asia and Southeast Asia, with South Asia sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.The term came into use in European geopolitical discourse in the 19th century,...
, in Hong Kong
Hong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, in the 1870s, during the lifetime of Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh
Bahá'u'lláh , born ' , was the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. He claimed to be the prophetic fulfilment of Bábism, a 19th-century outgrowth of Shí‘ism, but in a broader sense claimed to be a messenger from God referring to the fulfilment of the eschatological expectations of Islam, Christianity, and...
, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith. While the religion continued to enter other nearby regions to Taiwan — Bahá'ís being in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
in 1902, Japan in 1912, Canton
Guangzhou
Guangzhou , known historically as Canton or Kwangchow, is the capital and largest city of the Guangdong province in the People's Republic of China. Located in southern China on the Pearl River, about north-northwest of Hong Kong, Guangzhou is a key national transportation hub and trading port...
in 1949, and Macau
Macau
Macau , also spelled Macao , is, along with Hong Kong, one of the two special administrative regions of the People's Republic of China...
in 1953, there was no Bahá'í contact with the island until 1949. Between 1895 and 1945, until ending with World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Taiwan was under Japanese rule
Taiwan under Japanese rule
Between 1895 and 1945, Taiwan was a dependency of the Empire of Japan. The expansion into Taiwan was a part of Imperial Japan's general policy of southward expansion during the late 19th century....
and then there was the period of the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
.
Beginning in Taiwan
Four Bahá'ís arrived in Taiwan in 1949 as part of the wave of refugees of Chiang Kai-ShekChiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
's retreat from the mainland: Jerone Chu, Yan Hsu-chang, Chien Tien-lee, and Gellan Wang. The first Bahá'í in Taiwan was Mr. Jerome Chu (Chu Yao-lung), a newspaper man, who had become a Bahá'í in Washington D.C. in 1945. Chu arrived in Taiwan after a stay in Nanking where an associate, Yuan Hsu-chang, had accepted the religion and also came to Taiwan. Major Chien Tien-lee (Lee L.T. Chang) had had a Bahá'í marriage ceremony in Denver, Colorado, U.S.A. and came to Taiwan after a stay in Shanghai.
The first American Bahá'í visitors to Taiwan were Dr. David Earl and Lt. Col. John McHenry in 1952, and Rafi and Mildred Mottahedeh in 1953. In October of that year Dhikru'llah Khadem
Dhikru'llah Khadem
Dhikru'llah Khadem was a prominent follower of the Bahá'í Faith, and was appointed by Shoghi Effendi to be a Hand of the Cause in 1952....
visited Taiwan, the first Hand of the Cause — people who achieved a distinguished rank in service to the religion — to do so and at a meeting he held in Chu's home three more people accepted the Bahá'í Faith: these three were Professor Tsao Li-shih, who was an instructor of architecture at the College of Engineering at the National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University
National Taiwan University is a national co-educational university located in Taipei, Republic of China . In Taiwan, it is colloquially known as "Táidà" . Its main campus is set upon 1,086,167 square meters in Taipei's Da'an District. In addition, the university has 6 other campuses in Taiwan,...
; Hong Li-ming (Jimmy), the first native-born Taiwanese to become a Bahá'í; and Wong Ho-len (Wong Ho-jen).
Later, Mr. and Mrs. Suleimani, who where Bahá'ís in Shanghai, left that city in 1950, and arrived in Taiwan in 1954 at port Keelung
Keelung
Keelung City is a major port city situated in the northeastern part of Taiwan. It borders New Taipei and forms the Taipei–Keelung metropolitan area, along with the Taipei and New Taipei. Nicknamed the Rainy Port for its frequent rain and maritime role, the city is Taiwan's second largest seaport...
where they found there was already a community of ten Bahá'ís spread among some of the cities of Taiwan: Taipei (2), Tainan (4), Tao-yuan
Taoyuan City
Taoyuan City is the county seat of Taoyuan County in Taiwan, located in the northwestern part of the island. Taoyuan city is the gateway of Taiwan: with the Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport in vicinity, and is a 30-minute ride to the capital, Taipei....
, Tsoying and Chiayi
Chiayi
-Administration:-City attractions:*Chiayi Park*Sun Shooting Tower *Lantan *Historic Archives Building of Chiayi City*University of Chiayi*Chiayi Museum...
. Mrs. Suleimani was from a Bahá'í family from Ashqabad
Bahá'í Faith in Turkmenistan
The Bahá'í Faith in Turkmenistan begins before Russian advances into the region when the area was under the influence of Persia. By 1887 a community of Bahá'í refugees from religious violence in Persia had made a religious center in Ashgabat. Shortly afterwards — by 1894 — Russia made...
who left in 1923.
Growth
By May 1955 there were eighteen Bahá'ís in six localities across Taiwan. The first Bahá'í Local Spiritual Assembly in Taiwan was elected in Tainan in 1956, which was noted by Shoghi EffendiShoghi Effendi
Shoghí Effendí Rabbání , better known as Shoghi Effendi, was the Guardian and appointed head of the Bahá'í Faith from 1921 until his death in 1957...
, then head of the religion. The members were Mr. Wang Chi-chang, Mrs. Suleimani, Mr. Pai Chung-chen, Mrs. Ruthy Tu, Mr. Tsao Li-shih. Standing. Dr. Ni Jun-chung (ching), Mr. Chu, Mr. Winston Luk, and Mr. Ho Chung-tzu. Mrs. Tu was the first woman citizen of Taiwan to become a Bahá'í and was elected to be a delegate in 1957 to the election of the regional National Spiritual Assembly but was unable to travel. Noted Bahá'í Agnes Alexander visited the island in 1956, and, after being appointed as a Hand of the Cause, visited the island again in 1958 and 1962.
From 1955 through 1957, petitions by the Bahá'í community were submitted to the Taiwanese government to be recognized as a religion by the government had failed, though permission was given to have a temporary Bahá'í summer school in Sept. 1957.
In 1957, the first regional National Assembly election convention of the Bahá'ís of North East Asia, held in Tokyo, was convened; the jurisdiction of the National Assembly included Taiwan. In 1958, the second Local Spiritual Assembly of the island was established in Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
with the arrival of two pioneers and one more citizen convert. By April 1958 the number of Bahá'ís in Taiwan had reached twenty-two. The first official use of the Tainan Bahá'í Centre was in 1959. In 1960 the book Bahá'u'lláh and the New Era was revised, translated and reprinted and one copy was given to every Bahá'í in Taiwan. In 1963 Mrs. Tu was able to attend the first Bahá'í World Congress
Bahá'í World Congress
The Bahá'í World Congress is a large gathering of Bahá'ís from across the world that is called irregularly by the Universal House of Justice, the governing body of the Bahá'ís...
which also the year of the first Bahá'í marriage ceremony in Taiwan.
The first Bahá'í National Spiritual Assembly of Taiwan was first elected in 1967 — the members of the institution were Mrs. Isabel Dean and Mrs. Ridvaniyyih Suleimani, Mr. Kuo Rong-hui, Mr. Robert Yen, Dr. Sidney Dean, Mr. S.A. Suleimani, Mr. Tsao Kai-min, Mr. Huang Tsen-min and Mr. Huang Ting-seng. At the time there were local assemblies in Taipei, Tainan, Hualien, and Pingtung. Then in 1970 the Bahá'í community of the island was recognized by the government.
In 1990, the Chief of the indigenous Puyuma
Puyuma
The Puyuma , also known as the Peinan or Beinan tribe, are one of the tribal groups of the Taiwanese aborigines. The tribe is generally divided into the Chihpen and Nanwang groups, both resident in Taitung County on the east coast of Taiwan....
Tribe, Mr. Chen Wen-sheng, became a Bahá'í.
Multiplying interests
Since its inception the religion has had involvement in socio-economic developmentSocio-economic development (Bahá'í)
Since its inception the Bahá'í Faith has had involvement in socio-economic development beginning by giving greater freedom to women, promulgating the promotion of female education as a priority concern, and that involvement was given practical expression by creating schools, agricultural coops, and...
beginning by giving greater freedom to women, promulgating the promotion of female education as a priority concern, and that involvement was given practical expression by creating schools, agricultural coops, and clinics. The religion entered a new phase of activity when a message of the Universal House of Justice
Universal House of Justice
The Universal House of Justice is the supreme governing institution of the Bahá'í Faith. It is a legislative institution with the authority to supplement and apply the laws of Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the Bahá'í Faith, and exercises a judicial function as the highest appellate institution in the...
dated 20 October 1983 was released. Bahá'ís were urged to seek out ways, compatible with the Bahá'í teachings
Bahá'í teachings
The Bahá'í teachings represent a considerable number of theological, social, and spiritual ideas that were established in the Bahá'í Faith by Bahá'u'lláh, the founder of the religion, and clarified by successive leaders including `Abdu'l-Bahá, Bahá'u'lláh's son, and Shoghi Effendi, `Abdu'l-Bahá's...
, in which they could become involved in the social and economic development of the communities in which they lived. World-wide in 1979 there were 129 officially recognized Bahá'í socio-economic development projects. By 1987, the number of officially recognized development projects had increased to 1482. In more recent years the Bahá'ís of Taiwan have participated in a number of local and international activities. By 1995, the Bahá'í Office of the Environment for Taiwan, in collaboration with the national government, had trained hundreds of teachers throughout the country to introduce conservation issues into curricula. The Office also produced a series of national radio educational programs on environmental care and protection. In December 1997 Bahá'ís were invited to participate in a local exhibit of religions. In 2001 Bahá'ís from Taiwan attended the opening of the Seat of the International Teaching Centre. In 2004, the Taiwanese Baha'i community organizes 20 regular children's classes, attracting some 200 children.
Modern Community
Circa 2006 the Bahá'ís showed up in the national census with 16,000, or 0.1% of the national population with 13 assemblies. The Association of Religion Data ArchivesAssociation of religion data archives
The Association of Religion Data Archives is a free source of online information related to American and international religion. Founded as the American Religion Data Archive in 1997, and online since 1998, the archive was initially targeted at researchers interested in American religion...
(relying mostly on the World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia
World Christian Encyclopedia is a reference work published by Oxford University Press, known for providing membership statistics for major and minor world religions in every country of the world, including historical data and projections of future populations.The first edition, by David B. Barrett,...
) agreed with that estimate in 2005.
External links
- Bahá'í News of Taiwan
- Phoenix the Newsletter of the National Spiritual Assembly of the Bahá'ís of Taiwan - List of issues
- Taiwan Bahá'í Chronicle
- Collection of News Articles and Papers
- Hong Kong National Spiritual Assembly