Presentation Schedule
Exploring the Influence of Local Folk Beliefs in Taiwan on Urban and Rural Sustainability (103517)
Session Chair: Maila Blanza
This presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom (Online Access)
Wednesday, 13 May 2026 13:45
Session: Session 2
Room: Live-Stream Room 3
Presentation Type: Live-Stream Presentation
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Taiwan is a frontier settlement society. Since the Ming and Qing dynasties, early migrants continuously crossed the sea from mainland China to Taiwan. Through processes of clustering, settlements gradually formed and evolved into socio-economic structures with distinctive local characteristics and diverse cultural expressions. These settlers also brought deities from their places of origin and constructed temples within settlements for worship, which gradually became important spaces in local life encompassing religious, social, and economic significance. In recent years, issues of urban–rural sustainable development have received increasing attention, particularly in rural and peripheral areas. This study takes Shuntian Temple in Tuku Township, Yunlin County, as its research case. Founded during the Shunzhi reign of the Qing Dynasty (1644–1661), Shuntian Temple is dedicated to Mazu and is designated as a county-level historic site as well as a center of local religious life. This research integrates narrative inquiry and fieldwork methods. Through analyses of local historical narratives, in-depth interviews, and observational methods, the study delineates the social influence of Tuku Shuntian Temple. Taking the temple as its core, the research further examines its connections with the Tuku Township Office, businesses along Tuku Old Street, and local place-making enterprises, thereby constructing an urban–rural sustainable development strategy centered on local folk belief. In doing so, the study aims to create a sustainable ecosystem that fosters new vitality in Tuku Township. The findings aim to contribute new perspectives to stakeholders concerned with sustainable urban-rural development.
Authors:
Li-Yueh Chen, Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan
About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Li-Yueh Andy Chen is currently an Associate Professor of Weixin Shengjiao College, Taiwan.
See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule
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