While the Meiji Restoration sought the modernization of the Japanese nation, Japanese Buddhists were also trying to break away from Asian traditions, favoring scientific research methods. After Taiwan became a colony in 1895, Buddhist Chaplains also came to Taiwan and deemed Taiwanese religion to be characterized by “superstitions”, “Buddhism and Taoist hybridization” or “Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism syncretism”. The quality of both Buddhist monks and lay people was the object of criticism. Following certain historical events, the colonial religious policies were changed or revised: after the Mukden Incident of 1931, Taiwan entered the “Assimilation and Imperial Naturalization” stage (1931-1945). When the Sino-Japanese war broke out, the colonial government started the “Temple Consolidation Movement” following the “Imperialization Movement Policy”. The “National Spirit Mobilization Participation Convention” was held at in the Hsinchu Convention Hall, initiating the Temple Consolidation Movement in the Hsinchu Prefecture. This article focuses on the Japanese colonial Buddhist history in Taiwan to discuss how the Japanese colonizer implemented their “Superstition Reform Movement” through the so-called “Process of Civilization” for the purpose of Modernization. This research was also conducted on the basis of Zeng Jing-lai’s “Taiwanese Religions and Superstition” (Pu Xin, 1902-1977).
