Have a lot of faith

Tiwan's religious tolerance dates back to the seamless intertwining of predominant Buddhism and Taoism that inspired thousands of temples and shrines across the island.

Three of Taiwan's four television channels broadcast sermons and chanting all day, every day, and more people are embracing Christianity, Confucianism, the teachings of Mahaikarikyo and Tenrikyo and other faiths.

This collective openness and the high degree of religious freedom are summed up at the Museum of World Religions, which surveys all the faiths, big and small, without proselytising for any.

The cultural artefacts on view engage visitors in a dialogue, with the aim of popularising religion and promoting love and peace.

A visit is fun, relaxing and intellectually stimulating - in ways that churches or temples can't match.

It's also a pilgrimage of sorts, full of symbolism every step of the way.

Upon entering, visitors wash their hands in the Water Curtain. Water is significant in most religions, with the ceremonial cleansing of hands evoking that of the heart and soul.

A guide notes that Jesus was baptised in the Jordan River and Guru Nanak of the Sikh faith heard the call of God while bathing in the Bein River in 1499.

The museum then opens the Pilgrims' Way, lined with pictures of history's great spiritual leaders and leading to a black, heat-sensitive wall on which visitors leave blue handprints.

In this manner they bless the museum and acknowledge the roles that hands play in prayer, healing and the giving of alms.

Next, the Golden Lobby has a "cosmograph" that portrays the passing of a year and its important celebrations. In the centre of the lobby are two pillars inscribed in 14 languages with the words "Love is our shared truth" and "Peace is our eternal hope".

In the Great Hall, visitors learn about the primary traditions in belief and about sacred buildings. On display are artefacts and art objects illustrating Christianity, Judaism, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Sikhism, Shinto and Taoism, as well as Taiwanese folk beliefs and ancient religions like those of the Mayans and Egypt's pyramid builders.

There are scale replicas of Chartres Catheral, the Golden Temple, the Dome of the Rock and Borobudur, which, seen from above, seems the grandest of all.

Among the artefacts from actual dig sites is a shale relief sculpture that depicts Queen Maya at the moment she gives birth to the Buddha. In her right hand she holds a branch of the "No Worries" tree.

There's an exquisitely detailed sandalwood sculpture of Bodhisattava Guan Yin - the goddess of compassion - in the carefree seated posture typical of the Southern Song dynasty of the 12th and 13th centuries.

There is so much to see and learn about that it's difficult deciding how much time to spend at each exhibit. But keep in mind that the dome of Avatamsaka World is not to be missed.

This marvellous theatre conveys the message "One is all, all is one", using modern technology to explain how religions transform networks of living consciousness into living networks of love.

The visitor's journey ends with a touch of the hand to a screen, which calls up parting blessings by religious figures.

Bringing together all religions in one place offers a profound message of coexistence and harmony. Even a half-day tour of the museum is likely to reassure people that the differences among the faiths can actually bring us together rather than keep us apart.

The writer travelled to Taiwan courtesy of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office.

  GUAN YIN   PREVAILS

"Bodhisattva of Mercy: Explore Avalokitesvara, from Chinese to Taiwanese Guan Yin" continues through May at the Museum of World Religions. Find out more at www.MWR.org.tw.