Over the past thirty years,religious institutions of all kinds have become increasingly involved in public charity in Taiwan.I initially thought this related to a world-wide increase in such activity-a globalization of a pattern that began in the West.As I looked more closely,however,much of this initial formulation turned out to be only a very partial truth.My first research on religion in Taiwan began in 1977,with an extended period of fieldwork in the northern Taiwan Residents township of Sanhsia.At that time there was a small Presbyterian congregation,aIong with some small groups of Buddhists.None of them had any broad charitable activities,to my knowledge.
