英文摘要
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Following World War II, Taiwan experienced significant transformations in its social and economic structures while also adjusting to the impact of Nationalist (KMT) rule. During this time period, the gradual relaxation of cultural and religious policies allowed a wide range of new religious movements to flourish. This was also the case with Daoism, especially in urban settings, which can be seen in the development of the Gaoxiong Abbey of Morality (Gaoxiong Daaodeyuan 高雄道德院), founded by the local religious elite Guo Tengfang 郭騰芳 (1923-1998) during the course of his 40-year preaching career. The goal of this thesis is to explore the history of this major sacred site, especially the roles played by religious specialists as well as the philanthropic and ritual activities they organized. The thesis is divided into four sections: Part I examines the Abbey's history, including the settlement of Gaoxiong City, the ways in which elites and other worshippers contributed to the growth of this sacred site, the Abbey’s own organizational structures, the importance of different types of ritual specialists, etc. In addition, it considers the nature and contributions of those organizations founded by Guo, especially in the realms of charity and self-cultivation.
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