Abstract
This chapter presents a case study of the tourism events in Wanjin Basilica of the Immaculate Conception following its 100th year of establishment. It describes the impact of teaming with government-organized Christmas celebration programs and discusses challenges and opportunities over a period of five years. Cross analysis of interviews, field observations and multiple electronic documents manifest an interactive and inter-connective relationship between tourism promotion and evangelization, as well as an empowerment of the local community. However, its religious spirit and legacy seem to be threatened with managerial issues of the festival events and over-demands of commitment. The study suggests that the government and the Catholic Church in Taiwan should reflect on their roles and responsibilities in sustaining the basilica’s originality and heritage.
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Notes
- 1.
Video search result on YouTube website, using “Wanjin” in Chinese as keyword.
- 2.
Interview with Father Xu, showed in transcript, p. 1, l. 38.
- 3.
Official website of Wanjin Basilica Church, showed in the “News” section, p. 2.
- 4.
The handout of Wanjing Church Activity Center, p. 1.
- 5.
The brochure of the 154 Anniversary Book, p. 2.
- 6.
Interview with Father Xu, showed in transcript, p. 3.
- 7.
Video search result on YouTube website, using “South Taiwan Symphony” as keyword.
- 8.
Interview with Father Pan, showed in transcript, p. 3, li. 23–25.
- 9.
Quoted from p. 21, July 5, 2015, the Catholic Weekly.
- 10.
Interview with the focus group, commented by person #2, showed in notes, p. 6.
- 11.
Interview with Father Xu, showed in transcript, p. 5, l. 5.
- 12.
Interview with Father Xu, showed in transcript, p. 2, l. 24–32.
- 13.
Official website of Wanjin Basilica Church, News section, pp. 2–4.
- 14.
Official website of Wanjin Basilica Church, News section, p. 1.
- 15.
Official website of Wanjin Basilica Church, News section, p. 2.
- 16.
Transcript of the interview with the church secretary, p. 1.
- 17.
Transcript of the interview with Father Pan, p. 4, l.30.
- 18.
May 10, 2015, Journal of Evangelization, p. 4.
- 19.
The Catholics in Taiwan are governed by the Chinese Regional Bishops’ Conference (CRBC). There are seven diocesan bishops, each considered as the highest spiritual leaders of the diocese they govern. While every parish has its patron’s celebration once a year, the bishop does not always attend and host it. There are 59 parishes listed in the Handbook of Kaohsiung Catholic Diocese, 2014.
- 20.
From the author’s notes, pages 2 to 4 on the official website of Wanjin church.
- 21.
From field notes, July 18.
- 22.
“i-Pingtung,” the official website of Pingtung government for tourism promotion.
- 23.
Video clip posted on “i-Pingtung.”
- 24.
Interview with Father Xu, p. 4.
- 25.
Field note of December 6.
- 26.
Interview with Father Pan, p. 1, ll. 16–17.
- 27.
Focus group discussion, person 3, p. 3.
- 28.
Interview with Father Xu, p. 4, ll. 25–28.
- 29.
Focus group, person 2, p. 5.
- 30.
Focus group, person 1, p. 2.
- 31.
Document A is a book of the Indigenous Culture Club in a medical college in a nearby city.
- 32.
Focus group, person 3, p. 3.
- 33.
Interview with Father Xu, p. 1.
- 34.
Interview with volunteer guide of Wanjin church, p. 1.
- 35.
Both videos provide descriptions of the Bible story artworks painted or illustrated with mosaic tiles on the walls of Wanjin village to attract tourists and visitors.
- 36.
Interview with Joseph, secretary of the church, p. 2.
- 37.
Observational field note, July 18, p. 1.
- 38.
Interview with Joseph, secretary of the church.
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Appendices
Appendix A Title Search on YouTube
Wanjin (in Chinese) (Code:YT_w_C_) Total clips: 40,900 | 1. 2015 Wanjin 3D laser show (complete)/9:27/112,968 hits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17cf6VpB34Y 2. 2014 Wanjin 3D laser show (complete)/17:39/239,300 hits 3. 2015 Wanjin 3D laser show (concise)/3:02/30,660 | 18 clips A. 2 bird’s-eye view clips with holy background music B. 10 clips of the laser show C. 6 clips of media report on problems of events, e.g. garbage and crowds (by news media) |
Wanjin church (in Chinese) (Code: YT_wj_C) Total clips: 15,600 | 1. 2015 first day: lighting show/9:56/2495 hits 2. 2013 3D laser show recorded on-site/8:29/96,886 hits https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjAF9f6FPHE 3. Code:YT_w_C_1 | A. Doubts on fees by local markets/1:33/TVBS/359 hits B. 2015.12.1: Press Conference/TTV/1:21/used terms in drama, e.g. script and scene to describe Mary and the birth of Jesus C. Aerial images of the Catholic Church of Wanchin 2015/Commercials of Skyline Vision Studio/2:06/Grand orchestra music/1840 hits D. YT_wc_C_D: villagers prepare for the advent of Christmas/TVBS/2:03/setting up nativities, the 3D rosary map and the first-ever 2 million 3D laser show E. Spots news from the news conference of DTCP on the activities of celebration/1:20/ETtoday |
Wanjin Conception Basilica (in Chinese) (Code:YT_wjb_C_) Total clips: 22,900 | 1. Code:YT_w_C_1 2. YT_wc_C_2 3. 20,151,206 Wanjin Church Patron’s Day Virgin’s Procession: setting out/34:20/327 hits | A. The 3rd: 146th year photo videos/316 hits/celebration in 2007/3:06 |
Wanjin (Code:YT_w_E_) Total clips: 1700 | n/a | 2 related clips A. 12th: Wanjin Basilica laser show, 2013 (commercial for the production of the show)/5:51/further linked with more recent laser show depicting the world B. 19th: 2014.12.7 time-lapse photography Catholic Church of Wanjin/2:52 (soft background music) |
Wanjin Basilica (Code:YT_wbc_E_) Total clips: 41 | 1. YT_w_E_A 2. YT_wbc_E_B 3. Popular video clips: Basilica and the Immaculate Conception (200 video links)/2012.12.24 | 4 related clips A. YT_w_E_A B. Blessed Virgin Mary returning to Wanjin Holy Mother Basilica (in Taiwan)/4:09/on-site video and audio/123 hits C. 12th: 2009 Thanksgiving Pilgrim for 150 years/photo videos to the Holy See and Spain/8:27/music with Wanchin chorus D. Church Chinese band chanting ancient Taiwanese prayers and aborigine chorus p.s. the other 16 clips are (a) basilicas around the world, (b) the architecture, (c) laser shows and Christmas |
Appendix B Code Names for Data
Code name | Title and content | Format and contents | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
D_A | Document A Book of the indigenous culture club in a medical college in a nearby city | Articles in a book | A book given by Mitchell’s wife. She is the counseling teacher for the student club |
D_ipt_fb_n_p... | i-Pingtung Facebook posting from 2011 to 2015 | Posting, photos, video clips | Notes on https://www.facebook.com/ipingtung |
D_ipt_web | i-Pingtung, the official tourism website, DTCP | Articles, announcements, photos, video clips | Notes on http://i-pingtung.com/ |
D_wbv_2014 | 2014 pre-event night bird’s-eye view video | 3:03 bird’s-eye view with marching band music | |
D_wvl_2015_1 | 2015 Wanjin 3D laser show concise version | 3:18 video clips | http://i-pingtung.com/zh-tw/Multimedia/FilmCategory?page=3#media/0/ |
FN_0718_p | Field note of July 18, in the church on one Saturday in the summer | The opening day of the children’s summer camp, 2015 | 3 pages of notes |
FN_0721 | Field note of Tuesday, July 21. | Interview to the secretary | Notes |
FN_082 | Field note of Sunday Mass | Before, during and after Sunday Mass service | Notes |
FN_0824 | Field note of Monday, August 24, in the church | The parish secretary was off | Notes |
FN_1206_p1 | Field note of December 6, the church’s patron feast day | Including the open-air congregation in the morning, Reconciliation Sacraments and the beginning of the Procession in honor of the Virgin Mary | Notes |
I_fg_n_… (e.g. I_fg_n2_p6, n2=Malta, page 6) | Interview with focus group of four female members | 1. Chuen Mei, former chairperson 2. Malta, parish member 3. Xu Yan, CDC volunteer teacher 4. Me Ling, CDC volunteer teacher | Interview notes |
I_fp_t_p… | Interview with Father Pan Qiong-Hui | 5 pages, transcribed and coded by pages and lines | Transcript |
I_fx_t_p… (e.g. I_fx_t_p1_38, p=page 1, 38=Line 38) | Interview with Father Xu Qing-Xian | 5 pages, transcribed and coded by pages and lines | Transcript |
I_mv_n | Interview with manager of Wanjin village | 1-page post-interview field note | Interview notes |
I_sj_p… | Interview of secretary Pan Shi-Hua (Joseph) | 3 pages after-interview field note | Interview notes |
I_vp_t_p… | Interview with volunteer guide, Pan Ren-Shi (Mitchell) | 6 pages, transcribed and coded by pages and lines | Transcript |
J-cw_2015_… | Catholic Weekly, a 24-page, weekly journal of Catholics’ news managed by Catholic Archdiocese of Taipei, reporting the targeting readers/users affiliated with Church in Taiwan/paper and electronic edition | 1. 0705: A Note on Pan, Pin Sheng’s family pilgrim, p. 21, 2015 2. 1129: The Dominicans celebrate their 800th birthday, p. 1, 2015 | |
J_e_2015_… J_e_2016_… | Journal of Evangelization, a 4-page weekly journal of Catholic news in Kaohsiung Diocese | 1. 0510: p. 3 headcount of the parishes, 2014 2. 0510: p. 4 parish services, 2014 3. 0124:p. 1, come follow me! The countdown overnight hiking pilgrimage, 2016 | article |
W_b_154th_… | The 154th celebration of the parish’s Saint’s Day | A 44-page book for the celebration ceremony of 154th Immaculate Conception Basilica in Wanjin | Wanjin church |
W_h_1_… | Introduction of Wanjin Church Activity Center | Threefold A4 size color handout with pictures | Wanjin church |
W_wjweb_ | Contents of Wanjin Basilica’s official website | Subcategories: n=News and Announcement i=Introduction to Catholicism h=History of the Basilica h_e=History of Basilica in English p=Parish Groups and Clubs rp=Renovation Plan rs=Renovation Schedules, hc=Headcount of Parishioners p_b=Prayers and Breviary ws=Weekly Services ac=Activity Center, i_e=Information on Events p_t= Public Transportation lr_ the liturgical readings for Sunday Mass s=Survival Tips for Disaster and Emergencies | |
YT_bv_2014 | 2014 bird’s-eye view shot | ||
YT_bv_2015 | 2015 bird’s-eye view shot | 4:13 video with holy background music | |
YT_HN_2013 | A news clip titled “Path of the Shepherd” featuring the wall artwork of Wanjin village on Bible stories | 1:36 video in Hakka dialect spot news aired November 13, 2013 | |
YT-sts_2013 | Southern Taiwan Pops Orchestra for laser show, 2013 | 10:29 video shot live for performance of the orchestra with laser show on half of the footage | |
YT_t1001_e3_2014 | 2014 video: Taiwu 1001 stories, 100 years of Catholics in Wanjin | 10:47 featured news programs on Wanjin, including a traveling artist, local business using Bible story/by ET today network |
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Wang, Cl. (2018). Wanjin’s Basilica: Church Evangelization Encountering Government’s Tourism. In: So, F., Leung, B., Mylod, E. (eds) The Catholic Church in Taiwan. Christianity in Modern China. Palgrave Macmillan, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-6665-8_9
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