Because of the often harsh conditions on the island, residents of Hsiaoliuchiu are deeply religious, as shown by the many temples and shrines they have built over the years.
小琉球漁民的教育程度較低，沒有足夠的知識和判斷能力去面對工作、生活中可能遭遇到的各種問題，一切只好求助於神明，因此島上廟宇很多。