RELIGION
& BELIEFS
As
diverse as the land and people, the beliefs and philosophies
found in China reflect and historical depth and breadth
existing nowhere else in the world.
The
"three teachings" of Confucianism, Daoism
(Taoism) and Buddhism have traditionally dominated
China's spiritual life. Of the two indigenous systems,
Confucianism was more of a philosophy that taught
ethical and pragmatic standards of behavior, while
Daoism had a religious as well as a philosophical
dimension. Buddhism was imported from India in the
first century AD,  gradually evolving into a uniquely
Chinese form as it was influenced by Daoism and Confucianism.
When the
Communists came to power religion was deemed "counter-revolutionary",
and during the
Cultural Revolution there was widespread
destruction
of temples, mosques and churches. After
Mao's
death things became less repressive and in 1982,
freedom of religious belief was guaranteed by law.
It is now seen as part of the national heritage. Apart
from the fusion of Confucianism, Daoism and
Buddhism
that lies at the heart of Chinese religious belief,
Islam is also practiced, especially in the northwestern
parts of China, and a small, but growing, Christian
minority worships nationwide. Beyond philosophy or
theology, the age-old traditions of lucky numbers,
fortune-telling and geomancy naturally survive.
Ancestor Worship The ancestor worship of the Chinese is based upon
the assumption that a person has two souls. One of
them is created at the time of conception, and when
the person has died, the soul stays in the grave with
the corpse and lives on the sacrificial offerings.
As the corpse decomposes, the strength of the soul
dwindles, until it eventually leads a shadow existence
by the Yellow Springs in the underworld. However,
it will return to earth as an ill-willed spirit and
create damage if no more sacrifices are offered. The
second soul only emerges at birth. During its heavenly
voyage, it is threatened by evil forces, and is also
dependent upon the sacrifices and prayers of the living
descendants. If the sacrifices ceases, then this soul,
too, turns into an evil spirit. But if the descendants
continue to make sacrificial offerings and look into
the maintenance of graves, the soul of the deceased
ancestor may offer them help and protection.
Daoism (Taoism) A central concept of Daoism is the dao, which means
the way or path, but also has a secondary meaning
of method and principle (by which the universe operates).
Another important premise is wuwei, which is sometimes
simply defined as passivity, or "swimming with
the stream". The Chinese martial art of taijiquan
is inspired by this concept. The notion of de (virtue)
is another central tenet, as virtue that manifests
itself in daily life when dao is put into practice.
Daoism perceives the course of events in the world
to be determined by the forces yang and yin. The masculine,
brightness, activity and heaven are considered to
be yang forces; the feminine, weak, dark and passive
elements are seen as yin forces.
Confucianism Confucius taught mainly traditional literature, rites,
and music, and is thus regarded as the founder of
scholarly life in China. The Chinese word ru, which
as a rule is translated as Confucian, actually means "someone of a gentle nature" - a trait that
was attributed to a cultured person. Confucius did
not publish his philosophical thinking in a book,
but his thoughts were recorded and collected together
in the Lunyu (Conversations) by his loyal disciples.
The classic Confucianism canon also includes: Shijing,
the book of songs; Shujing, the book of charters;
Liji, the book of rites; Chunqui, the spring and autumn
annals; and Yijing (I Ching), the book of changes.
Confucianism is, in a sense, a creed of law and order.
Just as the universe is dictated by the world order,
and the sun, moon and stars move according to the
laws of nature, so a person, too should lived within
the framework of world order. This idea, in turn,
is based upon the assumption that people can be educated.
Buddhism The Chinese initially encountered Buddhism at the
beginning of the first century, when merchants and
monks came to China using the Silk Road. The prevalent
type of Buddhism in China today is the Mahayana (Great
Wheel), which - as opposed to Hinayana (Small Wheel)
- promises all creatures redemption through the so-called
bodhisattva (redemption deities).
Two aspects particularly appealed to the Chinese:
the teachings of karma provided a better explanation
for individual misfortune, and there was a hopeful
promise for existence after death. Nevertheless, there
was considerable opposition to Buddhism, which contrasted
sharply with Confucian ethics and ancestor worship.
Islam Ten of the 56 recognized nationalities in China define
themselves as Muslim - a total of 14 million people.
The Hui are the only group who enjoy the special status
of a recognized minority solely because of their religion.
The Hui are mostly Han Chinese, and adhere to the
teachings of the Koran less than most other Muslims.
Islam came to China via two different routes: one
was the famous Silk Road, the other from across the
sea to the southeastern coast of China. During the
Yuan dynasty (1279-1368), Islam became permanently
established in China.
Christianity Christianity was first brought to China by the Nestorians,
in 635, who disseminated their teachings with the
help of a Persian called Alopen, who was their first
missionary.
For a period, in spite of religious persecution, the
religion spread to all the regions of the empire,
and survived in some parts of the country until the
end of the Mongol Yuan dynasty. At the same time,
contacts were made between China and the Roman Catholic
Church. The first Catholic missionaries began to be
very active in China. A leading figure among the Jesuit
missionaries, who played an important role, was an
Italian, Matteo Ricci. When he died, there were 3,000
Christians in China.
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