Chinese Religions

Chapter 7

Confucianism
Wisdom of Ancients
Taoism
Harmony with Nature

Background
Chinese religions are a blend of
practices:
Chinese folk religion
Taoism
Confucianism
Biddhism

 Veneration of ancestorselderly
ancestors are revered
Veneration of nature gods for farming
Divination = attempts to gain
knowledge by interpretation of omens or
signs of nature

Mandate of heaven chief god

heaven confers a mandate to rulers
on earth as long as they rule justly

Confucianism
Confucius:
Lived form about 551 to 479 BC
Considered to be the father of Chinese
culture
His sayings (analects) based on wisdom
of ancients
Emphasized the building of moral
character
Action oriented: Proper ritual
observance and moral persuasion led to
successes

Sacred Stories and Sacred

Scriptures
Confucianism
The five classics

Historical documents
Anthology of poems
Manual for divination
Records of the state of Lu
Works on the principles of li

 Compiled by followers of Confucius

Four books:
The analects (sayings of Confucius)
The great learning (details of how perfection
can benefit society)
Doctrine of the mean (philosophical
utterances with commentaries
Book of meng-tzu (sayings of the great
follower of Confucius)

Beliefs and Practices

Confucianism:
A. Perfection in humans came not from
relationships with gods but through
peoples relationships with one another
B. Li= proper or rites (outward
behavior)
Practice of proper behavior specific to ones
relationship to another
Rituals that must be properly performed to
become a chun-tzu

 C) Jen = humanity or benevolence

(inward behavior)
Religious and ethical rituals help a person
move from a life ruled by passions to one rule
by enlightened wisdom

D) Chun-Tzu= superior one

One who combines li with Jen so much so that
benevolence flows into action in any situation

Beginnings of Taoism
Lao Tzu
a. Not a religion in a traditional sense
but adopted as state religion in 440
AD in China
b. Lao Tzu b. 604 BC in China
a. An unusual birth (82 years old)
b. Rejected society (feudal warfare) to live
as a hermit in nature
c. A cotemporary of Kung fu tzu
(Confucius)

Scared Stories and Sacred

Scriptures- Taoism
A) Tao-Te Ching or The Way and Its
Power.
Central Scripture within Taoism
Attributed to Lao Tzu but probably
written or complied by followers
Principles of living to improve self by
being in harmony with Nature
Consist of paradoxes

 B) Chuang Tzu
Written by Chuang Tzu- Taoisms second
founder
Emphasizes
Paradoxes
Moral relativity
Cycle of life
The Way -> Tao

Beliefs and PracticesTaoism

A) Yin and Yang
Complementary play of pairs of
opposites in universe
Not interdependent- one defines the
other
No antagonism between pairs- both are
needed
Each contains a little of the other
Nature is in a continual dance to remain
balanced between the yin and yang

The Tao
Translation: way
1. The way of ultimate reality
Transcendent
Monism

2. The way of the universe

Immanent- creates and sustains
The ordering principle of nature
The rhythm of all life

C) Wu-Wei
Wu-wei= action without action
Humans act in such a way that they dont
interfere with Nature
Actions follow being: The way to do is to beTao Te Ching

Wu-wei doesnt try: it just does. It goes by

intuition and is sensitive to
circumstances
The Sage is the perfect embodiment of
wu-wei

1) Wu-Wei: Pairs of Virtues

A) Humility and Noncompetition
Lead to victory
surrender to win

B) Nonaggression and Passive Rule

Lead to peace

C) Naturalness and Naturalism

Lead to oneness with the Tao

The Sage accepts and lives these virtues

to be in harmony or one with the Tao

a) Humility and
Noncompetition
Ax falls first on tallest tree
Sage has a disinterest in worlds
prizes
Humility is a sign of strength not
weakness
B) Nonaggression and passive rule
War may sometimes be necessary but
violence and aggression should be
minimized
A good ruler takes a passive approach

A good soldier is not violent

A good fighter is not angry
A good winner is not vengeful
A good employer is humble.
A leader is best when people barley
know that he exists. Of a good
leader, who talks little, when his
work is done, his aim fulfilled. They
will say, We did this ourselves

C) Naturalness and
Naturalism
One with nature not dominating it
Behaving as nature dictates not as
social pressure or personal pride
dictates
ecological approach

2) Wu-wei as lived by
Taoists
A) lives and actions should be aligned with the Tao
for balance and harmony
Immortality through union with Tao

B) Chi= literally breath: interpreted as vital

energy
Chi refers to the power of the Tao flowing through
individuals from:
1. food-vegetarianism/medicinal herbs
2. Breathing techniques- Tao Chi
3. exercise- Martial Arts
4. acupuncture

D) Worship of deities
By 9th century Taoists believed in
many gods including Lao Tzu
Hsiens= those believed to have
reached immortality: were also
worshipped
There were religions celebrations
(today practiced in Taiwan

Buddhism in China
Arrived in first century AD but was more
popular with poor people because of strong
emphasis on family

Pure Land Buddhism

Celestial realm created by Amitabha, a
bodhisattva, where there was no evil, pain
or suffering. An ideal environment- no
natural disasters
To get there: recite name Amitabha
through life with great faith and devotion

Sacred Time
Chinese New Year!!
Prayers and homage to Tso Kwan

Tin Hau
Honors the mother of boat people and sailors

Ching Ming
Honors deceased relatives

Mid Autumn Festival!!

Recalls when Chinese rulers carefully studied the
moon

Dragon Boat Festival

Honors a famous Chinese patriot named Wut Yuah

 B. Festivals
Few festivals are celebrated on Chinese
mainland
Chinese New Year most important
Mid-Autumn second most important

C. Life Cycles
Traditions from various religions celebrate
life cycle events
Birth, marriage, death most important life
cycle events

Sacred Places and Sacred

Spaces
Feng-Shui= Practice of positioning
objects to achieve positive effects
Ancestor Gravesites
Providing for the needs of the deceased

Shrine of Ancestors
To local gods and ancestors

Temples
Taoist and Buddhist, local and state temples

Chinese Religions Through Catholic

Lens
Chinese Religions
Ancestor veneration NOT EQUAL to Ancestor worship
Ancestors not deities, not prayed to for favors

Catholicism
Communion of Saints
Saints are honored and Prayed to on our behalf
(Intercession
Only God is worshipped
Reflects communal relationship among all members of
Church
Inculturation- Incarnation of Gospel in native cultures
and intro of cultures into life of Church