EASC Study Tour 2006
Topic of the Week

Welcome to the "Topic of the Week" series! Each week we will discuss areas of interest or things that need your attention in preparing for the Study Tour to China.

Week 14: Religion and Philosophy

China is a socialist country that is controlled by the Chinese Communist Party. Therefore, religions, while tolerated by the national government, are not overtly supported. There are multitudes of religious and philosophic traditions in China, but currently only 5 "Traditions" are considered legal in the People's Republic of China: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism. Confucianism, believed to be a moral and legal order more than a religious doctrine, is widely practiced and accepted in China.

The Chinese religious tradition has been dominated by the three "Chinese" faiths of Buddhism, Taoism, and Confucianism. A majority of the population practiced at least one of these traditions for over a millennium and this remains true today (even though the PRC government claims that most people recognize socialism as their main philosophic guidepost).

Taoism:

Established first as a philosophy by the supposed sage Laozi, Taoism is concerned with interacting (but not understanding) the Tao, the lifeblood of the universe. The legend surrounding the beginnings of Taoism comes from the life story of Laozi. After a life of serving the Chinese Empire as a minister or advisor, Laozi desired to spend his remaining years in solitude. Legend has it that he left the "civilized" part of China for the west (some believe Tibet ) and at China 's borders handed over to a guard his philosophic writings, known as the Tao Te Ching (or the way and its power).

From this book, which was copied and spread throughout China, Chuang tzu continued to develop Taoist philosophy into a more comprehensive order. It was not until 60 BC that Taoism, after spreading through the educated elite in the nation, came to the masses. Taoism was mixed with local folk traditions and religious practices. Over time this mixture of Taoist philosophy with popular religion created a pantheon of gods that Taoists worship (much like the Catholic cadre of saints). Taoist temples exist throughout the country, but are mostly centered on the middle eastern portion of the nation. Taijichuan (tai chi), the martial art exercise, bases itself off Taoist teachings.

Confucianism:

Besides Chairman Mao, the name of Confucius is probably the most well-known Chinese name outside of China. Confucius the man came from humble beginnings in what is today Shangdong province and rose to be an important government official in the mid 500s BC. After his death, Mencius and other students of their deceased master created hundreds of works about Confucian thought. Eventually this code of morality, legal principles, and social relationships became the base of Chinese governance.

During the Imperial Dynasties, no member of the Imperial bureaucracy could reach his post without passing the Imperial Entrance Examination, a monumental test based on Confucian thought. The test was not restricted by class and thus became one of the few ways that Chinese families could move up the social ladder. Passing the entrance exam was the Chinese equivalent of the "American Dream." Additionally, the exam, with Confucianism at its heart, created a bureaucracy completely committed to Confucian values.

These values were based on five relationships that constructed the family as the heart of Chinese society. The five where: women defer to men, younger men defer to older men, sons defer to fathers, subjects defer to their ruler, and friends respect friends. These relationships were a moral code, protected by Chinese families. Confucian teachers did not approve of organizations that were created to establish laws and the lack of a solid legal code eventually made Confucianism a subjective tool for domination. It favored the educated, elderly Chinese male and has been classified by the Chinese government as a tool of the bourgeoisie. However, that has not inhibited the government from restoring Confucian temples and using Confucian values for its purposes.

Buddhism:

The faith came to China from India soon after Buddhism was created and the Buddha lived. Through the trade roads in Xinjiang, Buddhism came to central China where it was accepted by many common people throughout the countryside, especially in Southern China. Most Chinese Buddhists practice the Mahayana (Big Vehicle) tradition. Mahayana holds that all human existence is connected and the fate of one person is intertwined with the fate of others. While Theravada Buddhism contends that only those continuously practicing individuals (monks and nuns) can reach nirvana, Mahayana believes everyone, regardless of personal position, can be enlightened.

Tibet and other western provinces are the home of an altered form of Mahayana Buddhism: Tantric Buddhism. Tantric Buddhism is Mahayana combined with Tibetan Bon religion. Tantric Buddhism relies heavily upon mysticism: ritual postures, ritual chants, and sacred art are all used to appease Buddhist Bodhisattvas and protect people. Tantric priests are considered to be highly evolved spiritual beings that have past lives. The supreme spiritual being and leader of the faith is the Dalai Lama.

The Western Faiths:

Islam is practiced throughout China , but the only areas with large populations are China's northern provinces, especially Shaanxi and Xinjiang Provinces. Christian sects, both Protestant and Catholic, are scattered throughout China, but mostly in areas that were influenced heavily by the colonial powers. Therefore, most of China 's Christians live in the eastern coastal zones.

The Government and Religion:

The CCP still maintains that religion is a form of spiritual pollution that hides people from their true selves. Religion is legal in China, but the CCP continues to discriminate based on it because no person can enter the CCP without being an atheist.

The Chinese government has continuously been at odds with various religious traditions. During the Cultural Revolution, much of the nation's religious art, architecture, and writings were destroyed. Catholic churches in China are often prohibited from holding services because they refuse to recognize the power of the state over Rome's. Recently, Falun Gong (Falun Dafa), a spiritual exercise group, has been labeled a cult and banned. This came from a demonstration by Falun Gong members in 1999 outside the Party headquarters in Beijing. Falun Gong members continually are arrested and sent to prison for their participation in a non-sanctioned religious organization.

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Last updated: 05/31/2006
URL: http://www.indiana.edu/~easc/studytour/accepted/
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