Chinese traditional religions
General
6 There are approximately 400 million followers of Chinese traditional religions or Shenism (a loose term for the worship of gods, spirits or consciousness), though it's impossible to say exactly how many.
21t is the collection of ethnic religious traditions that have historically comprised the predominant belief system in China and among Han Chinese ethnic groups from as far back as 5000 BCE up to the present day. 31t describes mythology and includes the worship of ancestors, nature deities, clan deities, demigods, cultural heroes and dragons. 40ne of these traditions, Taoism, will be discussed below.
51t is polytheistic in belief, with a multitude of cultures and locations worshipping different gods, goddesses, and demigods. 6The list below reflects a few of the major ones:
i. Pangu is believed to have been the first living being and creator of both the Heavens and the Earth. He is believed to have emerged from a cosmic egg
ii. Shangdi is also considered a creator god, prior to Pangu. He was the supreme deity during the Shang dynasty.
iii. Tudi Gong is said to preside over the earth, and is also the god of wealth, minerals and buried treasure.
iv. Mazu ( Ancient Mother , also known as Tianhou) is both a Buddhist and Taoist goddess who is the protector of fisherman and sailors. She is immensely popular in coastal areas of South and South-Eastern China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia.
v. Guanyin from Buddhism has also entered the Chinese traditional pantheon due to immense popularity throughout the Chinese mainland.
7Deities are believed to reside in particular places, so Temples and shrines are usually erected around certain sacred parts of the city.
8Although texts relating to Chinese traditional religion exist, such as Journeys to the Underworld, they are not systematized and there is no main scriptural collection to which all devotees adhere. 9The same is true of rituals performed by followers, which varies from location to location.
101t is characterised by ancestral veneration, as it's believed that such reverence will influence these spirits to aid their living descendants. 11Because of its inclusiveness, these days it is not uncommon for believers of other faiths to still engage in such practices. 121n essence, it is a part of the culture, with public holidays such as Tomb Sweeping Day (Qingming Festival) taking place in the region. 13During this period family members pray to their ancestors, sweep their tombs and offer food and libation. 14Many believe that if the spirits are not properly cared for, they will become hungry ghosts that cause trouble for the living.
The Ghost Festival (used to mark Ghost Month) is a traditional holiday celebrated on the fifteenth day of the seventh lunar month. 16During this month, ghosts and spirits are believed to emerge from the lower world to visit the earth. 17Sacrifices to ancestors and deities are often performed, with bamboo paper replicas known as Hell Bank Notes or Ghost Money burnt as offerings. The Mid-Autumn Festival or Moon Festival is connected with moon worship, as the ancient Chinese believed this celestial body to be connected with rejuvenation. 190n this day, the Moon Goddess, Chang e, is honoured.
Taoism
20Better described as an Eastern religion/ philosophical path or tradition, adherents are predominantly based in China, Taiwan, Singapore and South Korea. 21Because of its inclusive nature, many followers also identify with other religions so exact numbers of followers can be hard to pin down. 22Due to this pluralism, various sects and belief systems exist.
23Laozi, a 6th century BCE philosopher of ancient China is traditionally considered the founder of philosophical Taoism.
General Beliefs
24The main objective of the belief system is to live in harmony with Tao, which is considered the ultimate force behind everything that exists. 25Tao or Dao ( pronounced Dow) means way , path or principle .
26The focus of Taoism is the veneration of nature, with the aim of life being personal adjustment to the rhythm of the natural (and supernatural) world. 27They believe that this can be achieved by balancing yin-yang, and developing qi ("life energy" or "energy flow") through meditation and self- investigation. 28The body is considered a source of this energy, which can be harnessed for various means, such as immortality.
29Different branches of Taoism have differing beliefs, especially concerning deities and composition of the pantheon. 30Whilst popular Taoism typically sees the Jade Emperor as the official head deity, intellectual Taoists, such as the Celestial Masters sect, view Laozi as Taishang Laojun (or one of the Three Pure 0nes.)
There are 2 kinds of Taoism – the Tao-chia and the Tao-chiao:
1. The first is best described as the philosophical arm, teaching practitioners how to live in the here and now. This conduct is shaped by several concepts such as Wu-Wei (translated nondoing), Wu (emptiness), and Fu (return).
2. The Tao-chiao ("Teachings of the Way") is considered the religious and mystical branch of Taoism, with schools and disciplines that follow the ideal of longevity and immortality through meditation and liturgy.
32The most well-known symbol of Taoism is the yin-yang (or Taiji) symbol. 33The circle represents Tao, with the black and white halves representing the Yin-qi (feminine energies) and Yang-qi (masculine energies), which gives birth to the manifest world.
Holy Texts
34There are several texts used by followers of this faith, the main one being Tao-te-Ching or Daodejing meaning The Way of Power o r The Book of the Way . 351t is the religion s key work of literature, regarded as the most influential, as it is believed to have been written by Laozi. 361t is said to describe the path to achieving peace, the nature of life and how a ruler should lead his life.
37T h e Zhuangzi was named after its alleged author, Zhuang Zou (or Master Zhuang). 38He was a philosopher that lived around 4th century BCE and is credited as writing all or part of the text. 39Some believe that he wrote the first seven chapters, while his students and others wrote the rest.
Proselytising
40As this philosophy/ religion is more concerned with looking inward, they do not believe in proselytising.
Concept of Sin
41Because of the nature of the religion, the concept of sin is generally not discussed. 42However, there are Three Treasures of Taoism, which if broken can be considered committing a sin . 43Chapter 67 of Tao-te-Ching lists them as:
1. Compassion,
2. Frugality; and
3. Humility.
44Taoists also believe that sickness is often caused by sin and bad deeds that disrupt the healthy flow of qi.
Afterlife
They believe that we don't just have one soul, but several that form individual consciousness. 46At death, it is said that part of our soul returns to the Heavenly sphere/realm, while the other returns to Earth. 47Thus there is the idea of the continuation of one s spirit as it develops in consciousness.