Patrick Denver Posted May 25, 2004 at 07:31 AM Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 at 07:31 AM Hello. I am a European that is very curious about religion in China. I know Chinese religion is sometimes described as a mix between Buddhism, Taoism and Confuscian philosophy. Is that an accurate description? http://www.faithfreedom.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=616 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pazu Posted May 25, 2004 at 12:42 PM Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 at 12:42 PM It's quite true, but indeed I think the concept of religion of most Han Chinese are quite vague when compared to people in the West and Middle East. I think most Han Chinese hold some kinds of religious concepts like after-life, god's manipulation (天理, the rules of Heaven), karma effects (cause-and-fruits 因果報應). There's a Chinese saying, that most Chinese would probably believe, 福禍無門, 惟人自招, 善惡之報, 如影隨形。 No doors for Blessing and Cursing, people got these by themselves, retribution is like shadow and object, following each other... I think this is the most important point in the Chinese vague religion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holyman Posted May 25, 2004 at 01:10 PM Report Share Posted May 25, 2004 at 01:10 PM chinese are generally not religious in the spiritual sense. often they are religious when the particular religion or the icon is believed to be able to bring them benefits, usually wealth, sometimes fame and luck, sometimes health and job. there is a saying that chinese believe in anything that is 'effective', those able to bring tangible benefits to them. religions in china are often seen as a mixture bcos of this attitude too. the chinese deduced that all religion teaches good things, good values, so they are just different means to a similiar end, therefore believing in one is as good as the other. and since different icons are 'effective' for different things, its best to believe in all cos one will never know when and for what he need these blessings. example the deity of wealth is for money, the deity of longitivity is for health, goddess of mercy is for bearing a son or daugther, confucious for studies etc etc. and buddha san is probably one of the fewer all-weather, multi-purpose, super powerful icon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zackzhou Posted May 28, 2004 at 07:38 AM Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 at 07:38 AM exactly!! holyman! are you a Chinese resident? Most of chinese believe in anything that is 'effective', those able to bring tangible benefits to them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
holyman Posted May 28, 2004 at 08:47 AM Report Share Posted May 28, 2004 at 08:47 AM nope, a foreigner living in china for quite some time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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