China has long been a cradle and host to a variety of the most enduring religio-philosophical traditions of the world. Confucianism and Taoism, plus Buddhism, constitute the three teachings, philosophical frameworks which historically have had a significant role in shaping Chinese culture. Elements of these three belief systems are often incorporated into the traditional folk religions. Chinese religions are family-oriented and do not demand exclusive adherence, allowing the practice or belief of several at the same time. Some scholars prefer not to use the term religion in reference to belief systems in China, and suggest cultural practices, thought systems or philosophies as more appropriate terms. There is a stimulating debate over what to call religion and who should be called religious in China.The emperors of China claimed the Mandate of Heaven and participated in Chinese religious practices. Since 1949, China has been governed by the Communist Party of China, an atheist organisation, which regulates the practice of religion in mainland China. It presently formally and institutionally recognizes five religions in China: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Protestantism, and Catholicism (though despite historic links, the Party enforces a separation of the Chinese Catholic Church from the Roman Catholic Church). The largest group of religious traditions is the Chinese folk religion, which overlaps with Taoism, and describes the worship of the shen, a term describing local deities, heroes and ancestors, and figures from Chinese mythology. Among the grand-scale worship cultures even officially promoted there are those of Mazu (goddess of the seas), Huangdi (divine patriarch of all the Chinese, Volksgeist of the Chinese nation), Guandi (god of war and business), Caishen (god of prosperity and richness), Pangu and many others. China has many of the worlds tallest statues, including the tallest of all. Most of them represent buddhas and deities and have been built in the 2000s. The worlds tallest statue is the Spring Temple Buddha, located in Henan. Recently built in the country are also the worlds tallest pagoda in Tianning Temple, and the worlds tallest stupa in Famen Temple. Chinese Buddhism developed since the 1st century, and remains the most influential single religion in modern China. Researchers have noted that in China there is no clear boundary between Buddhism, Daoism and local folk religious practice. According to a study by the Pew Research Center, 22% of the Chinese are folk religionists, and 18% are Buddhist. However, there is overlap, as many Chinese identify themselves as followers of both Chinese folk religion and Buddhism. According to a survey conducted in 2010, hundreds of millions of people practice some kind of Chinese folk religions and Taoism; of these 754 million (56.2%) people practice Chinese ancestral veneration, only 215 million (16%) believing in the existence of ancestral shen[note 1], 173 million (13%) adopt Taoist practices on a level which is indistinguishable from Chinese folk religion. The same survey reports that 185 million (13.8%) are Buddhists, 33 million (2.4%) are Christians, and 23 million (1.7%) are Muslims. In addition to Han local religion, also some non-Han ethnic minorities follow their traditional autochthone religions. Christians are between 2-5% of the population according to various surveys. Muslims are 2%. Various new religious movements of indigenous origin are present in the country. Confucianism as a religious self-designation is popular among intellectuals. Significant faiths specifically connected to certain ethnic groups include Tibetan Buddhism and the Islamic religion of the Hui and Uyghur peoples. Christianity in China, although established since the 7th century, declined in China according to Ken Joseph J. of The Keikyo Institute, as a result of persecution during the 10th through 14th centuries. It was reintroduced in the 16th century by Jesuit missionaries. Protestant missions and later Catholic missionaries expanded the presence of Christianity, which influenced the Taiping Rebellion of the mid 19th century. Under Communism, foreign missionaries were expelled, most churches closed and their schools, hospitals and orphanages seized. During the Cultural Revolution, many priests were imprisoned. After the late 1970s, religious freedoms for Christians improved.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Sep 2014 10:29:54 +0000
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