Foreign religions, influenced by time-honored Chinese Culture and tradition, have gradually become fixtures with distinctive Chinese characteristics. The four major religions in China Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Christianity each have a long history of influence.
We will discuss each of the following in more detail below. The majority of Buddhist believers are Han Chinese while Buddhist believers in Tibet also make up a sizable portion. Buddhists make up the largest religious communities in China.
See what else we have about Buddhism in China. Taoism is native to China and has a history of more than 1, years. Its founder was Lao Tzu and its doctrines are based on his writings about the Tao or the Way. Taoism is centered on the "three treasures" which are: Humility, Compassion, and Frugality.
You are probably already familiar with some of the symbolism of Taoism without even realizing it. The famous Yin and Yang symbol is a foundational illustration os Taoist beliefs.
In it, we can see the importance of harmony in the Taoist tradition. It is considered a polytheistic religion and is still quite influential in rural areas inhabited by the Han Chinese and several minority groups, such as the Yao. Check out our other sources on Taoism in China. Islam spread from the Arab Countries to China more than 1, years ago. There are also Islamic communities scattered in almost every city. Chinese Muslims do not eat pork, dogs, horses, donkeys or mules.
There are many famous mosques in China that make excellent stops on a religious tour of China's culture.
Catholicism and other forms of Christianity began to make their way into China very early. In , a missionary of the Nestorian sect came to China from Persia. The religion was slow in gaining a strong foothold in China but is now well established. Chinese Catholic and Christian communities grew in number and influence across the country. Today, there are many famous churches that make for interesting religious visits.
These ideas expressed wonder at the greatness of the cosmos and taught that people should seek harmony with nature by following the dao, or way, of the universe. Life on earth was deemed to be just a temporary withdrawal of the soul from the mass of vitality circling in space and at death it was thought one would be reabsorbed into this central source. Later the religion developed a priesthood, temples, statues and set rituals.
Adherents of the later type of Daoism prayed to a whole array of gods and holy sages for good fortune in this life and help in entering heaven when their earthly existence was over.
The Daoists priest's robe, made between and , is embroidered with nearly heavenly beings. Most of them look like human beings although the Daoist pantheon included demon-like spirits as well as ones that looked like animals. Apart from the halo-like aura around the heads of some of them, the figures on this robe are dressed in the manner of earthly officials.
They are arranged hierarchically according to rank, as Chinese bureaucrats were. When the priest held up his arms during a service in a temple, this robe singled him out as being in communication with the spirits. Bronze head, Central to Buddhist belief was the cycle of reincarnation, which says that all living beings are reborn into the world after death.
Buddhists aimed to free themselves from this cycle of rebirth and enter a sublime state of nothingness or Nirvana. This perfect state gradually came to be understood in China as a type of paradise.
To ensure a place in paradise, devout believers would repeat their prayers many times, their concentration aided by focusing on statues. They prayed to images of the Buddha and also to saints known as Bodhisattvas, who, although they had attained Nirvana and escaped the cycle of rebirth, had chosen to return to the world to help others.
Guanyin, whose name means 'the one who always hears sounds', that is listens to every prayer was one of the most popular Bodhisattvas. He was associated with fertility, amongst other things, and women in particular would pray to him. This bronze Buddha head right is over one metre high and is all that remains of a huge statue. Such an image would have been very expensive to produce and must have come from an important temple. The head was cast in sections, and such was the skill of the sculptors, despite the size and a weight of over 45 kilos, it is hollow and the metal itself is only three millimetres thick.
Protests have been ongoing throughout Tibet since the late s over its autonomy and religious freedom. Create your own Cultural Atlas with bookmarks, collections and a unified, searchable interface.
Join over organisations already creating a better workplace. You can download this cultural profile in an easy-to-read PDF format that can be printed out and accessed at any time. The figure of the total population of each country is drawn from the global estimates listed in the CIA World Factbook , unless otherwise stated.
All other statistical information on the demographics of the migrant population in Australia is based on the Australian Housing and Population Census. Chinese Culture. Core Concepts. Religion in China The political and social upheavals during the first half of the 20th century in China had a disintegrating effect on Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism excluding Tibet.
Confucianism in China Confucianism — a body of traditional practices rather than a religion — plays a significant role in the personal beliefs of many Chinese. Mahayana Buddhism in China The religious and philosophical tradition of Buddhism originates in the teachings of the Buddha. Dates of Significance. Do's and Don'ts. Other Considerations. Business Culture. Chinese in Australia. Sign up for free. Inclusion Program Join over organisations already creating a better workplace.
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