chinese folk religion.docx

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Chinese folk religion

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Statue of aTaizudeity (deifiedimportant ancestor) inside a temple inMaoming,Guangdong.

Altar to the Five Officials worshipped inside the Temple of the Five Lords inHaikou,Hainan.

Chinese folk religion(traditional Chinese:or;simplified

Chinese: or;pinyin:Zhnggu mnjin zngjio or Zhnggu

mnjin xnyng) are labels used to describe theethnicreligioustraditions which comprise the

historic belief systems amongHan Chineseethnic groups up to the present day. Chinese folk

religions includesChinese mythologyand the worship ofshens(, shn; "deities", "spirits","awarenesses", "consciousnesses", "archetypes") which can benature deities,Taizuor clan

deities,city deities,national deities,cultural heroesand demigods,dragonsandancestors.

Chinese folk religion is sometimes categorized withTaoism, since over the centuries institutionalTaoism has been attempting to assimilate or administer local religions. Chinese folk religion is

sometimes seen as a constituent part of Chinese traditional religion, but more often, the two areregarded as synonymous. With around 454 million adherents, or about 6.6% of the world
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population,[1]

Chinese folk religion is one of themajor religious traditions in the world. InChina

more than 30% of the population adheres to Chinese folk religion[2]

Chinese religion mirrors the

social landscape, and takes on different meanings for different people.[3]

Both in imperial China and under the modern nation, the state has opposed or attempted to

eradicate these practices as superstition. Yet these practices are currently experiencing amodern revival in bothMainland ChinaandTaiwan.[4][5]

Various forms have received support by

theGovernment of the People's Republic of China, such asMazuisminSouthern China

(officially about 160 million Chinese are Mazuists),[6]

Huangdiworship,[7][8]

BlackDragonworship inShaanxi,

[9][10][11]andCaishenworship.

[12]

Contents

1 Overview 2 Characteristics

o 2.1 The Chinese Deities (Gods and goddesses)o 2.2 Places of worship

3 Organizational religions 4 Societal impact 5 Demographics 6 Practice around the world

o 6.1 Tridharma in Indonesia 7 Gallery 8 See also 9 Further reading 10 References 11 External links

Overview

Chinese folk religion holds aspects of ancestral belief systems such asanimismandshamanism,

[13][14]which include the veneration of (and communication with) ancestors, and

energetic streams such asQi, but also physical phenomena such as theSun, theMoon, theEarth,

theHeaven, and variousstars, as well as communication with animals, such asauspicesfrombirds. Related practices have been held by the Chinese people for over three thousand years

(such as written inOracle bone scripts), and alongsideBuddhism,Taoism, and various other

religions for the past two thousand years. Even in ancient China, religion emphasizeddocumentation and was quite bureaucratic in nature.

[15]

Rituals, devotionalworship,mythssacred reenactment,festivalsand various other practices

associated with different folk gods and goddesses form an important part ofChinese cultureandChinese spiritual world conceptstoday. The veneration of secondary gods does not conflict with

an individual's chosen religion, but is accepted as a complementary adjunct, particularly to

Taoism. Somemythicalfigures in folk culture have been integrated into Chinese Buddhism, as in
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ismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auspicehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auspicehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auspicehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_scripthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_scripthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_scripthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-15https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-15https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-15https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritualshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritualshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worshiphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worshiphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worshiphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_culturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_culturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_culturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_spiritual_world_conceptshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_spiritual_world_conceptshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_spiritual_world_conceptshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_culturehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Festivalhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Worshiphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ritualshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-15https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oracle_bone_scripthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Auspicehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Starhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heavenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sunhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-13https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shamanismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#External_linkshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Referenceshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Further_readinghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#See_alsohttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Galleryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Tridharma_in_Indonesiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Practice_around_the_worldhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Demographicshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Societal_impacthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Organizational_religionshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Places_of_worshiphttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#The_Chinese_Deities_.28Gods_and_goddesses.29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Characteristicshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#Overviewhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-12https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cai_Shenhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-11https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-9https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaanxihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragonhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-7https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-7https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huangdihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-6https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northern_and_southern_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mazu_%28goddess%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Government_of_the_Peo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the case ofMiao Shan. She is generally thought to have influenced the beliefs about the Buddhist

bodhisattvaGuanyin. This Bodhisattva originally was based upon the Indian counterpart

Avalokitevara. Androgynous in India, this Bodhisattva over centuries became a female figure inChina and Japan. Guanyin is one of the most popular Bodhisattva to which people pray.

There are many public-domain folk religion texts such asJourneys to the Underworlddistributedin temples (often without charge) or sold ingods material shopsor vegetarian shops. Temples for

Shenist worship are different from Taoist temples and Buddhist monasteries, being administered

by localmanagers, associations and worship communities.

Characteristics

Communal ceremony at the Grand Temple of Shennong-Yandi inSuizhou,Hubei.

The Chinese Deities (Gods and goddesses)

There are hundreds of Chinese Deities (local gods and goddesses) as well asdemigods. After

apotheosis, historical figures noted for their bravery or virtue are also venerated and honored as

ancestral"saints",xians, or heightened to the status ofshens, deities.Song Dynastyregisteredthem.

[16]Deities reflect the Chinese imperial bureaucracy, and exemplify many characteristics of

human officials, such as their fallibility.[3]

The following list represents some commonlyworshipped deities.

Pangu(), thecreator godin certainmyths. He is usually depicted as a primitive,hairygiantwith horns on his head and clad in furs. Pangu set about the task of creatingthe world: he separated Yin from Yang with a swing of his giant axe, creating theEarth

(murky Yin) and theSky(clearYang).

Fuxi(), also known asPaoxi, a divine patriarch reputed to have taught to humanitywriting,fishing, andhunting.Cangjieis also said to have invented writing.

Nwa(), alsoNwa, an ancientmother goddess, attributed for the creation ofmankind. In later traditions she is described as the twin sister or/and wife of Fuxi.

Shennong(), also identified asYandi(), a divine patriarch said to have taughtthe ancient Chinese the practices ofagriculture. He is often represented as a human with

bullhorns.

Huangdi(), or "Yellow Emperor", the divine patriarch of theHuaxiaculturelineage. He is regarded as the founder of China.
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/Earthhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giant_%28mythology%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mythhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Creator_deityhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panguhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-wolf-3https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-16https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Dynastyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shen_%28Chinese_religion%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xian_%28Taoism%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sainthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Veneration_of_the_deadhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apotheosishttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demigodhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hubeihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suizhouhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gods_material_shophttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Journeys_to_the_Under-Worldhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avalokite%C5%9Bvarahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guanyinhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bodhisattva


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Guan Yu(), also known with the templar names ofGuandi and Guan Gong(literally 'Emperor Guan' and 'Lord Guan' respectively), the red-faced, bearded hero of

Romance of the Three Kingdomsand symbol of loyalty. He is the patron god of

policemen, war, fortune, and law, as he shows forgiveness, and often also serves as WuSheng, the Martial Saint.

Baosheng Dadi (), a divine physician born in the Song Dynasty, whose powersextend to raising the dead. Worship is especially prevalent inFujianandTaiwan.

Caishen( "God of Wealth"), who oversees the gaining and distribution of wealththroughfortune. He is often the deified manifestation of certain historical personalities

such asZhao GongmingorBi Gan. His shape is sometimes that of a black and fiercetiger.

Shoushen( "Star Lord of Longevity"), who stands for a healthy and long life. He isportrayed as an old balding man with a walking stick in his right hand and a peach in his

left.

Fushen( "Star Lord of Happiness"), he looks like a traditional Chinese feudal lordwith red clothing. He symbolizes happiness and joy.

Lushen( "Star Lord of Prosperity"), a god of success in work and life. In ancienttimes he was the patron god of success in imperial bureaucracy.

TheBaxian(), the "Eight Immortals", are important literary and artistic figures whowere deified after death and became objects of worship. InTaoismthey're worshipped as

xians.

Huye (), a guardian spirit, often found at the bottom of Taoist temple shrines.Worshipers revere the tiger spirit to curse spiritual enemies. Rituals include stomping an

effigy of a spiritual enemy in front of the tiger spirit, as well as sacrificing meat offerings,

paper gold, and others.

TheJiuhuang Dadi() refer to manifestation of nine stars of the Great Dipperof the North. Their manifestation festival is held over the first nine days of the ninth lunarmonth to celebrate the return from heaven to earth of the Nine Emperor spirits.

Mazu( "Ancient Mother"), the patroness, also considered as the goddess of sailors.Shrines can be found in coastal areas of Eastern and South-Eastern China. Today, belief

inMazu is especially popular in the South and South-East, includingFujian(),

Guangdong(),Hainan(),Taiwan(), andHong Kong(). She is also asignificant deity where emigrants from the provinces have settled, including inSingapore,MalaysiaandVietnam.
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The City God Temple ofBeijing.

Qiye () and Baye (), two generals and best friends, often seen as giant puppetsin street parades. 8 is black, because he drowned rather than miss his appointment to meetwith 7, even though a flood was coming. 7 has his tongue sticking out, because he hanged

himself in mourning for 8. Shangdi() is originally the supreme god, synonymous with the concept ofTian.

This title/name was later applied to the supreme deity of various religions, including YuHuang Dadi and the Christian God.

Cheng Huang (), commonly known as "City God" in English, a class of protectivedeities: each city has a Cheng Huang who looks after the fortunes of the city and judges

the dead. Usually these are famous or noble persons from the city who were deified after

death. The Cheng Huang Miao () or "City God Temple" was often the focal pointof a town in ancient times.

Tudi Gong( "God of the Earth"), agenius lociwho protects a local place(especially hills), and whose statue may be found in roadside shrines. He is also the god

of wealth, by virtue of his connection with the earth, and therefore, minerals and buriedtreasure.

Wenchangdi (), god of students, scholars, and examination. He is worshiped bystudents who wish to pass their examinations. Inept examiners in ancient times

sometimes sought "divine guidance" from him to decide rank between students.

Xi Wangmu(), the "Queen Mother of the West", also known as Yaochi Jinmu( "Golden Mother of the Jade Pond"), amother goddesswho reigns over aparadisaical mountain and has the power to make others immortal. In some myths, she is

the mother of theJade Emperor().

Yuexia Laoren ( "Old Man Under the Moon"). The matchmaker who pairslovers together, worshiped by those seeking their partner.

Zaoshen(), the "God of the Kitchen", alsoZao Jun (), mentioned in the title ofAmy Tan's novel, The Kitchen God's Wife. He reports to heaven on the behavior of the

family of the house once a year, at Chinese New Year, and is given sticky rice to render

his speech less comprehensible on that occasion.

Songzi Niangniang() orZhusheng Niangniang(), afertility goddess.She is worshiped by people who want children, or who want their child to be a boy.

Lu Ban(), the legendary master craftsman from the 5th century BC; patron deity ofChinese craftsmen

Places of worship

Shenist temples can be distinguished into miao (), called "joss houses", "deity houses" and ci

(), called "ancestral halls" or simply "temples" in English. Both the terms actually mean"temple" in Chinese, and they have been used interchangeably many times. Howevermiao is the

general Chinese term for "temple" understood as "place of worship", and can be used for placesof worship of any religion. In Chinese folk religion it is mostly associated to temples which
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enshrine nature gods and patron gods. Instead ci is the specific term for temples enshrining

ancestry gods, human beings apotheosized as gods.

"Joss" is a corrupted version of the Portuguese word for "god", deus. "Joss house" was in

common use in English in western North America during frontier times, when joss houses were a

common feature ofChinatowns. The name "joss house" describes the environment of worship.Joss sticks, a kind ofincense, are burned inside and outside of the house.

Shenist temples are distinct fromTaoist temples(/gun ordaoguan) andBuddhist

monasteries(si) in that they are established and administered by localmanagers, associationsand worship communities; only few or nopriestsstay in folk temples; most are invited. Shenist

temples are usually small, very colourful (by contrast with Taoist temples which by traditionshould be black and white in color, and Buddhist temples which are characterised by a

prevalence of yellow and red tonalities), and decorated with traditional figures on their roofs

(dragons and deities), although some evolve into significant structures. Other terms associated to

templar structures of Shenism and other religions in China aregong("palace"), often used for

large temples (even if mostly Taoist) built by imperial officials, andyuan, a general term for"sanctuary", "shrine".

Organizational religions

There are also many controversial folk religious movements known as secret religions

(zh:) with different names.[17][18]

Societal impact

Scholars have studied how Chinese folk religion-inspired society, elastic andpolytheisticinspirit, provided the groundwork for the development of dynamic grassroots Chinese-style pre-

moderncapitalisminSong DynastyChina and modern capitalism in contemporaryTaiwan.

[19][20][21][22]Chinese folk religion with its ritual economy is also a key in the

contemporary economic development in ruralMainland China.[23][24]

Demographics

With around 400 million adherents Chinese folk religion is one of themajor religions in the

world, comprising about 6% of world population.[25][26]

InChinamore than 30% of the

population adheres to Shenism or Taoism. InTaiwan, Shenism is highly institutionalised underthe label and the institutions of "Taoism", which is adhered by 33% of the population.

[citation needed]

InSingaporeabout 8.5% of the total population is Taoist, and 10% of theChinese Singaporeans

identify as Taoists.[27]

InMalaysia, 10.6% of Chinese Malaysians are Shenists-Taoists,

corresponding to 3% of the whole country population. InIndonesia, Taosu Agung Kusumo,leader of the Majelis Agama Tao Indonesia, claims there are 5 million Taoist followers in the

country as of 2009.[28]
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatownhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joss_stickhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joss_stickhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incensehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incensehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incensehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthttps://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A7%98%E5%AF%86%E5%AE%97%E6%95%99https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A7%98%E5%AF%86%E5%AE%97%E6%95%99https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A7%98%E5%AF%86%E5%AE%97%E6%95%99https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A7%98%E5%AF%86%E5%AE%97%E6%95%99https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-17https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-17https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-17https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytheismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytheismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytheismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Dynastyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Dynastyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Dynastyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-19https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-19https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-21https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-21https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainland_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainland_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-23https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-23https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-23https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groupshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groupshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groupshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groupshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-adherents-25https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-adherents-25https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-adherents-25https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Singaporeanshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Singaporeanshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Singaporeanshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-27https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-27https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-27https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-28https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-28https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-28https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-28https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Indonesiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malaysiahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-27https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Singaporeanshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Singaporehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_neededhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People%27s_Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-adherents-25https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-adherents-25https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groupshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_religious_groupshttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-23https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-23https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mainland_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-21https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-21https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-19https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-19https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Chinahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Song_Dynastyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capitalismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytheismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-17https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-17https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%AD%E5%9B%BD%E7%A7%98%E5%AF%86%E5%AE%97%E6%95%99https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Priesthttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Managementhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Incensehttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joss_stickhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinatown


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Practice around the world

Tridharma in Indonesia

The Chinese folk religion is one of six state religions in Indonesia. The official name is Agama

Khonghucu orThe Religion ofConfucius. The name was chosen because of the politicalcondition in Indonesia at the time, despite all of the Chinese already aware that Confucian should

be described as a philosophy, and not a religion. The Chinese in Indonesia had their culture andreligious rights restored only after the fourth president of Indonesia,Abdurrahman Wahidor

popular by the name ofGus Dur, issued a regulation that states: the acknowledged religions in

Indonesia areIslam,Christian,Catholic,Buddhism,Hinduism, and Khonghucu. He said that:

All religions insist on peace. From this we might think that the religious struggle for peace is

simple... but it is not. The deep problem is that people use religion wrongly in pursuit of victoryand triumph. This sad fact then leads to conflict with people who have different beliefs.

[29]

The first precept ofPancasila(i.e, the Five Basic Principles of the Indonesian state) stipulatesbelief in the one and onlyGod. The Confucian philosophy is able to fulfill this, for Confucius

mentioned only one God in his teaching, i.e. theHeavenorShangdi. The Heaven possess the

characteristic ofYuan Heng Li ZhenorOmnipresent, Omnipotent, Omnibenevolent,Just.[30]

The Master said, "Great indeed was Yao as a sovereign! How majestic was he! It is only Heaven

that is grand, and only Yao corresponded to it. How vast was his virtue! The people could findno name for it. How majestic was he in the works which he accomplished! How glorious in the

elegant regulations which he instituted!" (VIII, xix, tr. Legge 1893:214)

Actually, people always refer to the religion as Tridharma. The term was taken fromSanskrit

which means Three Teachings orSan Jio in Chinese, thesyncretismof three philosophicalbeliefs of Chinese:Confucianism,Taoism, andBuddhism.

[30]Indonesian Chinese uses a temple

of their own style which is named Kelenteng orKlenteng, which always consist of three main

rooms: the front room forTianor God, the middle for the main deity of the temple, the back

room for the three teachers and their pantheon: (Confucius,Laozi, andBuddha).

Gallery

Images of Shenist temples, altars, deity depictions, and practices
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdurrahman_Wahidhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdurrahman_Wahidhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdurrahman_Wahidhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancasilahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancasilahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancasilahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangdihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangdihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangdihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Prayer_papers,_Zushih_Temple.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laozihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confuciushttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taoismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucianismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syncretismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sanskrithttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-Matrisia-30https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shangdihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Godhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pancasilahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_folk_religion#cite_note-29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hinduismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhismhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholichttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christianhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdurrahman_Wahidhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Confucius


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Paper prayers, candles and

offerings on a Taiwanese

altar

Acity godstatue inside a

miao
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_godhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_godhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_godhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anonymous-Fuxi_and_N%C3%BCwa2.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Singwang.JPGhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Anonymous-Fuxi_and_N%C3%BCwa2.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Singwang.JPGhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/City_god


9/10

Historical depiction of the

archaic twin deitiesFuxi

andNwa

A typical miao altar
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuxihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuxihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuxihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BCwahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BCwahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BCwahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Temple_of_Guandi_in_Linyi,_Shandong,_China.pnghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/N%C3%BCwahttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fuxi


10/10

A temple toGuandiin

Linyi,Shandong.

Colossus of godXuan Wu

in Taiwan
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yuhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linyihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linyihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandonghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandonghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandonghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuan_Wu_%28god%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuan_Wu_%28god%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuan_Wu_%28god%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Shien-tien.jpghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xuan_Wu_%28god%29https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shandonghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linyihttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guan_Yu

chinese folk religion.docx

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