| Taoic Religion |
Website Links For East Asian |
Information AboutTaoic Religion |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT EAST ASIAN RELIGIONS | |
| religious comparison | |
| religious faiths, traditions, and movements | |
| religion in asia | |
| taoism | |
| shinto | |
| chinese buddhism | |
| zen | |
|
In the study of Comparative Religion , the Far Eastern religions ('''East Asian religions''', also '''Chinese religions''') form a subset of the Eastern Religions , including Taoism , Confucianism , Shinto , Yiguandao , Chondogyo , Caodaism , Jeungism and Chen Tao . These traditions or religious philosophies focus on the ("The Way"; pinyin ''dào'', Korean ''do'', Japanese ''tō'' or ''dō'', Vietnamese ''đạo''), for which reason they are also called Taoic religions. Taoic religions as a World Religion group is comparable to the Abrahamic Religion s and Dharmic Religion s.Sharot, Stephen. ''A Comparative Sociology of World Religions: virtuosos, priests, and popular religion''. Pp 71-72, 75-76. New York: NYU Press, 2001. ISBN 0814798055. Taoic faiths claim at least 500 million members worldwide. Religious population statistics . Source: adherents.com. These statistics are limited and do not reflect the full population of Taoic adherents due to complexities in definition and polling. Ancient Chinese philosophies defined Tao and advocated cultivating De in that Tao.Maspero, Henri. Translated by Frank A. Kierman, Jr. ''Taoism and Chinese Religion''. pg 32. University of Massachusetts, 1981. There are ancient schools that have merged into traditions under different names or are no longer active, such as Mohism and many others of the Hundred Schools Of Thought , while some such as Taoism persist to the modern day. Taoic religion is usually Polytheistic or Nontheistic , but Henotheistic , Monotheistic , Pantheistic , Panentheistic and Agnostic varieties exist, inside and outside of Asia . Taoic religion has Western adherents, though their interpretation may significantly differ from traditional East Asian thought and culture. TERMINOLOGY The traditions described as "Far Eastern religion", "East Asian religion" or "Chinese religion", despite the wide variety of terms, are recognized as a distinct religious family.de Groot, J. J. M. ''Religion in China: Universism a Key to the Study of Taoism and Confucianism''. Pp 45-46. Kessinger Publishing. 2004. ISBN 141794658X.James, Edwin Olver. ''The Comparative Study of Religions of the East (excluding Christianity and Judaism).'' Pg 5. University of Michigan Press. 1959. Other terms used synonymously are: "Taoic religion", "Tao religion", "Taoic tradition" and "Tao-based religion" or "Tao-based faiths". Syncretism is widespread in East Asia, often making it difficult to recognize individual faiths.Ito, Satoshi. Translated by Breen, John & Teeuwen, Mark. ''Shinto - A Short History''. Pg 9. Routledge. 2003. ISBN 0415311799Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths. Pg 164. I.B. Tauris. 1997. ISBN 1860641482. Further complications arise from the inconsistent use of many terms. Tao religion is often used for Taoism itself, especially Tao chiao,Vrijhof, Pieter Hendrik & Waardenburg, Jean Jacques. ''Official and Popular Religion: Analysis of a Theme for Religious Studies''. Pg 419. Walter de Gruyter. 1979. ISBN 9027979987. as well an identifying term for Tao-based new religious movements.Beversluis, Joel Diederik. ''Sourcebook of the World's Religions: An Interfaith Guide to Religion and Spirituality''. Pg 41. New World Library. 2000. ISBN 1577311213. Far Eastern religion may refer to only faiths based upon Tao,Fisher, Mary Pat. Living Religions: An Encyclopaedia of the World's Faiths. Pp 164-165, 174-175. I.B. Tauris. 1997. ISBN 1860641482. but also can include Buddhism,Yamamoto, J. Isamu.''Buddhism: Buddhism, Taoism and Other Far Eastern Religions''. Zondervan. 1998. ISBN 0310489121. or even inclusively refer to all Asian religions.Northrop, Filmer Stuart Cuckow. ''The Meeting of East and West: An Inquiry Concerning World Understanding''. Pg 412. The Macmillan company. 1946. The problems in distinguishing religious practices and inconsistency in terminology can make discussion of Taoic religions difficult. TAO See Also: Tao Tao can be roughly stated to be the flow of the universe, or the force behind the natural order.Cane, Eulalio Paul. ''Harmony: Radical Taoism Gently Applied''. Pg 13. Trafford Publishing, 2002. ISBN 1412247780. Tao is believed to be the influence that keeps the universe balanced and ordered. Tao is associated with nature, due to a belief that nature demonstrates the Tao.Martinson, Paul Varo ''A theology of world religions: Interpreting God, self, and world in Semitic, Indian, and Chinese thought''. Pp 168-169. Augsburg Publishing House. 1987. ISBN 0806622539. The flow of Chi , as the essential energy of action and existence, is compared to the universal order of Tao. Tao is compared to what it is not, like the Negative Theology of Western scholars.This concept of being unable to accurately describe Tao is common among Taoic religions and Taoist writings. For example, "The Tao that can be told is not the eternal Tao; The name that can be named is not the eternal name." ''Tao Te Ching'', First Chapter It is often considered to be the source of both existence and non-existence.See Wu Chi and Tai Chi for more information about "non-existence" and "existence" in Taoic thought. De Tao is also associated with a "proper" attitude, morality and lifestyle. In practice, this meaning varies among the Taoic faiths and their branches. This is intimately tied to the complex concept of ''De'', or literally "virtue". De is the active expression of Tao.Sharot, Stephen. ''A Comparative Sociology of World Religions: virtuosos, priests, and popular religion''. Pp 77-78, 88. New York: NYU Press, 2001. ISBN 0814798055. Generally, those religions closer to Taoism express this as "integrity" or "wholeness", while those faiths closer to Confucianism express this concept as "morality" or "sound character".Yao, Xinzhong. ''An Introduction to Confucianism''. Pp 155-156. Cambridge University Press. 2000. ISBN 0521644305. TAOIC FAITHS The three major Taoic faiths are Taoism, Confucianism and Shinto.James, Edwin Olver. ''The Comparative Study of Religions of the East (excluding Christianity and Judaism)''. Pg 5. University of Michigan Press. 1959. Buddhism, though classified as a Dharmic Religion , has significant Taoic features in East Asia. Mahayana Buddhism probably should also be considered as a Taoic faith. Taoism See Also: Taoism Taoism is a variety of related religious and philosophical traditions. Categorization of Taoist schools and movements is very controversial. Taoist propriety and ethics places an emphasis on the the unity of the universe, the unity of material world and the spiritual world, the unity of the past, present and future; as the head Deity . Intellectual, or "elite", Taoism usually presents Laozi and the Three Pure Ones at the top of the pantheon.Maspero, Henri. Translated by Frank A. Kierman, Jr. ''Taoism and Chinese Religion''. pg 41. University of Massachusetts, 1981. Nature and ancestor spirits are common in popular Taoism. But this sort of Shamanism is eschewed for an emphasis on Internal Alchemy among the "elite" Taoists. Tao itself is rarely an object of worship, being treated more like the Central Asian concept of Atman .LaFargue, Michael. ''Tao and Method: A Reasoned Approach to the Tao Te Ching''. Pg 283. SUNY Press. 1994. ISBN 0791416011 Confucianism See Also: Confucianism , Republic Of China ( Taiwan ).]] Confucianism is a complex system of moral, social, political, and religious thought, influential in the history of East Asia. It is commonly associated with Legalism but it rejects legalism for Ritualism .Yao, Xinzhong. ''An Introduction to Confucianism''. pp 191-192. Cambridge University Press. 2000. ISBN 0521644305 It also endorses was built.Huang, Siu-chi. ''Essentials of Neo-Confucianism: Eight Major Philosophers of the Song and Ming Periods''. Pg 5. Greenwood Press, 1999. ISBN 031326449X. Shinto See Also: Shinto Shinto is an animistic , Spirit Possession and Faith Healing . "Sect" Shinto is a diverse group including mountain-worshippers and Confucian Shintoists.Ono, Sakyo. ''Shinto: The Kami Way''. Pg 12. Tuttle Publishing. 2004. ISBN 0804835578 Chan Buddhism See Also: Chan Buddhism Chan Buddhism (also widely known as Zen Buddhism) is a form of .Whiting, J.R.S. ''Religions for Today''. Pp 46-47. Nelson Thornes. 1991. ISBN 0748705864 Dialogues and stories called Koans are a distinctive feature of Chan Buddhism. Koans often appear Paradox ical or meaningless, but they are intended to transform the perspective or consciousness of a disciple.Markham, Ian S. & Ruparell, Tinu . ''Encountering Religion: an introduction to the religions of the world''. pp 202-203 Blackwell Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0631206744. TAOISM AND CONFUCIANISM The terms Tao and De are shared religious and philosophical terms between Taoism and Confucianism.Markham, Ian S. & Ruparell, Tinu. ''Encountering Religion: an introduction to the religions of the world''. Pg 254. Blackwell Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0631206744. The authorship of the reacted to the Confucian- Mohist ethical disputes. Zhuangzi's "history of thought" casts Laozi as a prior step to the Mohists by name and the Confucians by implication. It is important to note that Laozi and Zhuangzi are usually considered mythological figures by secular scholars.Boltz, William G. "Lao tzu Tao te ching." ''Early Chinese Texts: A Bibliographical Guide'', edited by Michael Loewe. pg 270. Berkeley: University of California, Institute of East Asian Studies. 1993. (Laozi)Birrell, Anne. ''Chinese Myths''. Pp 16-17. University of Texas Press. 2000. ISBN 0292708793. (Zhuangzi)Willis, Roy G. ''World Mythology''. Pg 90 (Zhuangzi). Pg 98 (Laozi). Owl Books. 1995. Early Taoist texts reject the basic assumptions of Confucianism which relied on rituals and order, in favour of the examples of "wild" nature and individualism.Maspero, Henri. Translated by Frank A. Kierman, Jr. ''Taoism and Chinese Religion''. pg 39. University of Massachusetts, 1981. Historical Taoists challenged conventional morality, while Confucians considered society debased and in need of strong ethical guidance. INTERACTION WITH DHARMIC FAITHS The entry of Taoism incorporated such Buddhist elements as monasteries, vegetarianism, prohibition of alcohol, the doctrine of emptiness, and collecting scripture into tripartite organisation. During the same time, Chan Buddhism grew to become the largest sect in Chinese Buddhism.Dumoulin, Heinrich, Heisig, James W. & Knitter, Paul. ''Zen Buddhism: A History (India and China)''. Pp 166-167, 169-172. World Wisdom, Inc, 2005. ISBN 0941532895. Buddhism was not universally welcomed, particularly among the gentry. The Buddha Dharma seemed alien and amoral to conservative and Confucian sensibilities.Dumoulin, Heinrich, Heisig, James W. & Knitter, Paul. ''Zen Buddhism: A History (India and China)''. Pp 189-190, 268-269. World Wisdom, Inc, 2005. ISBN 0941532895. Confucianism promoted social stability, order, strong families, and practical living. Chinese officials questioned how a monk's monasticism and personal attainment of nirvana benefited the empire.Prebish, Charles. ''Buddhism: A Modern Perspective.'' Pg 192. Penn State Press, 1975. ISBN 0271011955. However, Buddhism and Confucianism eventually reconciled after centuries of conflict and assimilation.Moore, Charles Alexander. ''The Chinese Mind: Essentials of Chinese Philosophy and Culture''. Pp 133, 147. University of Hawaii Press. 1967. ISBN 0824800753. Ideological and political rivals for centuries, Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism deeply influenced one another.Markham, Ian S. & Ruparell, Tinu . ''Encountering Religion: an introduction to the religions of the world''. pp 248-249. Blackwell Publishing, 2001. ISBN 0631206744. They did share some similar values. All three had a humanistic philosophy emphasizing moral behavior and human perfection. In time, most Chinese people identified to some extent with all three traditions simultaneously. Windows on Asia Asian Studies Center, Michigan State University. This became institutionalised when aspects of the three schools were consciously synthesised in the Neo-Confucian school.Moore, Charles Alexander. ''The Chinese Mind: Essentials of Chinese Philosophy and Culture''. Pp 133, 147. University of Hawaii Press. 1967. ISBN 0824800753. NEO-CONFUCIANISM See Also: Neo-Confucianism Neo-Confucianism was a consciously created syncretism of Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese Buddhism. It is recognized as being formulated and established during the Song Dynasty , but traces its roots to scholars of the Tang Dynasty . It combined Buddhist religious concepts with Taoist Yin Yang theory and the I Ching, and placed them on the framework of classic Confucianism.Huang, Siu-chi. ''Essentials of Neo-Confucianism: Eight Major Philosophers of the Song and Ming Periods''. Pp 11-12, 63-64, 106. Greenwood Press, 1999. ISBN 031326449X. Despite Neo-Confucianism's incorporation of the "best" elements of Buddhism and Taoism, its apologists still decried the two faiths.Maspero, Henri. Translated by Frank A. Kierman, Jr. ''Taoism and Chinese Religion''. pg 52-53. University of Massachusetts, 1981. However, its influence on Chinese society has blurred the distinction between the three faiths, even into modern times. Neo-Confucianism was an officially endorsed faith for over five centuries, deeply influencing all of East Asia.Flew, Antony G. ''A Dictionary of Philosophy''. Pg 62. St. Martin's Griffin. 1984. ISBN 0312209231. It should not be conflated with New Confucianism , which is a Modernist form of Confucianism rather than a syncretism of East Asian faiths. CHINESE FOLK RELIGION See Also: Chinese folk religion SEE ALSO
: ''Main lists: List Of Basic Religious Topics and List Of Religious Topics '' FOOTNOTES AND REFERENCES |
|
|