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Philosophy and Religion in China

Traditionally, several eastern religions have been important to the Chinese people. More recently, western religious ideas have been introduced. Even during the Cultural Revolution there were religious activities although many were conducted under great persecution.

Confucianism has been the major religious influence in China since the days of Kong Fuzi, whose name or title have been Romanized into Confucius. Confucius was a wandering scholastic from the state of Lu whose teachings caught on during the years of the Han dynasty in 202 BC to 1911 AD. Not much information is known about the man's lifetime, from 551 to 479 BC, but his teachings have endured for centuries.

His ideas have more to do with moral and ethical philosophy than with actual religion. His ideas stressed social harmony and one's duties to other people. He defined five cardinal relationship situations, the relationship between husband and wife, between the ruler and those being ruled, between parents and their offspring, between siblings and relationships with friends. Among important ideas of Confucius are one's duty to older people and face-saving concepts.

Menicius Mengzi added to the ideas of Confucius around two hundred years after Confucius died. Added were Taoism and Legalism. Taoism involved passivity and escape to nature. Legalism involved basic doctrines used by the Chinese state in ruling its people.

Taoism evolved into a popular folk religion, partly due to the presence of Buddhism. The goal of Taoists is to become immortal. Taoists tend to choose to concentrate on life itself rather than the pursuit of wealth, knowledge or power.

Buddhism is another of the traditional Eastern religious movements, entering China around AD 59 although it did not become popular until late in the third century AD. Buddhism was an import from India and Nepal. Buddha taught that pain was caused by desires and could be overcome by eliminating desires. Buddhism is a more traditional religion with occasional meetings in a temple and the practice of rituals.

Religions which came to China later include Islam, Roman Catholicism and Protestant Christianity.

Muslims, practicing Islam, arrived in China in the middle of the seventh century from Persia and Central Asia. They are around 20 million in number in China, along the route of the old Silk Road.

In the 1670s, Roman Catholics of the Jesuit persuasion arrived in China. There are around four million Catholics in China now. Since China does not allow any religion which swears allegiance to another location, the Catholics have had to come under the Chinese Catholic Patriotic Association instead of being subjects of the Pope in Rome.

Protestant Christians arrived in China in1807 and now have around ten million members in their various churches. Presently, China allows foreigners to worship any religion so there are a number of foreign churches for visitors to China. They are all in the larger cities.

China is now a multi-religion culture. The Chinese government protects normal religious activity in the country. Besides the social ideas of Confucius and Buddha, no religion has ever become dominant in the country.