Analyse major religious traditions in ancient China.

 The Religious Tradition: The practice of religion in China is a moot question among scholars of history and sociology. However, it can be asserted that the concept of religion as practiced in various other parts of the world was alien to pre-modern China. It can be regarded as a consequence of geographical realities that various organized religions did not reach China in the way they were disseminated in other regions of the world. There were no institutions devoted to a particular faith with its own hierarchy and priesthood. Though Buddhism was an exception but it too was not propagated as an organised creed.

Confucianism

But, it should not mean that there was no belief system prevalent in China. In fact, the teachings of Confucius formed the backbone of the moral and ethical beliefs and the traditions associated with Confucianism were deeprooted in the people, even as Confucianism did not address the issues of cosmology and metaphysics. It was basically related to issues of society and individual and those of statecraft. 

Confucian ideology has been the bedrock of the Chinese society. Confucius was a Chinese thinker in 6th and 5th centuries B.C. He thought that the emperor must be assisted by learned scholars in administration. The scholar official should be informed with values of harmony, humanity and sincerity. Confucius advocated the importance of morality in statecraft. His prescriptions were not dogmatic or unchangeable. Actually, his ideas gained ground gradually after four centuries of his death and started influencing the policies of the state.

Religious Traditions Associated with Confucianism

The period of anarchy and disorder which followed the fall of Chou rulers, continued for more than two centuries. The attempt of Shih Huang-hi, the founder of the Chin Empire, to rule in a legalist manner with stern state and inflexible laws, failed miserably and gave the lessons to all future rulers about the course of action which must be avoided. The Han rulers tried to start afresh and the way was paved for adoption of Confucian traditions. Emperors of Han dynasty found the ideas of the great thinker appealing. They put them in practice in a very gradual manner. It took many generations for emergence and acceptance of scholar-official system to succeed and get a hierarchical order. Evolved, changed and modified by later thinkers and the experience of the working of the state. It was around a thousand years after his death that his teachings formed the basis of examinations for selection of scholar-officials. 

With further passage of time learning and mastering Confucian teachings became compulsory for literati. The institution of scholar-official became the backbone of the imperial system. So much so, that the rise and fall of the dynasties in China did not affect the society very much. The state apparatus of scholar-official ensured the continuation of the system. There was a cycle of emergence, rise and fall of the dynasties but the institutions of the state continued unabated.

Taoism and Buddhism

Along with Confucianism, Taoism too had great impact on Chinese society. Broadly speaking, Taoism was quite contrary to the teachings of Confucius. While the later was not concerned about supernatural aspects like existence of God or life after death, etc. Taoism is a mystical philosophy which is deeply concerned with issues related to the nature and spontaneity. Taoism is based on the teachings of Lao Zi who was a contemporary of Confucius. In the course of its evolution Taoism preached about numerous gods and had priests who propagated it among the masses. Despite the fact that Taoism could not have mass following but it deeply impressed the literati, artists and poets, etc.   

Unlike Taoism Buddhism of Mahayana variety gradually took an organised form. It entered in China from India in the 1st century A.D. and spread slowly but steadily. During the periods of political instability and social turmoil, such as the one which followed the downfall of Han dynasty, the Buddhist sanghas proliferated and made their contribution in providing succour to the masses. In the period from 5th to 8th centuries Buddhist sanghas were given state patronage and turn out to be very influential. But its sway could not last for long and when the imperial system was reinstated, the teachings of Confucianism regained their official position.

Some General Characteristics of Religion in China

Besides the teachings of Confucius, the Chinese people had widespread beliefs in Gods, Goddesses and spirits as is evident from numerous temples and shrines in various provinces of China. The main features of religion in China included:

(a) The practice and concept of religion was very eclectic. Various religious traditions co-existed and followed by people, even if they were mutually exclusive. For instance, a state administrator was Confucian in office and a Taoist in personal life.

(b) The State was governed by teachings of Confucius but it had no qualms with other religions or faiths. Whenever followers of any particular faith tried to become a rival centre of power, they were persecuted and crushed, but no attempt to exterminate them or reconvert their followers was ever made.

(c) The ethical aspect of Chinese deities was limited to their power to help or damage an individual or the society. This was the precise reason of the worship of many Gods and Goddesses.   

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