Chinese Buddhism and Folk Religions China has the world's largest Buddhist population, with an estimated 185–250 million practitioners, according to Freedom House. Though Buddhism originated in India, it has a long history and tradition in China and today is the country's largest institutionalized religion.
National surveys conducted in the early 21st century estimated that some 80% of the population of China, which is more than a billion people, practice some kind of Chinese folk religion; 13–16% are Buddhists; 10% are Taoist; 2.53% are Christians; and 0.83% are Muslims.
Religions in China. China is a country with many religions. Buddhism, Taoism and Islam are quite popular, while there are also Christian believers (both Catholic and Protestant).
Taoism is "the way" leading one to fulfill their immortality by becoming one with the Tao or universe by living in balance. Buddhism is a philosophy where one strives to achieve enlightenment or nirvana through its teachings.
Taoism has been connected to the philosopher Lao Tzu, who around 500 B.C.E. wrote the main book of Taoism, the Tao Te Ching. Taoism holds that humans and animals should live in balance with the Tao, or the universe. Taoists believe in spiritual immortality, where the spirit of the body joins the universe after death.
Taoism does not have a God in the way that the Abrahamic religions do. There is no omnipotent being beyond the cosmos, who created and controls the universe. In Taoism the universe springs from the Tao, and the Tao impersonally guides things on their way.
Religious Taoism
Taoism is often taught in the West as an atheist or agnostic philosophy, but in China and Taiwan particularly, Taoism still functions like any conventional religion, and not like an abstract philosophy of life.
Buddhists also abstain from beef. In Taoist circles, the Cantonese phrase sik cai is frequently heard during new moon and full moon days: it means avoiding meat at those times. Strict Taoist adherents rarely consume meat.
In Taoism perspective, life after death refers to the belief that one will die and be reborn in another being based on their previous lives. This interpretation, he said, should encourage human beings to do good and benefit others because their virtues will spread positive energy.
Unlike much of western society, Taoists do not view marriage or divorce as religious matters, according to the “Cultural Sociology of Divorce: An Encyclopedia,” edited by Robert E. Emery. They see marriage and divorce as civil matters determined by law.
Christianity (43.9%) No religion (38.9%) Islam (3.2%)
But do Chinese people celebrate Christmas? The answer is yes…and no. Like the rest of the world, Christmas Day in China is on December 25th each year. However, Christmas traditions in the country are relatively young and it is mainly celebrated as a commercial season instead of a religious day.
Shinto and Buddhism are Japan's two major religions. Shinto is as old as the Japanese culture, while Buddhism was imported from the mainland in the 6th century. Since then, the two religions have been co-existing relatively harmoniously and have even complemented each other to a certain degree.
Currently, among China's major religions, which include Buddhism, Taoism, Islam and folk beliefs, Christianity is the only one whose major holy text cannot be sold through normal commercial channels. The Bible is printed in China but legally available only at church bookstores approved by Beijing.
Beginning in the early nineteenth century, Protestant missionaries attracted small but influential followings, and independent Chinese churches were also established. It is estimated that Christianity is the fastest growing religion in China.
The Chinese government is wary of religion for several reasons. China is officially an atheist state and Communist Party members are banned from believing in or practicing any faith; there is concern that religion can function as an alternative to Communism and thus undermine loyalty to the government.
Taoists believe that good actions will mean a better life for their soul so Taoists follow rules and guides for living. They are not allowed to tell lies, steal, commit adultery, commit murder or drink alcohol. They also have a list of good deeds to further guide they way they live.
There is significant scholarly debate about the Taoist understanding of death. The process of death itself is described as shijie or "release from the corpse", but what happens after is described variously as transformation, immortality or ascension to heaven.
In ancient China it was believed that death was just a prolongation of life. Instead of believing in individual salvation, the ancient Chinese believed that the dead would continue in the spirit life much as they had done in this life. Thus provisions were made for those that had died for use in the afterlife.
Diet. Classical Taoist teaching recommends abstaining from alcohol, meat, beans and grains.
The monastic traditions of Taoism, which originated in China, also prescribe abstaining from garlic and onions because of their potential to interfere with mental clarity. The Taoist version of "five pungents" includes garlic, onions, coriander, rapeseed plant, and Chinese chives.
Early Buddhism was sometimes seen as a kind of foreign relative of Taoism and its scriptures were often translated into Chinese with Taoist vocabulary. Chan Buddhism in particular holds many beliefs in common with philosophical Taoism.
Some Buddhist practices were similar to Taoist ones, and Buddhist monks would use Taoist concepts to explain Buddhism to the Chinese, overcoming the cultural and language barrier between Indian and the Chinese people. Buddhism also influenced Taoism with its institutional structure, which Taoists copied and modified.
For instance, one introductory text claims, "Taoism has no doctrine of sin. Ethics should be incidental to spiritual values, and indeed, there is no ideograph in Chinese which conveys the Western conception of sin and a sense of guilt." As mentioned above, zui 罪 means both "sin" and "guilt."