Chinese Religion

“All land under heaven belongs to the emperor; all people on the land are subjects of the emperor”. This used to be the conception of the imperial power in traditional Chinese culture. As everything depends on and serves the imperial power in traditional Chinese culture. As everything depends on and serves the imperial power, so does every religion. Religion as an ideological system must gain the recognition of the monarch. This has been the first criterion of religions. The more an ideological system was recognize, supported and praised by the monarch, the more this ideological system became a religion.

For humans, whether as communities or individuals, religion is a ghost that can never be dismissed. It is a partner of humans. It is greeted in awe and never leaves. In China, Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism are the three main religious beliefs. Confucianism is the main belief. Buddhism and Daoism are secondary beliefs. Other beliefs are supplementary. Every religious belief involves a religion and a philosophy. Confucianism is a patriarchal religion that reveres heaven and ancestors. Its philosophy is Confucianism. But, whereas a traditional patriarchal religion has usually a religious belief but no philosophy, Confucianism has no actual religious belief but a philosophy. Buddhism is both a religion and a philosophy. Daoism is both a religion and a school of thought. To classify the traditional Chinese religions, Confucianism is a philosophy with a patriarchal religious style. Daoism is akin to the patriarchal, clericalist power, with disciples pursuing individual religious goals. Buddhism gives support to the masses to live quietly under the combined rule of the patriarchal, state power and religious power. Either of them provides but the external form of the patriarchal religion.