CHINESE RELIGION AND RURAL COHESION
39
"pseudo-kinship" system. Taoism had a monastic organization which might again have drawn off some of the dissatisfied in normal Society. It might have attracted more men than women. It also provided teams of professionals who catered for the customary ritual needs of villagers and also possibly promoted the ritual activities of popular temples. A popular temple organization might become a means for community control, but it required religious activities of course in order to be popular with the ordinary people. Taoism also produced a number of societies specialising to some extent in problems of poverty: drug addiction and sickness for example.
The role of sects and secret societies at the village level was probably most complex. The local bonds of sectarians and possibly members of secret societies tended to conflict with those tying them to the wider organization of such bodies. In both cases organization tended to cut across village organization, however. Whether the bonds among members were on the whole disruptive or conducive to community order would depend largely on their activities at particular times which might vary with economic circumstances. The power and support sects sometimes gave to local communities might tend to reduce their control over an area ultimately, however.
When actually rebelling sects might be expected to be less efficient than secret societies unless they made special organizational arrangements. The latter placed fewer religious restrictions on members and would attract ordinary peasants more as members and leaders. One of the main dangers of secret groupings which were religious, or used religion, to a village community, was that they tended to draw off the desperate and discontented into organizations cutting across such units as I have said, and thus divided the poor from the rich who usually controlled community affairs. While organizations like the sects provided other-world satisfactions and also housed unattached members outside the community they might be doing a village a service; but when members of such sects, and particularly of secret societies lived in their own homes they would create dual allegiances which could be dangerous. This was particularly so of the societies, of course, which did not provide outside accommodation away from the villages. Nevertheless such dangers themselves and also those from dislocated peasants for which they might provide a tighter organization.
CHINESE RELIGION AND RURAL COHESION
39
"pseudo-kinship" system. Taoism had a monastic organization which might again have drawn off some of the dissatisfied in normal Society. It might have attracted more men than women. It also provided teams of professionals who catered for the customary ritual needs of villagers and also possibly promoted the ritual activities of popular temples. A popular temple organization might become a means for community control, but it required religious activities of course in order to be popular with the ordinary people. Taoism also produced a number of societies specialising to some extent in problems of poverty: drug addiction and sickness for example.
The role of sects and secret societies at the village level was probably most complex. The local bonds of sectarians and possi- bly members of secret societies tended to conflict with those tying them to the wider organization of such bodies. In both cases or- ganization tended to cut across village organization, however. Whe- ther the bonds among members were on the whole disruptive or conducive to community order would depend largely on their activi- ties at particular times which might vary with economic circums- tances. The power and support sects sometimes gave to local com- munities might tend to reduce their control over an area ultimately, however.
When actually rebelling sects might be expected to be less effi- cient than secret societies unless they made special organizational arrangements. The latter placed fewer religious restrictions on members and would attract ordinary peasants more as members and leaders. One of the main dangers of secret groupings which were religious, or used religion, to a village community, was that they tended to draw off the desperate and discontended into or- ganizations cutting across such units as I have said, and thus di- vided the poor from the rich who usually controlled community affairs. While organizations like the sects provided other-world satisfactions and also housed unattached members outside the community they might be doing a village a service; but when mem- bers of such sects, and particularly of secret societies lived in their own homes they would create dual allegiances which could be dangerous. This was particularly so of the societies, of course, which did not provide outside accomodation away from the vil lages. Nevertheless such dangers themselves and also those from dislocated peasants for which they might provide a tighter organi-
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