RAS-1979 — Page 209

RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 All AI Reviewed

182

JULIAN F. PAS

Both the Buddhists and Taoists are publishing books and monthly magazines to make their religion accessible to serious lay people; examples are the Journal of Buddhist Culture,11 imitated by its counterpart Journal of Taoist Culture.12 Besides these two, there are a great number of other monthlies.13

(d) Folk Religion

I believe that Chinese folk religion is the heart of religious life in Taiwan (and China). Although it has greatly borrowed from all the other systems, it has to be regarded as a distinct system in its own right, already in existence before the rise of the historical traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. In the course of the centuries, it has absorbed a great deal of their teachings and has thus been enriched considerably, but it still cannot simply be identified with any of the three. This does not mean that it is a well-organized and homogeneous system. To postulate a well-rounded and logically constructed system for the folk religion does not agree with the real facts. If one were to ask what the religious beliefs and practices of the Chinese people are, the answer would have to start with the folk religion, making exceptions for the relatively few who are purely and exclusively Buddhist or Taoist (also excepting those who have no religious beliefs any longer).

What the majority of the people believe in and practice circles around two areas of major concern: the family (clan) and the local community. These two social organizations determine their religious practices and also, to a greater or lesser degree, control their religious beliefs.

(i) Family: the family lineage is characterized by the cult of the ancestors and some select deities.14 The practice of ordinary ancestral worship at the home shrine is rather stereotyped: depending on the degree of religious fervor of individuals, rituals are performed with lesser or greater regularity and abundance of offerings. But a minimum practice in all families, even in the cities, is the devotions performed at the home shrine two times a month: on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. Daily offerings of incense are also often performed, but not in all homes.

The extraordinary ancestral cult consists of rituals of passage, especially those observed at funerals, and these are often focused on geomancy and second burial. These customs are still very seriously maintained by a large section of the population.

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182 JULIAN F. PAS Both the Buddhists and Taoists are publishing books and monthly magazines to make their religion accessible to serious lay people; examples are the Journal of Buddhist Culture,11 imitated by its counterpart Journal of Taoist Culture.12 Besides these two, there are a great number of other monthlies.13 (d) Folk Religion I believe that Chinese folk religion is the heart of religious life in Taiwan (and China). Although it has greatly borrowed from all the other systems, it has to be regarded as a distinct system in its own right, already in existence before the rise of the historical traditions of Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. In the course of the centuries, it has absorbed a great deal of their teachings and has thus been enriched considerably, but it still cannot simply be identified with any of the three. This does not mean that it is a well-organized and homogeneous system. To postulate a well-rounded and logically constructed system for the folk religion does not agree with the real facts. If one were to ask what the religious beliefs and practices of the Chinese people are, the answer would have to start with the folk religion, making exceptions for the relatively few who are purely and exclusively Buddhist or Taoist (also excepting those who have no religious beliefs any longer). What the majority of the people believe in and practice circles around two areas of major concern: the family (clan) and the local community. These two social organizations determine their religious practices and also, to a greater or lesser degree, control their religious beliefs. (i) Family: the family lineage is characterized by the cult of the ancestors and some select deities.14 The practice of ordinary ancestral worship at the home shrine is rather stereotyped: depending on the degree of religious fervor of individuals, rituals are performed with lesser or greater regularity and abundance of offerings. But a minimum practice in all families, even in the cities, is the devotions performed at the home shrine two times a month: on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. Daily offerings of incense are also often performed, but not in all homes. The extraordinary ancestral cult consists of rituals of passage, especially those observed at funerals, and these are often focused on geomancy and second burial. These customs are still very seriously maintained by a large section of the population.

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T 182 JULIAN F. PAS Both the Buddhists and Taoists are publishing books and monthly magazines to make their religion accessible to serious lay people examples ate the Journal of Buddhist Culture,11 imitated by its counterpart Journal of Taoist Culture 12 Besides these two there are a great number of other monthlies.13 (d) Folk Religion I believe that Chinese folk religion is the heart of religious life in Taiwan (and China). Although it has greatly borrowed from all the other systems, it has to be regarded as a distinct system in its own right, already in existence before the rise of the historical traditions of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. In the course of the centuries it has absorbed a great deal of their teachings and has thus been enriched considerably but it still cannot simply be identified with any of the three. This does not mean that it is a well-organized and homogeneous system. To postulate a well round. ed and logically constructed system for the folk religion does not agree with the real facts. If one would ask what the religious beliefs and practices of the Chinese people are, the answer would have to start with the folk-religion, making exceptions for the relatively few who are purely and 'exclusively Buddhist or Taoist (also excepting those who have no religious beliefs any longer). What the majority of the people believe in and practice circles around two areas of major concern: the family (clan) and the local community. These two social organizations determine their religious practices and also, to a greater or lesser degree, control their religious beliefs. (i) Family: the family lineage is characterized by the cult of the ancestors and some select deities.14 The practice of ordinary ancestral worship at the home shrine is rather stereotyped: depen- ding on the degree of religious fervour of individuals, rituals are performed with lesser or greater regularity and abundance of offer- ings. But a minimum practice in all families, even in the cities, is the devotions performed at the home shrine two times a month : on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. Daily offerings of incense are also often performed, but not in all homes. The extraordinary ancestral cult consists in rituals of passage, especially those observed at funerals, and these are often focused on geomancy and second burial. These customs are still very seriously maintained by a large section of the population.

2026-05-12 23:20:57 · Baseline

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182

JULIAN F. PAS

Both the Buddhists and Taoists are publishing books and monthly magazines to make their religion accessible to serious lay people examples ate the Journal of Buddhist Culture,11 imitated by its counterpart Journal of Taoist Culture 12 Besides these two there are a great number of other monthlies.13

(d) Folk Religion

I believe that Chinese folk religion is the heart of religious life in Taiwan (and China). Although it has greatly borrowed from all the other systems, it has to be regarded as a distinct system in its own right, already in existence before the rise of the historical traditions of Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism. In the course of the centuries it has absorbed a great deal of their teachings and has thus been enriched considerably but it still cannot simply be identified with any of the three. This does not mean that it is a well-organized and homogeneous system. To postulate a well round. ed and logically constructed system for the folk religion does not agree with the real facts. If one would ask what the religious beliefs and practices of the Chinese people are, the answer would have to start with the folk-religion, making exceptions for the relatively few who are purely and 'exclusively Buddhist or Taoist (also excepting those who have no religious beliefs any longer).

(i) Family: the family lineage is characterized by the cult of the ancestors and some select deities.14 The practice of ordinary ancestral worship at the home shrine is rather stereotyped: depen- ding on the degree of religious fervour of individuals, rituals are performed with lesser or greater regularity and abundance of offer- ings. But a minimum practice in all families, even in the cities, is the devotions performed at the home shrine two times a month : on the first and fifteenth day of the lunar month. Daily offerings of incense are also often performed, but not in all homes.

The extraordinary ancestral cult consists in rituals of passage, especially those observed at funerals, and these are often focused on geomancy and second burial. These customs are still very seriously maintained by a large section of the population.

RAS-1979 — Page 209

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