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Qing dynasty painting of Confucius presenting the baby Gautama to Laozi

Syncretism in Chinese Worldviews: Chinese Folk Religion as a Compatible Common Element in Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism in China. Qing dynasty painting of Confucius presenting the baby Gautama to Laozi.

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Qing dynasty painting of Confucius presenting the baby Gautama to Laozi

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  1. Syncretism in Chinese Worldviews:Chinese Folk Religion as a Compatible Common Element in Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism in China Qing dynasty painting of Confucius presenting the baby Gautama to Laozi

  2. There is a great degree of interaction, compatibility and syncretismbetween the 3 great religious traditions in China . Confucianism Buddhism Taoism Other religions present in China (Christianity, Islam) or which China was exposed to (Zorastrianism, Manicchaeism, Judaism) can coexist with the 3 main traditions, but they don’t syncretize into a coherent web of culture as do these three traditions.

  3. I would suggest that compatibility between Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism is due to the fact that all 3 traditions had to be basically compatible with Native Chinese Folk Traditions. Confucianism Buddhism Taoism Native Chinese Folk Religion

  4. Native Chinese Folk Religion has elements compatible withConfucianism , Buddhism & Taoism Tao = the Way a connected, holistic organismicwordviewthat trust spontaneity over propriety and nature over civilzation. Yin/yang& 5 element model: laws in cosmos. Ti, T’ien: heaven Supernatural beings, animism, deified spirits .

  5. Central concepts in Pre-Confucian thought Ontology & Cosmology Metaphysics • Dao (“Way”) - the Ultimate; the One; the Absolute; the underlying Power; the Source. It is a connected, holistic, organic worldview that trusts spontaneity over propriety and nature over civilization. It is somewhat mysterious and indescribable. • Yin/Yang - the dual expression of Dao; neither is superior to the other (see next slide) • Heaven & Earth; an ever-changing expression & blend of Yin & Yang.(Heaven is Yang in relation to Earth; and Earth is Yin in relation to Heaven; but each is, in itself, a blend of both Yin & Yang.) Taoism will absorb these ideas wholly into a very spiritual/magical worldview; Confucianism will modify them into a more philosophical /sociological worldview.

  6. Yin & Yang female dark cool moist passive negative Yin Yang male bright hot dry active positive Earth & moon Yin & yang is not a “good vs bad” type dualism. Good is achieved when the right balance and mix is achieved between yin and yang in a given thing/situation. Heaven & sun

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