© 2006 Tom Robinson

 
 

Three religious traditions have intermingled in Chinese religious practice. Confucianism and Daoism are native Chinese religious / philosophical traditions. Buddhism (Mayahana forms) was introduced in the first century CE and underwent adaption to the Chinese culture.

FOUNDERS: Daoism: Laozi (Lao-tzu) sixth century BCE; Confucianism: Confucius (551?-479 BCE).

DEITIES: Tian (T’ien): Heaven. Guanyin (Kuan-yin: “Cry-Regarder.” Budai (Pu-t’ai): “The Laughing Buddha.”

TEXTS: Ancient text: Yijing (I-ching); Daoism: Daedejing (Tao-te Ching); The Three Caverns consistute the Daoist canon. Confucian: The Analects of Confucius; The Five Classics constitute the Confucian canon.

SYMBOLS: Dao (Tao): a widely recognized circle divided into black and white sections by an “S” shape line; popularly called the Yin-Yang symbol. Hexagram: patterns of six horizontal solid or broken lines. Zodiac: divided into 12-year cycles depicted by animals.