Samantha Vargas Chinese Religion

Intro to Cultural Anthropology

Ch'en, Kenneth K.S. Buddhism in China: A Historical Survey. New Jersey: Princeton University

Press, 1907-1964. In this text, Professor Kenneth Ch'en writes a historical account of the development of Buddhism and how it modified as it grew. Buddhism is a unique religion in that it has been adapted to incorporate the cultural attitudes of the various countries in which it is found. Within China, Buddhism took an especially strong hold because it was able to incorporate the philosophical ideas of people like Confucius.

Ch'en's main argument of the piece seems to be that Buddhism is different from other religions. This is what makes the book a useful tool for academic research. There is not one set of dogmatic rules that have to be accepted, but rather many different versions of the religion. In this text, Ch'en has identified all of the social, political, and cultural events that helped turn Buddhism into the country's most practiced religion.

Diamond, Jared M. Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies. New York: WW

Norton and Co., 2005. Jared Diamond theorizes that it is geography as well as environmental issues which were the most predominant factors in shaping the modern world. For example, the countries which were able to develop agriculture earliest are the most developed now. They were able to abandon a nomadic lifestyle earlier and establish roots within a region. In the case of religion, the earlier it is established, the longer it takes hold in the community, the more people believe in it, and thus the stronger the hold of that religion on the region.

Diamond's book specifically compares Chinese and Eurasian culture, examining the ways geography and environment impacted their overall development. This text won the Pulitzer Prize for general non-fiction. Such an accolade indicates the level of regard this text has been given by the academic community and ensures that the information found within the text can be trusted.

Fowler, Jeaneane D. Chinese Religions: Beliefs and Practices. Great Britain: Sussex Academic

Press, 2008. This book looks at the three primary religions that are practiced in China. These include Taoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism. The religions are each given due attention. Other specific religious beliefs are also explained, including the yin and yang, the I Ching, and the Tao Te Ching. Not only are the religions and their practices examined, but they are placed within their historical and cultural context. This allows the reader to better understand the various Eastern religions, but also to understand how those religions shaped and were shaped by China's history.

In addition to the work on Taoism by author Jeanene Fowler, this text also has writings by several other noted scholars who specialize in Chinese religion, including Kenneth Ch'en. This is a simple text which exemplifies the basic components of each religion and compares them with one another. This allows the researcher to understand these differences and prevents confusion. Some of the principles of the three religions are similar and some of the terms can also be closely related which can make it difficult to differentiate between them.

Giesler, Markus. "Consumer Gift Systems." Journal of Consumer Research. (33:2), 2006. 283-

90. In this article, Markus Giesler examines gift giving in the context of social and cultural norms. He argues that historically, there is evidence that all cultures, including religious and ethnic ones, have gift-giving as a component of their practices. Within the Chinese culture, gift-giving has an important relationship with how a person shows or fails to show adequate levels of respect.

By applying the findings of this research project into an examination of Chinese religions, it is hoped that a better understanding of the religions as a whole can be had. This is just one way in which the religions of the region influence and have been influenced by the cultures of the community.

Henningfeld, Diane Andrews. Religion. The University of Michigan: American Theological

Library Association, 2010. Henningfeld's book looks at a great many of the world's religions. In some of the articles published in this volume, researchers argue that China is currently in the middle of a religious reawakening. Religion in the country took a major hit during the Communist overthrow of the emperor as religion is viewed negatively in Communist doctrine. This tension is explored in the text, but the authors argue that without the oppressiveness of that regime, the country will return to the high levels of religiosity that predated Communism in China.

Most of the texts that...

Few texts have explored how religion has grown since the decline of Maoist Communism. In the present, politics still is more influential than religion on human behavior and human interaction, but systems of belief are gaining in popularity and prevalence.
Kurtz, Lester R. Gods in the Global Village: The World's Religions in Sociological Perspective.

2nd edition. USA: Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data, 2007. Religion has been a major factor in world history and this is still very true today. A great deal of modern conflict has been at least partially dependent on differing or opposing religious views, such as Muslim vs. Jewish or Muslim vs. Christian or Christian vs. Jewish. There are similar conflicts in Eastern countries as well, but they are less frequent. In this text, the conflicts that exist between religions are explored and the author also argues that these conflicts will likely continue into the future.

Being aware of potential grounds for conflict between people allows for groups to be better prepared. It is far less common to hear of religious conflict between Buddhists, Taoists, or Confucionists. That is not to say that these people do not engage in conflict, but that they do not lay the blame for these conflicts on their religious beliefs. By exploring the cultural significance of how religions interact, it can be hoped that a means for solving these conflicts can be discovered.

Murowchick, Robert E. Cradles of Civilization - China: Ancient Culture, Modern Land.

Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 1956-1994. Unlike other texts which focus on one particular aspect of existence in China, this text is a general overview of everything in Ancient China and how religion grew and adapted because of those other components. Murowchick and his associates trace Chinese histories, from the times of nomadic tribesmen to the current cultural climate that dominates the country and influences international communications.

In addition to exploring China's rich cultural heritage, the text also explains the reasons why the author believes that the country is destined for another large change. China has become more and more Westernized and communication increases thanks to continually developing technologies. As these cultures interact, oppressed peoples will come to desire the kind of autonomy found in freer western countries. Eventually, the demand for change will alter every aspect of life in China, including in the religious practices of the people who live in China at that time.

Nan, Shun-Xun. China's Sacred Sites. Malaysia: Himalayan Institute Press, 1934-2007. In

China, architecture is considered an art form, as beautiful and delicate as any other ancient art. Within the country, buildings were designed to be both aesthetically captivating and also to fit in with the natural beauty of the country. This principal was applied to secular buildings and religious ones as well. It should be said this was especially applied when the building was to be used for religious purposes. The architecture of a culture says a lot about it and China exemplifies this.

The buildings that are constructed in China, particularly in rural areas, are designed to reflect the natural beauty of the country. This says a lot about the people and about the beliefs of that people. They appreciate the natural order of the world and thus they want a religion that embraces the natural world as well. Any religion that is practiced will have to be simple and natural as opposed to images of supreme beings.

Penny, Benjamin. The Religion of Falun Gong. USA: The University of Chicago Press, 2012.

Falun Gong was a religion that was practiced in China for a very short period of time. It was officially founded in July of 1999 by Li Hongzhi and was banned by the Chinese government in 2006. Although it is illegal to practice Falun Gong in China, it has become popular in other countries, in part because of it being banned in China. A lot of the texts that discuss the Falun Gong religion focus on the politics behind the banning. It was banned primarily because of its focus on the individual and on the concept of self-cultivation, as well as its acceptance and utilization of western customs and ancient Chinese traditions in combination with each other.

Benjamin Penny's book is an examination of what the religion actually entails. He also explores some of the religious, cultural, and political reasons why it was banned but focuses on what the practitioners actually believe. There are aspects of the belief system which are in conflict with the Communist perspective. Autonomy is stressed in…