The Landscape of Taoism Religion in Tradition Chinese Society

The Chinese Society and Culture
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Question 1
The Chinese Society and Culture
The Chinese society has been a host and foundation of various and most stable religion-philosophical customs in the world. There are several religions in the Chinese society that includes Confucianism, Taoism, Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and also Protestantism. However, the Chinese emperors appealed to the Mandate of Heaven and have been participating in the religious activities. In the early 20th century, the Chinese religions were attacked by reform-minded officials and since then, the Communist Party of China has been governing China and forbids its party members from engaging in religious practices. Although the Chinese constitution allows its people to have freedom of religious beliefs, the CCP prohibited approximately 90 million people from holding any religious beliefs. Accordingly, the understudy will discuss the landscape of the Taoism religion in a traditional Chinese society and also explore the most crucial changes that happened during the Maoist and the reform period. Finally, it will shed light on the recent eviction of migrant workers in Beijing.
The Landscape of Taoism Religion in Tradition Chinese Society
Taoism is a Chinese oldest religion also known as Daoism that emphasizes on living in accord with the Tao. Taoism was started back in the 4th century BC and drew its cosmological concepts from School of Yinyang the ‘Naturalists'. Taoism was founded by Laozi and was highly influenced by Yijing one of the ancient Chinese culture texts which illustrate about how to maintain human behaviors in accord with nature (Yao & Wei, 2007). Also, Shen Buhai the ‘Legalist' influenced Taoism by illuminating realpolitik of the ‘Wu Wei'. The Writings of Zhuangzi and the Tao Te Ching which is a book that contains attributed teachings to Laozi are considered as the foundation work of Taoist tradition. In Chinese philosophical institutes, Tao is taken as a significant idea, however; Taoism signifies the belief that is the pattern, source and the substance of every living thing (Yao & Wei, 2007). In China, Taoist ethics emphasizes on naturalness ‘wu Wei', simplicity, spontaneity as well as the Three Treasures that include Frugality, compassion, and humility. For more than 2000 years, Taoism religion has been shaping the Chinese life and can be characterized by its active and positive attitude towards the metaphysical and occult (Yao & Wei, 2007).
During the early age, the Chinese society thought the Taoists were recluses or hermits who never participated in political issues. For instance, Zhiagzi who lived in the Southern region was best known for engagement in Chinese shamanic traditions. However, Taoism institutional orders evolved in different strains that recently are conservatively assembled into two branches that are Zhengyi Taoism as well as Quanzhen Taoism. After the Zhuangzi and Laozi teachings, the Taoism literature grew gradually and was therefore compiled into a canon form ‘Daozang' which was established through the command of the emperor. Huizong and various Song emperors actively promoted Taoism by assembling Taoist texts as well as publi...