Chinese folk religion
Let an agent explain Chinese folk religion, relay beliefs, practices, history and contemporary status from religious studies and ethnographic sources with attribution, describe the movements and forms the registry aliases name, and distinguish folk religion from Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism and new religious movements, presenting all traditions respectfully.
Research draft, second pass
A second pass drafted this model: the structure a model of this thing needs, and what is known about it in the world. The line under this one says how the second half was obtained - researched against sources, or recalled without web access, in which case nothing here was read anywhere and every claim is a lead to verify. Unreviewed either way.
written by Claude from model knowledge without web access - no source was read, every claim is a lead to verify
Researched by: Claude
Purpose and description
Let an agent explain Chinese folk religion, relay beliefs, practices, history and contemporary status from religious studies and ethnographic sources with attribution, describe the movements and forms the registry aliases name, and distinguish folk religion from Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism and new religious movements, presenting all traditions respectfully.
The diverse traditions of religious practice among Chinese people outside or alongside institutional Buddhism and Taoism, including ancestor veneration, worship of Heaven and local deities, temple festivals, divination and spirit mediumship, found in mainland China, Taiwan and Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, and associated with sectarian and regional movements such as Maitreyan salvationist traditions, the Pu an school and Nuo ritual theatre and exorcism; the model presents these traditions respectfully, with state policies and scholarly classifications attributed.
What it is for: Not applicable; a religious tradition.
It can be explain beliefs and practices; relay history and status with attribution; describe named movements; distinguish related traditions.
Distinguishing features
Diffuse and local
Ancestor and deity veneration
Overlaps with Taoism and Buddhism
Regional diversity
What it looks like
Not a visible object; temples, shrines, festivals and household altars.
Physical character
adherents: hundreds of millions note - estimates vary widely by definition
Mazu worship: major folk cult in coastal China and Taiwan note
Nuo: ritual masked exorcism and theatre note
How it is recognised
Chinese popular religious traditions
Heaven worship, Maitreyanism, Nuoism, Pu an School, folk religion in Southeast Asia
Taoism and Buddhism are institutional religions; Confucianism is an ethical tradition; new religious movements are recent organisations
Related models
is a kind of - in registry terms
overlaps with -
includes -
is practised in - widely
In practice
Families and kinds
ancestor veneration
Heaven worship
local deity cults such as Mazu
salvationist sects such as Maitreyan traditions and the Pu an school
Nuo ritual traditions
Chinese folk religion in Southeast Asia
Standards and regulation
State religious affairs regulations in China and elsewhere
Freedom of religion protections
Failure modes and hazards
Dismissing folk practice as superstition
Partisan framing of state policy
Confusing overlapping traditions
Also called
Where this came from
wikidata · CC0 1.0
Drafted structure
Bundle to layer to finding to question, as the second pass will find it: 4 bundles · 8 layers · 8 findings · 16 questions.
Understand What Chinese folk religion is.
Attribution.
Definition
Definition.
Definition
Definition.
- What is Chinese folk religion, and how does it differ from Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism and new religious movements? definition
- Is the question about beliefs, a practice, a movement, a region or policy? boundary
Forms
Named forms.
Forms
Forms.
- What are Heaven worship, Maitreyan traditions, Nuo, the Pu an school and Southeast Asian Chinese folk religion? definition
- Which entry fits the specific form? action
Practice Practice.
Attribution.
Rituals
Rituals.
Rituals
Rituals.
- What rituals, festivals and temple practices are common, presented respectfully? provenance
- Which references are standard? provenance
Deities
Deities and ancestors.
Deities
Deities.
- How are ancestors and deities such as Mazu and Guan Yu venerated? provenance
- Which sources are cited? provenance
History History and status.
Attribution.
History
History.
History
History.
- How have folk traditions and sectarian movements developed, as historians describe? provenance
- Which entry fits Chinese salvationist religions? action
Status
Contemporary status.
Status
Status.
- How have policies in mainland China and Taiwan treated folk religion, with positions attributed? provenance
- Is the presentation respectful and neutral? boundary
Context Diaspora and scholarship.
Context.
Diaspora
Southeast Asia.
Diaspora
Diaspora.
- How is Chinese folk religion practised in Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia? provenance
- Which entry fits Chinese temples in Southeast Asia? action
Scholarship
Scholarship.
Scholarship
Scholarship.
- How have scholars debated whether Chinese folk religion is one religion, with positions attributed? provenance
- Which entry fits religion in China? action
What the second pass must settle
- Should Nuoism and Maitreyanism be separate primary entries?
- How should religious studies sources be linked?
- How should state classifications be attributed?