Which of the three major religions has the greatest influence on China?
Taoism.
From a historical perspective, Taoism is undoubtedly the most influential religion in my country. Its development history has run through the more than 2,000 years of Chinese civilization history since the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period to the present.
The profound influence of Taoism on China can be understood from the following aspects.
Political economy:
Taoism believes that "the body and the country govern together", "the inner saint and the outer king", and tranquility and inaction are the universal principles for governing the country and cultivating one's moral character. If you read Chinese history carefully, you will find a secret: the rule of Wenjing and Guangwu Zhongxing in the Han Dynasty, the rule of Zhenguan and the prosperous age of Kaiyuan in the Tang Dynasty, the flourishing period of Renzong in the Song Dynasty, the rule of Hongwu and Renxuan in the Ming Dynasty, and the flourishing period of Kangxi and Qianlong in the Qing Dynasty. During this period, the policy of "using Huang Lao internally and expressing Confucianism externally" was adopted. The Taoist idea of "governing by doing nothing" coincides with the Western idea of "invisible hand" market economy. In fact, whenever rulers take Huang-Lao's theory as their guiding ideology, rest and recuperate, do light corvee and pay little tax, and rule from the top, "the world will be in order", production will resume development, the economy will prosper and develop, and a peaceful age will appear.
Literature and art:
Taoist mystical thoughts, fairy realm, strange alchemy, carefree spirit, and noble ethics permeate into all aspects of literature and art. Taoist natural feelings and romanticism are deeply rooted in It deeply affects the aesthetics of traditional literature and art and provides an inexhaustible spiritual source. Since the Southern and Northern Dynasties, strange novels such as "Sou Shen Ji", "Youyang Zazu" and "Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio" are closely related to Taoism. Tang and Song Dynasty legends such as "Pillow Story" and "Taiping Guang Ji" contain a large number of Taoist elements. . Tang poetry was exaggerated by Taoism to form an ancient and gorgeous style. A large number of lyrics in Song poetry originated from Taoism. The theme of the ascension of gods in Yuan opera is very prominent. The novels of Ming and Qing dynasties, including the four famous works, all contain Taoist theological ideas, forming the image of "the wise man, Taoist priest". ization” tradition. In addition, unique Taoist literary forms have been derived, such as Li Bai's poems about immortals, Qingci popular in the Ming Dynasty, and novels about gods and demons such as "The Romance of the Gods" and "Journey to the West". Popular contemporary cultivation novels take alchemy as the theme, and fantasy novels, tomb robbing novels, and fairy novels are also closely connected with Taoism.
The thought of "elephant is invisible, loud sound has a sound" has profoundly influenced the pursuit of freehand brushwork, spiritual similarity, and natural style and charm in Chinese art. Wang Xizhi, Gu Kaizhi, Wu Daozi, Zhao Mengfu, Huang Gongwang, Zhu Zhishan, Xu Wei, Zhu Calligraphers and painters such as Da and Zheng Banqiao were all Taoists, and their works were deeply infiltrated by Taoist ideas. The tunes and singing of Taoist music promoted the development of music and opera, and Peking Opera, Yue Opera, Henan Opera, and Huangmei Opera all fully absorbed its nutrients. Thoughts, Feng Shui and Taoism influence the site selection, layout and construction of traditional Chinese buildings.
Science and technology:
Taoism has the spirit of conquering nature and various pursuits of breaking through the limits of life. The practice of alchemy promoted the development of ancient science and technology. Chemistry, mineralogy, botany and pharmacology in East Asia all originated from Taoism. Taoist mathematics has an indissoluble bond with ancient mathematics, as well as in the fields of optics, magnetism, acoustics and astronomy. He has made great achievements; among the four major inventions, gunpowder originated from Taoist priests refining the elixir, and the invention of the compass and printing were also closely related to Taoism; Taoism promoted the development of smelting technology in the practice of alchemy. "Promoted the progress of mechanical manufacturing; Taoism contributed to the manufacture of wine, cement, and pigments. Tofu was the product of Huainan King's alchemy; Taoist priests accumulated rich chemical knowledge through alchemy, and alchemy spread to Europe and became the pioneer of modern chemistry. . The path of medicine leads to the path of immortality. Taoism has greatly promoted the development of medicine and health care in pursuit of longevity and longevity. Ge Hong, Tao Hongjing, Sun Simiao, Liu Shouzhen, Fu Shan, Liu Yiming and many other Taoist doctors are all Taoist doctors. The ideas of prevention of disease, the isomorphism of nature and man, and natural inaction have become the guiding ideology of traditional Chinese medicine. External alchemy has pioneered the use of chemical medicine. Taoism has great achievements in physiology, meridian science, anatomy, pharmacology, sexual medicine, psychology, etc. Achievements. Alchemy such as taking food, moving qi, big grains, guiding, adjusting breath, and inner alchemy have become the main content of health care. Taoist health care has derived various martial arts and qigong for strengthening the body, including Tai Chi, Xingyiquan, and Baguazhang. Derived from Zhang Sanfeng’s Neijiaquan.
National character:
Taoism has an unparalleled influence on the character, psychology, ethics and national cohesion of the Chinese people. Chinese religious people always say that there are three religions: Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism. In fact, the outlines of Confucianism have long since collapsed. Buddhism only has a few elements of reincarnation and cause and effect. Beliefs that have been assimilated to Taoism are still popular among the people. What dominates the national thinking is completely Taoism. Powerful.
According to the facts, the Chinese are indeed Taoists. "Taoism's philosophy of life that respects Tao and seeks only Tao inspires Chinese people to practice hard, integrate knowledge and practice, and explore and strive unremittingly for the pursuit of Tao. Taoism's spirit of valuing life, enjoying life, and being free and easy has shaped the Chinese people's love for Life, truth-seeking and pragmatic character; Taoism's way of thinking of being kind as water and using softness to overcome hardness has created the introverted and reserved character psychology of the Chinese people; Taoism's ideas of coordination of yin and yang and the unity of nature and man determine the Chinese people's dialectical way of thinking; Taoism pursues " The principle of "Knowing the constant appearance, tolerance is the public" has formed the national character of tolerance, humility, tolerance and openness, which has promoted the longevity of Chinese civilization. "Benevolence, righteousness and morality" are the highest norms of Chinese culture. Taoism not only pursues "respecting Tao and valuing virtue", but also It advocates "loyalty, filial piety, benevolence and righteousness", regards moral practice as a condition for cultivating immortals, and actively promotes and disseminates various books of admonishment, which has had a broad and far-reaching impact on the way of life and values of the Chinese people. Respecting the Yellow Emperor as the ancestor has formed the national sentiment that blood is thicker than water and the national cohesion that can overcome all difficulties.
Folk belief:
Xu Dishan believes: “From the daily habits of our people. From the perspective of Taoist beliefs, Taoism has more elements than Confucianism. We can simply say that it is Taoist ideas that dominate the ideals and lives of ordinary Chinese people. "Taoism absorbs and transforms some contents of folk beliefs, and returns them to the people to profoundly influence folk beliefs. Taoism actively "incorporates" folk gods, absorbs myths and legends, and incorporates them into the genealogy of Taoist gods. Such as Pangu, Nuwa, Guan Gong, Mazu, Guanyin, etc., which integrated folk beliefs with a strong Taoist color. Taoism influenced the folk religions that emerged in the Ming and Qing Dynasties. The highest deity of various folk religions, "Wu Sheng Lao Mu", originated from the Tao Te Ching. "The beginning of the nameless heaven and earth, the name of the mother of all things", the world view of "Vacuum Homeland" draws on the Taoist cosmogenesis theory, the cultivation method comes from Taoist inner alchemy, and inherits the Taoist belief style and organizational form. Folk customs are basically Taoist. Taoist beliefs are deeply embedded in traditional folk customs, affecting beliefs and customs, ancestor worship, festival customs, entertainment customs and alchemy activities. We worship the Tai Sui in the zodiac year, burn paper money to worship ancestors, and worship the Stove King and post in the Spring Festival. Customs such as couplets, setting off firecrackers, receiving the God of Wealth, worshiping God, and celebrating the Lantern Festival all originated from Taoism. Taoism and various magical techniques are based on the ideas of the unity of man and nature, and the five behaviors of yin and yang. They penetrate and complement each other in the process of development. Taoist theories, gods, magic, and rituals have profoundly influenced metaphysics.
International influence:
Taoism is widely spread in East and Southeast Asia, as well as Japanese Shintoism, emperor beliefs, and folk beliefs. Deeply influenced by Taoism, Cheon Taoism in South Korea and Caodaism in Vietnam are new religions formed on the basis of Taoism. The Quanzhen sect of Taoism is an important religion in Singapore and Malaysia. In Europe and the United States, there are nearly 500 Western translations of the Tao Te Ching. In terms of circulation of famous works translated into foreign languages, the Bible ranks first, the Tao Te Ching ranks second, philosophers such as Kant, Nietzsche, and Hegel, scientists such as Leibniz and Einstein, and Kafka Writers such as Tolstoy and Reagan, as well as politicians such as Reagan and Medvedev, have received great inspiration from it. Taoist culture such as inner alchemy and astrological medicine has also become popular around the world. Tai Chi has spread to more than 150 countries and regions, and overseas. There are 150 million people practicing Tai Chi. The idea of unity between man and nature and Taoism has also given environmentalists great inspiration and thinking.