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Fenxiang
Fenxiang (分香), literally the incense division, is a term that defines both hierarchical networks of temples dedicated to a particular Deity or Deities in Chinese folk religion, and the ritual process by which these networks form. Networks Networks of affiliated temples dedicated to the cult of a specific God or Deity can proliferate extensively. These networks are economic and social bodies, and in certain moments of history have even taken military functions. They also represent routes of pilgrimage, with communities of devotees from the affiliated temples going up in the hierarchy to the senior temple. One notable example will Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage in Taiwan. Ritual of creation of a new temple When a new temple dedicated to the same Deity is founded, it enters the sacred network through the ritual of division of incense. This consists in filling the incense burner of the new temple with ashes brought from the incense burner of an existing temple. The new temple is there ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Folk Religion
Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora. Vivienne Wee described it as "an empty bowl, which can variously be filled with the contents of institutionalised religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, the Chinese syncretic religions". This includes the veneration of ''shen'' (spirits) and ancestors, exorcism of demonic forces, and a belief in the rational order of nature, balance in the universe and reality that can be influenced by human beings and their rulers, as well as spirits and gods. Worship is devoted to gods and immortals, who can be deities of places or natural phenomena, of human behaviour, or founders of family lineages. Stories of these gods are collected into the body of Chinese mythology. By the Song dynasty (960-1279), these practices had been blended with Buddhist doctrines and Taoist teachings to form the popular religious sy ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Jingxiang
Jìngxiāng (敬香 "offering incense with respect"), shàngxiāng (上香 "offering incense"), bàishén (拜神 "worshipping the Gods"), is a ritual of offering incense accompanied by tea and or fruits in Chinese traditional religion. In ancestral religious worship it's ''jìngzǔ'' (敬祖 "veneration of the ancestor") or ''bàizǔ'' 拜祖 ("worship of the ancestor"). It is observed by a devotee holding joss incense with both hands in front of an altar during the worship. For greater reverence or devotion, the devotee will kneel and bow before the altar during and after placing the incense inside the urn at the altar. Jiangxiang is practiced in diffused Chinese folk religion and also by adherents belonging to the schools of Taoism, Chinese Buddhism and Confucianism. It is highly essential when conducting general prayer to one of the Deities, paying respect to a deceased ancestor as part of the daily devotions in Chinese ancestor veneration, or celebrating the Qingming Fe ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Chinese Temple
Chinese temple architecture refer to a type of structures used as place of worship of Chinese Buddhism, Taoism or Chinese folk religion, where people revere ethnic Chinese gods and ancestors. They can be classified as: * '' miào'' () or ''diàn'' (), simply means "temple" and mostly enshrines gods of the Chinese pantheon, such as the Dragon King, Tudigong or Matsu; or mythical or historical figures, such as Guandi or Shennong. * '' cí'' (), ''cítáng'' (), ''zōngcí'' () or ''zǔmiào'' (), referring to ancestral temples, mostly enshrining the ancestral gods of a family or clan. * Taoist temples and monasteries: ''guàn'' or '' dàoguàn''; and * Chinese Buddhist temples and monasteries: ''sì'' or ''sìyuàn'' * Temple of Confucius which usually functions as both temple and town school: '' wénmiào'' or '' kŏngmiào''. * Temples of City God (), which worships the patron God of a village, town or a city. * Smaller household shrines or votive niche, such as the ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Shen (Chinese Religion)
''Shen'' (神) is the Chinese word for "deity", "spirit", heart, inclusive and community mind, or future mind. The Japanese equivalent is ''shin''. This single Chinese term expresses a range of similar, yet differing, meanings. The first meaning may refer to spirits or gods that are intimately involved in the affairs of the world. Spirits generate entities like rivers, mountains, thunder and stars. A second meaning of shen refers to the human spirit or psyche; it is the basic power or agency within humans that accounts for life, and in order to further life to its fullest potential the spirit is transformed to actualise potential. A third understanding of shen describes an entity as spiritual in the sense of inspiring awe or wonder because it combines categories usually kept separate, or it cannot be comprehended through normal concepts. In traditional Chinese medicine the physician will describe this as the shimmer or gloss that is seen above the surface of a object. If it has a g ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Pilgrimage
A pilgrimage is a journey, often into an unknown or foreign place, where a person goes in search of new or expanded meaning about their self, others, nature, or a higher good, through the experience. It can lead to a personal transformation, after which the pilgrim returns to their daily life. Background Pilgrimages frequently involve a journey or search of moral or spiritual significance. Typically, it is a journey to a shrine or other location of importance to a person's beliefs and faith, although sometimes it can be a metaphorical journey into someone's own beliefs. Many religions attach spiritual importance to particular places: the place of birth or death of founders or saints, or to the place of their "calling" or spiritual awakening, or of their connection (visual or verbal) with the divine, to locations where miracles were performed or witnessed, or locations where a deity is said to live or be "housed", or any site that is seen to have special spiritual powers. S ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage
The Baishatun Mazu Pilgrimage () is usually held annually between lunar January and April in the western plains of Taiwan, a major Taoist religious event since 1863. After every lunar new year, the Mazu statue of Gongtian Temple () at Baishatun, Tongxiao of Miaoli County, is placed in a palanquin and carried in procession to visit another Mazu Temple- Chaotian Temple (), located in the area of Beigang of Yunlin County, then returns to Gongtian Temple to end this pilgrimage. The distance covered is approximately 400 km total. There is another Mazu statue, called "Mazu of the Mountain Side ()", from Houlong Township () of Miaoli county, that would accompany Baishatun Mazu during the pilgrimage as well. Feature Mazu, also spelled as "Matsu", known as a sea goddess who blesses the fishermen with a safe journey during sailing, is widely revered by believers in Taiwan because of her merciful image. Therefore, the Mazu pilgrimage is one of the popular religious activities in Taiw ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Miaohui
Miaohui (), literally temple gatherings or translated as temple fairs, also called yíngshén sàihuì ( "collective rituals to greet the gods"), are China, Chinese religion, religious gatherings held by Miao shrine, Miao shrines for the worship of the Chinese folk religion, Chinese gods and immortals. Large-scale ''miaohui'' are usually held around the time of the Chinese New Year, or in specific temples at the birthday of the god enshrined in the temple itself. Since the development of society with importation of different cultures, the characteristic of miaohui for each Dynasty also vary from time to time. For instance, in the Han Dynasty, as Buddhism and Taoism has gradually formed, temple fair became a way to attract more newcomers to their community by adding performances. Activities usually include rituals celebrated in the temple, opera on a stage facing the temple, processions of the gods' images on carts throughout villages and cities, performance of musical and ritual ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
Taoist Priesthood
Taoism (, ) or Daoism () refers to either a school of philosophical thought (道家; ''daojia'') or to a religion (道教; ''daojiao''), both of which share ideas and concepts of Chinese origin and emphasize living in harmony with the '' Tao'' (, 'Thoroughfare'); the ''Tao'' is generally defined as the source of everything and the ultimate principle underlying reality. The ''Tao Te Ching'', a book containing teachings attributed to Laozi (), together with the later writings of Zhuangzi, are both widely considered the keystone works of Taoism. Taoism teaches about the various disciplines for achieving perfection through self-cultivation. This can be done through the use of Taoist techniques and by becoming one with the unplanned rhythms of the all, called "the way" or "Tao". Taoist ethics vary depending on the particular school, but in general tend to emphasize ''wu wei'' (action without intention), naturalness, simplicity, spontaneity and the Three Treasures: , compassion, ... [...More Info...] [...Related Items...] OR: [Wikipedia] [Google] [Baidu] |
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