East Asian Religions - Essay Example

East Asian Religions It is undeniable that the East Asian regions have well defined and diverse religious structuresthat tend to be more or less similar in terms of beliefs and rituals. Some of the East Asian countries, which share these religious systems, are China, Japan, Vietnam, and Vietnam with the first two having more intricate and distinct belief systems. Among the major religions in the East Asia countries comprise of Taoism, Shintoism, Confucianism, and the Chinese Folk Religion. This paper focuses on Daoism and Shintoism, explicitly discussing their main features, interrelationship, and significance with reference to China and Japan (Coogan and Narayanan 212). Daoism, also known as Taoism, is one of the dominant religions in China with many features that enhance its uniqueness. Coined from the word Dao, which simply means the path, Daoism anchors on fundamental principles that give precedence to the way of the universe. Although Taoism as a religion has seen numerous changes over the years, the basic tenets that underpin the religion have always remained the same. It mainly delves on such beliefs systems as breathing, reflection, and recital of various verses that support it. Nothing much was introduced into the religion until the early twelfth century when such belief systems and fundamentals as abstinence and verse recitations during repentance (Bretzke 191). According to Coogan and Narayanan, Taoists are vegetarians, strongly holding on the belief that the combination of breathing and meditation promotes long life in humanity. The first unique feature in Taoism is the Tao that simply means the way. This means that Tao is the only being that deserves emulation, as it is the primary overseer of all living things (213). In this scenario, Taoists shun extremities in life and instead promote interdependence. When it comes to nature, they differentiate black from white by Yin and Yang respectively, positing that the two have some element of balanced inter-existence. In simple language, this means that white can exist in black and the opposite is true hence striking a perfect balance between the two is necessary (Coogan and Narayanan 213). The next major component of this kind of religion is the De, which has close interrelationship with the Tao. It simply endeavors to enhance the principles of Tao by upholding virtues professed by Tao while maintain high integrity at the same time. While the Tao does not support the act of doing things in extremes but in moderation, the De aligns itself closely to this principle belief by insisting on the practice of morality throughout one’s lifetime. Last but most importantly is the precept of immortality in Taoism where it is the duty of every Taoist to endeavor to reach a state of immortality through the continual practice of meditation and breathing. Since its inception, staunch Taoist priests have used mineral salts and gunpowder in their quest to find elixirs. They widely believed those whose religious efforts were impeccable could easily transform to immortal beings who eventually offer guidance to mortals (Coogan and Narayanan 216). Another major religious outfit in the Chinese and Japanese religious structures is the Shinto that fundamentally pays tribute to certain spiritual beings known as the Kami. Although the Shintoists do not believe in an almighty God or gods, they normally offer rituals to the Kami in designated shrines (Coogan and Narayanan 416). Their belief system emphasizes not in the explaining the world or how things happen on earth but the perpetual connection and communication with their spiritual being, the Kami. In Shinto, the followers accord much essence to the rituals that connect them with the kami, spirits whose mission is to enhance the welfare of all human beings. Perhaps some of the most distinct beliefs include the notion that humans are not originators of sin, lack of scriptures and God, fully acknowledging the fact that not only the followers or adherents of Shinto can offer rituals but any willing individual. Some of the key features of the Shinto entail the Kami, the Shrines, the Rituals, and the Belief Systems. As concerns the Kami, Shinto principally profess the existence of eight million Kami, usually known as yaoyorozu no kami whose main role is promote good health, enhance business prosperity, and improve examination grades. Although Shinto professes certain values, the only surprising fact about it is its all-inclusiveness that tolerates the Buddhist creatures, the Christian God, the Hindu gods, and the Islamic Allah. It allows every member of a protagonist religion to partake of its rituals, if interested (Coogan and Narayanan 416). Coogan and Narayanan categorically state that Shintoists conduct their rituals in designated shrines that may be large public shrines or small shrines found within homesteads, commonly called kamidana (416). While in these shrines, the priests lead the rituals, as they are the administrators of the shrine or spiritual conduits par say. Thus, their elevated status at the shrines enables them to conduct powerful rituals especially during the New Year season where thousands congregate to perform rituals. The Shinto belief system may appear controversial in that the Kami do not cleanse one for being wrongfully impure but for the purification of one’s good luck and peace of mind. This is based on the fact that no one is impure. The Shintoists believe in after-life and the power of human sacrifices in that those individuals who become sacrificial lambs should get their due gratification. This is to enable them transform into good Kamis so that instead of seeking revenge, they will strive to improve the welfare of human beings (Coogan and Narayanan 418). From the above discussion, it is evident that nature plays a pivotal role in both Chinese and Japanese religions. Nearly every East Asian religion regards or pays some tribute to nature in the quest to connect with the spirit world. Concerning Taoism and Shintoism, nature is prevalent in almost every aspect in the worship especially when offering rituals in the shrines and the attachment of nature to the belief systems. Although both religious systems embrace nature in their concepts, there are significant differences in the application of nature into their belief systems and worship methodologies. While Taoism concentrates on the natural meditation and breathing systems to enhance one’s spirituality and longevity, Shintoism entails the belief in the offering of human sacrifices in order to connect the natural man to the spiritual world. Another notable difference in nature is the fact that in Taoism, there is the belief that one can transform into an immortal being depending on the level of purity while in Shintoism, there is life after death and one transforms into a Kami only after natural death or through sacrifice (Coogan and Narayanan 415). It is undeniable that religions in China are interrelated especially when viewed form the belief systems and mode of worship. Whether it is Buddhism, Taoism, or Shintoism, there is a close interconnection because virtually all believe in some supreme spiritual being, the number, and title notwithstanding. One notable reason is the fact that all Chinese religions have linkages with nature where they persuade nature to reveal the supernatural world. Another reason is that most of the worship takes place in designated shrines where the believers or followers offer various forms of rituals to the spiritual world in exchange for better life on earth (Coogan and Narayanan 416). Despite the fact that most Shinto rituals pay tribute to Kami, Shinto funerals are perchance some of the most controversial rituals. This is because even though death ought to transform one into a Kami, the Shintoists consider death as lacking in purity and going against the essence and purpose of the shrines. It is for this reason that cemeteries are as far from shrines as possible and priests ought not to touch or near the dead as this negates their purity. Therefore, the cremation is part of the Shinto funeral rites called Sosai, heavily borrowed from Buddhist rites that involve the ordinary men and not the priests perform the cremation rites in order to protect the priests from pollution and impurity (Coogan and Narayanan 417). Works Cited Bretzke, James T. Bibliography on East Asian Religion and Philosophy. Lewiston: Mellen, 2001. Print. Coogan, Michael D, and Vasudha Narayanan. Eastern Religions: Origins, Beliefs, Practices, Holy Texts, Sacred Places. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2005. Print. Read More