Folk Religion Research Articles

Five Great Families and Telepathy: Folk Religion and Buddhism in Neo-Dongbei Fiction by Zheng Zhi

The 2010s has witnessed the visibility of literature based on China’s Northeast (Dongbei), exemplified by literary works composed by Zheng Zhi, Ban Yu and Shuang Xuetao, viz. the ‘three masters of Dongbei Renaissance’. In a 2020 novella anthology, Zheng Zhi expatiates upon a veritable cornucopia of representations of folk religion (aka popular religion) and established religions via depictions concerning shamanism, Buddhism and Christianity. In a narrative entitled Xian Zheng ‘Divine Illness’, Zheng Zhi manifests animal worship as a form of folk religion, by means of painting a vivid portrait of shamanic practices pertaining to ‘five major deity families’ that denotes fox, weasel, hedgehog, snake and rat spirits. In a narrative entitled Taxintong ‘Telepathy’, Zheng Zhi depicts Buddhist practices, the preponderant motivations for which are analogous to those for folk religion in contemporary Dongbei, namely, physical wellbeing and psychological solace.

Ritual, Legend, and Metaphor: Narratives of the Willow in Yuan Zaju

Narratives of willow trees in Yuan zaju 雜劇, or variety play, largely come in three types, namely, the ritual performance of shooting willows; the deliverance of willow spirits by Lü Dongbin, one of the Eight Immortals of Daoism; and the use of the word willow to refer to women. The willow shooting ritual depicted in Yuan zaju was highly reminiscent of the willow shooting ritual popular throughout the Song (960–1279), Liao (916–1125), Jin (1115–1234), and Yuan (1271–1368) dynasties, with its conceptual origins traceable to the ancient shamanic belief in the willow as a sacred tree prevalent among the Khitans and Jurchens who lived in what is now northeastern China. The legend of Lü Dongbin delivering a willow spirit to immortality is a recurring motif in Han Chinese folklore and Daoist hagiography, which also finds expression in the iconic image of Guanyin Pusa or Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara holding a willow branch with which they cure diseases for people and bring fulfillment to their wishes. The frequent use of “willow leaf-shaped eyebrows” (liumei 柳眉) and “willow-like waist” (liuyao 柳腰) in Yuan zaju as metaphorical references to women can be seen as a continuation of the great literary tradition of Shijing 詩經 (The Book of Songs) and also as a dramatic enactment of the fertility cult of the willow and women in Chinese folk religion. Evidence abounds that the narratives about the willow in Yuan zaju were not a new creation but an artistic manifestation of centuries-old folk belief and literary tradition.

Vietnamese folk religion

Vietnamese folk religion

Chinese folk religion

Chinese folk religion

노자를 보는 새로운 시각

Lao-Tzu is a well known man of thought. And it is also a name of his book. Even though the book, Lao-Tzu, is one of the most translated and published one in the world, there are still lots of things to discuss. For example, it’s very Lao-Tzu’s existence that many have still doubts about. This paper focuses on proposing a new approach to the study of Lao-Tzu by means of analyzing two materials intertextually: Simaqian(司馬遷)'s <laoziliezhuan(老子列傳)> and Lao-Tzu Text. The conclusion is summarized as follows. The thinker Lao-Tzu, who was from the countryside and served as a petty official in the central city, suggests ‘the holy way’ using ‘beautiful words’ in the text, Lao-Tzu. But the text wasn’t originally written as a book. In my view, it was originally an oral statement and distributed as same way and then finally compiled as a form of book. That’s because the text, Lao-Tzu, has strong points: one is its strong oral-friendly features and the other is popularity. Similarly, Lao-Tzu’s ‘beautiful words’ have advantage of naturalness and familiarity. Moreover, Lao-Tzu’s philosophy was based on folk religion but succeed in transcending it. Accordingly, we can find the harmonious coexistence of religious mysteries and rational foresight in Lao-Tzu’s ‘the holy way’ From this point of view, it’s more apparent that Lao-Tzu’s true potential and its contemporary value are beyond doubt.

조상, 신령 그리고 신을 위한 기도: 신 존재들의 의례적 결합을 중심으로

This paper focuses on the relationship between ‘ancestor’ widely served in Korean folk religion, and various divine entities appearing in ancestral rites. Throughout the late Joseon Dynasty and the 20th century, the belief and practice involving ancestors have been inevitably changed from the way it operated in the Joseon Neo-Confucian order system. Specifically, I argue that ancestors have been stepping on the way to becoming understood with reference not only to a series of new ideological trends in the late Joseon society but also to a modern religious concept such as “god.” In this paper, I try to illuminate the way how ancestors are firmly established in the religious beliefs and practices of Korean people. This paper defines the establishment of ancestors in the religious realm of Korea people as a compromise between ancestors and new gods. In order to understand how they (re)act to each other, I pay attention to a stage on which they meet such as Confucian rituals, shamanic rituals, and the rituals of Korean New religions. Furthermore, I will indicate that the divine figures, to whom many prayers are devoted, would reciprocally bestow “Good Luck (福)” on the worshippers. Finally, I maintain that ancestors play an important intermediary role in this reciprocal circle.

«Византия на Волге»: к юбилею Николая Дмитриевича Барабанова

This brief sketch written to the 65th anniversary of Nikolay D. Barabanov, Candidate of Historical Sciences, lecturer at Volgograd State University, specialist in the Byzantine history, medieval folk religion researcher is devoted to his life, scientific and educational activity. The article also presents the publication of complete bibliographic information about the scientist’s works beginning in 1977, or from his learning period.

Secularity and Science: What Scientists around the World Really Think about Religion

Secularity and Science: What Scientists around the World Really Think about Religion

The influence of cyberization on folk religion: A case study of Chinese online religious group

Religious cyberization is a new way of dissemination and development of traditional offline religions. In the process of cyberization, all aspects of religions are likely to be affected by the new Internet environment. Taking a Chinese online religious group as Internet field, this article analyzes the influence of cyberization on belief system, religious authority and religious experience of folk religion, and makes a preliminary exploration of its causes in combination with the characteristics of Internet and folk religion. This study mainly adopted the method of participant observation, and conducted online and offline interviews with participants when necessary. In addition, the researcher also analyzed documents, audio and other files uploaded in the online group. In the case discussed in this article, compared with officially recognized religions in China, folk religion seems to be more adapted to the opportunities and challenges brought by the new territory of the Internet due to its unique diffuseness and inclusiveness.

Connecting with Deities: The Practice of Spirit Mediumship among the Chinese in Kuantan, Pahang

The belief towards the spirit medium is one of the oldest beliefs in Chinese folk religion. This research explored spirit mediumship practices among the Chinese in Kuantan, Pahang, and interviewed 10 spirit mediums by applying interpretive phenomenological analysis. The findings indicate that the ability to interact with deities is either due to unavoidable illness, hereditary, naturally acquired, or learned. Indeed, a spirit medium may or may not convey messages to the audience or the deities from ritual performances. However, the ritual had revealed an “indispensable and official” status among mediums and worshippers. Although some expectations of this practice have faded due to modernity, it is still popular among the Chinese, especially in bonding the Chinese together as one community.

POLITICS OF RECOGNITION: A RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORANG LOM AND STATE FOR CIVIL RIGHTS SERVICES

Adherents of ancestral religions stand in two entities as indigenous peoples and as citizens after the Constitutional Court Decision Number 96 of 2016 provided hope for believers as citizens to express their communal identity. This research aims to find out the form of relationship between Orang Lom and the state to civil rights services and to see the efforts made by Orang Lom to gain recognition from the state so that they have access to civil services. The approach in this study put forward Axel Honneth's political theory of recognition by dissecting it through the elements of subjectivity, objectivity, and solidarity that developed in the practice of civil rights services for the Mapur Lom Tribe. This study utilized a descriptive qualitative method with a case-study approach in the Mapur Indigenous Community of Orang Lom, Belinyu District, Bangka Belitung. The data collection technique was conducted through observation, in-depth interviews, and literature studies. Moreover, data analysis applied various sources, both from key informants and secondary data. The data analysis was performed by using an interactive model in the form of data reduction, data presentation, and conclusion. The results showed that the relationship between Orang Lom and the state seemed more administrative in nature on the basis of the prevailing laws and regulations regarding civil service and population administration. At this time, Orang Lom can put their belief in God Almighty in the column of National ID Card, but traditional marriage has not been recognized so that it has an impact on children's birth certificates and education services. In terms of the funeral of the adherents of folk religions, they do not receive any rejection from the community while for the organization's administration, the existence of the Mapur Customary Institution of Orang Lom receives recognition from Majelis Luhur Kepercayaan Indonesia.

Exploring Chinese folk religion: Popularity, diffuseness, and diversities

Folk religion, as the basis of the religious landscape in traditional China, is a highly syncretic system which includes elements from Buddhism, Daoism, and other traditional religious beliefs. Due to the shortcomings of denomination-based measurement, most previous social surveys have documented a very low percentage of folk religion adherents in China, and found almost no overlapping among religious beliefs. This study offers a quantitative portrait of the popularity, the diffuseness, and the diversity of Chinese folk religion. With the improved instruments in the 2018 China Family Panel Studies, we first observe that nearly 50% of respondents claim to have multiple (two or even more than three) religious beliefs and the believers of folk religion account for about 70% of the population. By using latent class analysis, this article explores the pattern of inter-belief mixing and identifies four typical classes of religious believers: “non-believers and single-belief believers”, “believers of geomancy”, “believers of diffused Buddhism and Daoism”, and “believers embracing all beliefs”. Finally, we find that the degree of commitment varies across these religious classes. Believers of folk religion are found to be less committed than believers of Western institutional religions, but as committed as believers of Eastern institutional religions.

Beyond Rational and Utilitarian Action: Moral and Emotional Giving Within Chinese Folk Religion

Beyond Rational and Utilitarian Action: Moral and Emotional Giving Within Chinese Folk Religion

Understanding Folk Religiosity in the Philippines

This paper argues for the appreciation of Filipino folk religiosity as part of cultivating authentic faith expressions among Filipinos. It presents historical, anthropological, sociocultural, and theological views on significant folk religious groups, traditions, and practices in the Philippines, including but not limited to the millenarian movements and popular Catholic feasts. Despite the varied influences and variegated Philippine culture, folk religiosity among Filipinos can be generalized as a syncretic blending of pre-colonial beliefs with the Catholic faith. As an academic and practicing Catholic, the researcher explores the folk religious elements present in the development of the millenarian movements, the unique faith expressions and influences behind folk Catholic feasts and celebrations, and probes deeper into the meaning of ordinary faith expressions. Coming from his own experiences and insights, he refers to previous scholarly works in discussing how spirituality or reverence to the sacred is inherently embedded in the folk religious ways, how the cultural Filipino traits manifest in the religious practices and vice versa, and how folk spirituality enables the expression of deep cultural and personal Christian faith experience. In conclusion, he maintains that millenarian movements are valid faith expressions that also celebrate independence and Filipino identity; traditional festivals and religious rites are the locals’ unique way of authentically expressing their faith, and; preserving folk religions and folk religiosity among Catholics is beneficial for engendering the growth of the faithful and the development of religion. A clear sense of folk religiosity is elemental in reappropriating religious dogmas and doctrines as the church and the faithful continuously study, dialogue, and fully experience life in the pursuit of approaching authenticity in faith, beliefs, and religions.

The Book of Jeremiah as Case Study in Asian Contextual Theology

AbstractThe past decades have seen many calls for Asian contextual theology thais both recognizably Asian and true to the Bible’s message. Given the lack of consensus on how to do such theology, however, the present study proposes that the Old Testament itself provides a worthy example to follow. Using the book of Jeremiah as a case study, it is suggested that the prophet’s engagemenwith the historical situation and theological issues of the sixth century BCE— fatalism, the identity of the divine vis-à-vis monism, prosperity theology, and cosmic suffering—offers a hermeneutical model for engaging modern Asian religious issues such as Islam, Hinduism, folk religion, and Buddhism.

Making the local and the decentralized governable: a study of the implementation of the Chinese Temples Ordinance

PurposeThis paper aims at illustrating how the local and the decentralized temple management bodies were made governable and governed through law.Design/methodology/approachThis paper examines the implementation of Chinese Temples Ordinances (the Ordinance) and the activities of the Chinese Temples Committee (the Committee) in Hong Kong during colonial times by analyzing official archival records from 1920s to 1970s.FindingsThis paper delineates how the local and decentralized temple management bodies were made governable under the Ordinance. The Ordinance and the Committee translated Chinese temples into financial resources for Chinese charity activities managed by the elite merchant class. Chinese temples were also sometimes translated as obstacles for land development. Though there existed different representations of Chinese temples in practices, the Committee and related officials provided legal reasons under the same legal framework suggested by the Ordinance.Originality/valueThis paper suggests that folk religion as a research topic is not only relevant to studies of religious doctrine, belief and ritual performances. A study of the history of temple management bodies is also highly relevant to the study of colonial governance in Hong Kong. It adds value to the discussion on the trajectory of the development of local communities.

The religious prism of South East - Asia

When two or more religious belief systems are combined into a new system, this is known as religious syncretism. It may also be defined as the incorporation of beliefs from unconnected traditions into a religious tradition. Polytheism and numerous religious affiliations, on the other hand, are seen as diametrically opposed to one another. These situations can arise for a variety of reasons, with the latter scenario occurring quite frequently in areas where multiple religious traditions coexist in close proximity to one another and are actively practised in the culture. It can also occur when a culture is conquered, with the conquerors bringing their religious beliefs with them but not succeeding in completely eradicating the old beliefs, and especially the old practises. Faiths' beliefs or histories may have syncretic components, however members of these so-labeled systems sometimes object to the label's use, particularly those who belong to "revealed" religious systems, such as Abrahamic religions, or any system that takes an exclusivist stance. Syncretism is viewed as a betrayal of the pure truth by some supporters of such beliefs. According to this logic, introducing a belief that is incompatible with the original religion corrupts it and renders it untrue altogether. Indeed, detractors of a certain syncretistic trend may occasionally use the term "syncretism" as a derogatory pejorative, meaning that individuals who attempt to adopt a new idea, belief, or practise into a religious system are really distorting the original faith by doing so. A fatal compromise of the integrity of the prevailing religion is, according to Keith Ferdinando, as a result of this development. Religions that are not exclusivist, on the other hand, are likely to feel free to absorb other traditions into their own systems of thought. Many traditional beliefs in East Asian civilizations have become entwined with Buddhism due to the assumption that Buddhism is compatible with local religions. The Three Teachings, or Triple Religion, which harmonizes Mahayana Buddhism with Confucian philosophy and elements of Taoism, and Shinbutsu-shg, which is a syncretism of Shinto and Buddhism, are two examples of notable concretizations of Buddhism with local beliefs. The Three Teachings, or Triple Religion, harmonizes Mahayana Buddhism with Confucian philosophy and elements of Taoism, and Shinbutsu-shg, which East Asian religious beliefs, practises, and identities (who, by any measure, constitute the majority of the world's Buddhists) frequently incorporate elements of other religious traditions, such as Confucianism, Chinese folk religion.

Minds Overwrought by “Religious Orgies”: Narratives of African-Jamaican Folk Religion and Mental Illness in Late Nineteenth-Century and Early Twentieth-Century Ethnographies

ABSTRACT Language referencing illness and instability in regard to African-Jamaican religions was often used by anthropologists and ethnographers writing in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It formed part of a wider discourse prevalent at the time that linked folk religions to hysteria and insanity. In Jamaica, this association contributed to social control as religious leaders, such as the prominent Revivalist Alexander Bedward, who were outspoken in challenging the socio-racial status quo, could be incarcerated in an asylum. Furthermore, it enabled the state to turn the populace away from African-derived religions and spiritual practices in order to impose cultural hegemony based on British bourgeois values. This article examines how the writings of ethnographers in the late postemancipation era reflected, reinforced, and occasionally challenged a correlation between mental illness and African-Jamaican folk religions.

Preliminary studies on the effects of Taiwanese ritual smoke on Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae)

Smoke from burning plants is a traditional spatial repellent against insects worldwide. Smoke is also commonly used in religious rituals. In Chinese folk religion and Taoism as practiced in Taiwan, Asiatic wormwood leaves, agarwood incense sticks, and joss paper (“ghost money”) are often burned or carried to pray for health or at festivals that overlap with peak mosquito seasons. The possibility exists that some of these rituals became popular due to repellent effects of the smoke reducing the impact of insect-vectored pathogens. The effects of these smokes on the Dengue-vectoring mosquito Aedes aegypti (Linnaeus, 1762) (Diptera: Culicidae) was measured following the World Health Organization guidelines for spatial repellency testing. The chemical constituents of the smoke were identified using a solid-phase microextraction fiber for extraction followed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Smoke from wormwood weakly repelled mosquitoes and had some knock-down effects. Smoke from incense showed consistent but weak repellency effects, with no knock-down. Smoke from joss paper had no effect overall, with some mosquitoes seemingly attracted to the flames. While air pollution remains a concern regarding smoky incense, the possibility that mosquito-repelling volatiles can be isolated from the incense and utilized without smoke justifies deeper investigation into the source of these repellent effects.

Investigating the Impact of Different Religions on Corporate Social Responsibility Practices: A Cross-National Evidence

The growing interest in the impact that organizations have on society has made Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) a matter of extraordinary relevance. Religions are among the factors that may drive the adoption of more CSR practices and, as such, may play a significant role in their promotion. The aim here is to discover whether religions contribute to the development of a broader range of CSR initiatives on the basis of Stakeholder, and Legitimacy theories. We studied the impact of different religions on an index made up of 122 CSR practices that include social and environmental issues. We tested the hypothesis proposed through panel data models for a sample composed of 13,884 firm-year observations from 30 countries. Our findings suggest that certain religions, such as Christianity, Judaism, and Buddhism, have a positive influence on the adoption of CSR practices. Companies operating in countries with a high percentage of adherents to these religions are more prone to undertake CSR activities. However, Islam, Hinduism, and Folk religions record an inverse trend that evidences a negative link.JEL codes: M14, M16