Value Settings in Chinese Religious Traditions

Value Settings in Chinese Religious Traditions

Confucianism:
An essential Confucian value concept is li, meaning ritual propriety.
The idea is that by always followsing li, life may become an ongoing ceremony. One
always behaves the way one is supposed to based on ones status and position. An
important aspect of li is the idea of xiao (filial piety), which defines the duties of
children towards the parents. A more extended version this hierarchical relationship is
found in the 5 relationships between sovereign and subject, father and son, husband
and wife, elder and younger brother, elder and younger friends. Although these
relationships are strongly hierarchical, they do not only emphasize duties, but also
responsibilities. Part of li is also the concept of ren (benevolence), which emphasizes
charity, benevolence, love and compassion. This shows that in the Confucian value
set, we also find virtues that strive toward the ideal of empathy and love for other
human beings.
Daoism:
Although Daoism sometimes supports the same values as Confucianism, its
distinct focus on nature provides the Chinese intellectual and religious world with a
different point of view. Whereas Confucian values are very active and often try to
change given condition and ist focused on society, Daoism is focused on nature and
emphasizes non-interfernce (wuwei), spontaneity (ziran), believing that adapting to
the natural environment is the more effective way to harmonize the world.
Buddhism:
Value concepts of Chinese Buddhism were strongly adapted to Chinese
thinking, often meaning a reinterpretation of Buddhist thought. The idea of non-self
was transferred to the idea of ‘no self-existence’, pointing to the importance
relationships: there is no single existence, everything exists only in relationship to the
other.
Popular Religions:
Through its ancestors rites Chinese popular religion strongly
incorporates basic Chinese values, such as the importance of family, family hierarchy
and reciprocal relationship. The fact that popular religion is mainly practiced in
private, and the belief in ghosts, which are often seen as those not playing along the
societal rules, add a private and even individualistic notion to its promoted values.