Religions and Society in China

About this course: This course provides an introduction to the study of the history, major teachings, and practices of the major Chinese religions and spiritual practices and is deigned to give conceptual tools to appreciate diverse religious practice in East. It covers the development of Buddhism, Daoism, Confucianism and wide range of popular and local religions. From historical perspective we will also explore the development of key theological, religious and philosophical doctrines as well as associated practices. An effort will be made to spend time on each tradition according to its importance to Asia as a whole. We will explore the role of religions in politics and social relations in East and South, South East Asia and China in particular, and will analyze the origins, central teachings, divisions and branches, rituals and practices, influences on culture, and responses to modern challenges for each tradition. The emphasis throughout the course is on the hermeneutic difficulties attendant upon the study of religion in general, and Asian religions in particular. We will explore new Asian religions as dynamic, ongoing forces in the lives of individuals and in the collective experience of modern societies.

Created by:  Higher School of Economics

• Taught by:  Aleksey A. Maslov, Head

  School of Asian Studies

Level Beginner Language English How To Pass Pass all graded assignments to complete the course. User Ratings 4.1 stars Average User Rating 4.1See what learners said Coursework

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Syllabus


WEEK 1


Foundations of Religions in China
This module's content lays the foundations of understanding what is religion in China, how the Chinese perceive the very notion of religion and how this perception and this notion must not be confused with the correspondent Western notions and pereptions.


5 videos expand

1. Video: Main Topics and Objectives: the Introduction
2. Video: Main Notions of Chinese Religions
3. Video: Religions and Ancestors
4. Video: Teacher in the Chinese Religious Tradition
5. Video: Syncretism of Tradition

Graded: Module 1 Quiz

WEEK 2


Taosim in China
This module's content describes what is Taoism, relates its history and defines its sources, shows the main paths of genesis for the Taoist cults.


7 videos expand

1. Video: Taoism: Introduction
2. Video: Sources of Taoism
3. Video: Before Taoism: Five Elements and Five Phases
4. Video: Before Taoism: Early Cults
5. Video: Lao-zi and the Beginning of Taoism
6. Video: Taoism and the Natural Order of Universe
7. Video: Notion of Dao

Graded: Module 2 Quiz

WEEK 3


Taoism in Chinese society: main religious practises
This module's content describes the paths of development, which were taken by Taoist cults in their history, explains the ways that connected Taoist philosophy and social practice of religious cults and organisations.


6 videos expand

1. Video: Taoism and the Idea of Immortality
2. Video: Alchemy in Taoism
3. Video: Taoist Practises: Mind and Body
4. Video: Main Cults of Taoism
5. Video: Main Schools in Taoism
6. Video: Modern Schools of Taoism

Graded: Module 3 Quiz

WEEK 4


Confucianism in Chinese society: from sacrality to morality



This module's content describes the main ideas and principles of Confucianism, outlines the paths of its developments, explains the difference between what is Confucianism in its particular totality of traits and what is understood as a religion or a philosophy in the West.


7 videos expand

1. Video: Confucianism: Introduction
2. Video: Main Ideas
3. Video: Main Principles
4. Video: Confucius and Confucianism
5. Video: Sage Confucius: Ideas, Beliefs and Moral
6. Video: Followers of Confucius
7. Video: Confucian Canon

Graded: Module 4 quiz

WEEK 5


Buddhism in the Chinese Tradition
This module's content describes the basic notions of Buddhism and explains its principles. The module gives an outline of the process of Buddhism's transition to China.


8 videos expand

1. Video: Buddhism in China: Introduction
2. Video: Basic Principles of Buddhism
3. Video: Buddha and Buddhahood
4. Video: The Way from India to China
5. Video: Fundamental division: Theravada, Mahayana, Vadjrayana
6. Video: Transition to China: Ways and Problems
7. Video: Transition to China: Missionaries and Translators
8. Video: "Sinicization" of Buddhism

Graded: Module 5 Quiz

WEEK 6


Sinified Buddhism as an almost independent tradition
This module's content outlines the main texts and doctrines of Chan Buddhism, enumerates the main schools and branches, explains the influence that Buddhism had and has on Chinese life and art.


9 videos expand

1. Video: Schools and Texts - Part 1
2. Video: Schools and Texts - Part 2
3. Video: Main Ideas of Chan Buddhism
4. Video: Teachers of Chan
5. Video: History of Chan
6. Video: Doctrine of Chan
7. Video: Chan Practice
8. Video: Buddhism in Art and Culture
9. Video: Buddhism in Modern Culture

Graded: Module 6 Quiz

WEEK 7


Chinese Mythology
This module's content is dedicated to Chinese Mythos. This Module explains how the very notion of a mythical hero in China differs greatly from the correspondent Western notion.


9 videos expand

1. Video: Chinese Mythology
2. Video: Creator Deities: Fu Xi and Nu Wa
3. Video: The Myth of Pangu
4. Video: Progenitor Deities: Huang-di
5. Video: Progenitor Deities: Xiwang-mu
6. Video: Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors
7. Video: Myth, Hero and Tribe
8. Video: Mythical Creators
9. Video: Cosmological Deities

Graded: Module 7 Quiz

WEEK 8


Chinese folk religions: ancestor worship, temples, festivals and communal identities
This module's content describes the characteristic traits of Chinese sects and popular cults. This module introduces one of the most important notions in Chinese religious studies: Chinese synctretism.


8 videos expand

1. Video: Basics of Chinese Folk Religions
2. Video: The Idea and Society of Salvation in Chinese Folk Religion
3. Video: Sects and Syncretism
4. Video: Representative Cases of Syncretic Sects
5. Video: Xiantiandao and Yiguandao Sects
6. Video: Initiation and Secret Societies
7. Video: Local Cults and Traditions - Part 1
8. Video: Local Cults and Traditions - Part 2

Graded: Module 8 Quiz

WEEK 9


Modern China and its attitude to religions
This module's content is dedicated to describing the religious life in modern China, the main attitudes of officials to religion in PRC and in other places, where Chinese culture is widely spread.


7 videos expand

1. Video: People's Republic of China: Religious Policy
2. Video: Buddhism and Taoism in Modern China
3. Video: Traditions of the Minorities
4. Video: Islam in China
5. Video: Christianity in China
6. Video: Western Religions in China
7. Video: Popular Religions in Modern Chinese Culture

Graded: Module 9 Quiz