The civilisation of Ancient China was influenced by a complex mix of beliefs, values and traditions. Some, such as Taoism, were religious; others, such as Confucianism, were more to do with behaviour. Closely tied in with these were many rituals influencing how people were buried, how they arranged their homes, how they drank their tea and much more. These beliefs and practices were influenced by the Ancient Chinese religions because people that followed them believed what the religions traditions were and so they did what their beliefs were.
This source is significant to the topic because the information explains some of the religious based practices that were influenced by Ancient Chinese religions. The information presented is relevant to the focus question ‘How, and what religious beliefs and practices influenced the Ancient Chinese lifestyle? ‘ because it answers the question as well as listing some of the examples of the practices that were influenced by the Religions. I know that this information is reliable because the resource that I used is from the Australian Curriculum.
When Buddhism began to influence Chinese culture in the first century BCE, it brought with it a vast group of new concepts, policies, and beliefs. Ideas of heavens and hells, belief in reincarnation, and the creed of karma all eventually worked their way into part of everyday Chinese life, as Buddhist ideas took hold and spread. Buddhism also changed the physical world of the Chinese, introducing new sacred objects, symbols, buildings and ritual equipment. This source reveals the significance of this topic because it shows how much impact the Buddhist culture had influenced on Ancient China.
The information presented is relevant to the focus question ‘How did the beliefs and practices influence the Ancient Chinese lifestyle? ‘ because it gives an example of some things in which Buddhism had influenced on Ancient China which is what the focus question asks ‘How, and what religious beliefs and practices influenced the Ancient Chinese lifestyle? ‘. All of this information presented is reliable because it was taken from a book in which was published by a University Press. Confucianism: Confucianism is a philosophy not a religion but is counted as a religious group.
Started by a man called Confucius. Beliefs were that people should work towards improving themselves. Daoism (Taoism): Believed that people should live a simple life focusing and studying meditation and people should not be interested in wealth. They worshipped ‘immortals’ that could become invisible and turn things into gold. They believed in Hell and had a supreme god called Hanlao. Yin and Yang. Buddhism: Strongly believed in meditation and that people would be reincarnated at the time of death. Their goal was to reach ‘nirvana’ which is where someone can no longer be subject to rebirth.
This resource reveals the Religions of ancient China and what their beliefs were. This information is relevant to the focus question What were the beliefs of the Ancient Chinese religions and who created them? ‘ because it shows what the three main religions of ancient China believed in, and some practices that they followed. I know that this information presented is reliable because I have found the same information in various places to make sure that this resource didn’t contain false information. relevant to the focus question? Confucius:
Religious Teacher and Philosopher, died in year 479 BCE, Confucius had 5 virtues that he encouraged people to follow they were: kindness, righteousness, sobriety, wisdom and trustworthiness. Created the philosophy of Confucianism. Laozi: Lived in the 6th century. Created Daoism (Taoism), Scholar and worked for the religious court. Created the sacred text of Daoism called ‘Daodejing’. Buddha: Also known as Siddhartha Gautama. Was born around 536 BCE. Created Buddhism, he was upset about a young man experiencing poverty and went to search for more ‘spiritual meaning’ in which he called ‘the truth’.
He was once an Indian Prince. This resource is significant to the topic because it shows who created these three main religions of Confucianism, Buddhism and Taoism (Daoism). This information is relevant to the focus question’ as it answers the second aspect of the question which was ‘who created them? ‘ This information answers this part of the question as it lists the people that created/established these religions and some information about them. I know that this information is reliable because I noted parts of information that was written in the book and as this book would have had to be checked before it was published.
Some practices that were followed in Ancient Chinese religions include Tao te Ching of Taoism maintains that there is a universal force known as the Tao which flows through all things and binds all things but makes no mention of specific gods to be worshipped, There is also a ritualistic pattern to how the dead were buried with tombs oriented west to east to symbolize death and rebirth, Oracle Bones, the mystic would write the question on the shoulder bone of an ox or turtle shell and apply heat until it cracked; whichever way the crack went would determine the answer.
It was not the mystic or the bone which gave the answer but one’s ancestors who the mystic communed with. This resource reveals significance about this topic because links to Ancient Chinese Religions in which the topic is about ‘Ancient Chinese religious beliefs and practices’. The information presented is relevant to the focus question which was ‘What practices and rituals were followed in each religion? ‘ because it gives examples of some of the practices which were followed by people during Ancient China and a description of how they were used/followed.
This information is reliable as it is all referenced and is also a website which a selected source has been taken from. The Worship of Heavenly Bodies – The sacrifice was to Shangdi held on the day of the winter solstice. The Worship of Earth – The Summer Solstice marks the day dedicated to the worship of earth was associated with human sacrifice. The etiquette of earth worship also includes the worship of mountains and rivers, the worship of the soil god, the worship of the millet god, etc.
Ancestral Temple Worship – with ordinary folk being consigned to reserve a small shrine area in the home in honour of their ancestors. Although human sacrifice had been abolished during the Han Dynasty, cemeteries and ancestral temples continued to be built in honour of the emperors of past dynasties. Birth Ritual – All of the rites related to a birth, from the praying for the inception of a child when a woman is not yet pregnant to the time when the baby has reached the age of one full year revolve around the theme of a long life.
The sequence of rites after the birth of the child are: Sanzhao (three days after birth), Manyue (a full month after birth), Bairi (one hundred days after birth), and Zhuazhou (a full year after birth). Worship of Ancient Sages and Masters Meeting Rituals Military Rituals The Birth Ritual The Coming-of-Age Ritual The Banquet Ritual – The feast of the Banquet Ritual is held in the Tai Temple. Tailao (i. e. , meat of the three livestock: the ox, the sheep and the pig) is prepared and served to guests. The emphasis is on the reciprocity of etiquette rather than on dining.
The worshipping ceremony in honour of the Emperor Yan, considered as one of China’s first ancestors, is namely a banquet ritual. The rite of Yan is held in a bedroom palace. The Five Sacrifice Offerings – The Five Sacrifice Offerings refers to offering a sacrifice to the door, to the window, to the well, to the kitchen and to the zhongliu (middle room). This resource/information reveals significance of this topic because it shows the many different religious rituals that were practiced by people in Ancient China and how important they were.
This information is relevant to the focus question ‘What practices and rituals were followed in each religion? ‘ because it relates to the rituals that were followed although they don’t address which religion they were followed by. This information is reliable because it is a private website and I have found multiple copies of similar information. This source is primary because it is from Ancient China which is the time being studied therefore making this source primary. This source is believed to of been of a monk that has starved himself and after his death other monks have placed him into a statue to keep his remain stabilised.
This monk/source had originally been created into this preserved state from around the 10th century. This source was found and underwent restoration in the 1990’s. This source may originally have been produced because the monk whose remains had been found inside this statue had performed an act of extreme spiritual devotion. The monk had supposedly been placed into the statue by other monks in order to preserve and stabilise him. Therefore this source was originally produced because the monk was devoting himself spiritually to someone or something.
Significance: What does this source reveal about the significance of Religious Beliefs and Practices in Ancient China? This source showing a mummified monk inside a Buddha statue reveals how important religious beliefs would have been to people like this monk, because of the amount of spiritual commitment he had towards what he was sacrificing himself to. This source also reveals a practice that was followed when people passed away. Which in the instance of this source the monks that put him in the statue; this is an example of how people were treated after their death in Ancient China.
This source is primary because it was created during the time being studied which is Ancient China and this source was created during this time. This source was first carved by a man called Haitong who had started the project in 713 BCE, he passed away and years later, the apprentice of Haitong continued to build the Giant Buddha the carving had stopped once again. The project was continued again, and after the efforts of three generations, the Giant Buddha was finally completed in 803 BCE. Significance: What does this source reveal about the significance of Religious Beliefs and Practices in Ancient China?
