A few Tibetan monks who burned themselves since the turn of the new year gaining a share of the headlines and get to the intended international audience.
It is shocking to say the least. Not since the Vietnam war have we witnessed such gory and drastic actions from spiritual practitioners.
There is a fine line between immolation which is hailed as heroic and delusional suicide. Unlike Islamist suicide bombers who bring down innocent bystanders in the vicinity, self annihilators limit the damage. Whatever their religious beliefs or agenda, the violent and horrific images evoke strong emotions and leave long-lasting scars.
In the West, we would regard anyone who injures or kills himself nuts, as with cultists who commit suicide, mass shooting or assassinate a President.
I'm not a trained psychologist but I have heard from experts and friends in this field, and have met a number of sad people with diverse mental disorders.
There are many who justify drastic actions but their "logic" is entirely divergent from ours. We sympathise and wish to help them seek professional aid, that is if they want to be helped and "saved" by opening up to various avenues. However, no informed individuals with the right frame of mind should partake in such folly and flawed judgement.
Why Dalai Lama cannot and will not help?
His Holiness name has long been the war mantra for thousands of protestors of ethnic origin living in China, India, Nepal and the West.
Firstly, it is beyond the Dalai Lama's capability to help. Though his formal title is chief of the Yellow Hats, one among the handful of Tibetan religious sects. Therefore he is not representative of Tibetans.
Secondly, his Holiness has no incentive to return to China when he is enjoying the limelight with $2 million donations in addition to his $200,000 personal allowance in "donations" from Hollywood and NED (CIA).
While His Holiness had enjoyed autonomy which he has been mumbling about, but sought foreign help to launch a failed revolt which led to 50 years of exile.
His paymasters are cutting budget and could not afford his lavish lifestyle and irregularities by his feudalistic, nepotist and corrupt cabinet.
Thirdly, both the Dalai Lama and his paymasters realise that it would be impossible to topple the Chinese government much as they try and would like to.
The US government and organisations and Britain since the 1900s recognise Tibet as part of China. The geostrategic importance of mineral endowed Central Asia is the biggest prize but too far to reach. It would suffice that Dalai Lama serves as a pawn to rally dissidents to undermine China, the US' biggest economic rival and more recently a model for developing countries.
Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Religion. Show all posts
Saturday, February 11, 2012
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Islam in China - understanding history and evolution of the much maligned multicultural policy
Islam in China
A lot of global political attention in recent years has been on China as it emerges as a heavyweight in the global economy. Mention is often made of its Muslim minorities in the West of China and their push forindependence, but not many people know much about the background to Islam’s emergence in China.
The Chinese started to absorb ‘formal religion’ at a time when prophets were active throughout the world. At a time when Socrates(as) was active in Athens, Krishna(as)in India, Zoroaster(as) in Persia, in China, Kung Fu-Tsu(as) (Confucius(as), 551-479 BCE) began to preach on the means of social harmony.
Confucius(as) was followed by Lao Tzu(as) who laid the seeds of Daoism. So for many centuries, Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism gained popularity across China. This began to change as China opened its doors to foreign cultures largely as a result ofthe opening of trade routes such as the Silk Route.
A lot of global political attention in recent years has been on China as it emerges as a heavyweight in the global economy. Mention is often made of its Muslim minorities in the West of China and their push forindependence, but not many people know much about the background to Islam’s emergence in China.
The Chinese started to absorb ‘formal religion’ at a time when prophets were active throughout the world. At a time when Socrates(as) was active in Athens, Krishna(as)in India, Zoroaster(as) in Persia, in China, Kung Fu-Tsu(as) (Confucius(as), 551-479 BCE) began to preach on the means of social harmony.
Confucius(as) was followed by Lao Tzu(as) who laid the seeds of Daoism. So for many centuries, Buddhism, Confucianism and Daoism gained popularity across China. This began to change as China opened its doors to foreign cultures largely as a result ofthe opening of trade routes such as the Silk Route.
‘Seek knowledge even if from China.’
Although there has always been robust debate about the authenticity of this quote, there is little doubt that the Holy Prophet(saw) would have been aware of China, as the Arabs had strong trading links with China via the Sri Lanka and Malaysia sea routes.
Islam entered China through Arab and Central Asian traders. Actually, the first ‘official’ delegation went in 651 CE under the auspices of the 3rd Caliph, Hadhrat ‘Uthman(ra) who despatched Sa’d ibn abi Waqqas, the Prophet’s maternal Uncle.
He sent a message of peace to the Chinese Emperor encouraging him and his people to embrace Islam. The Emperor Yong Hui, in the second year of his reign, had no interest in adopting these foreign ideas and beliefs, but out of respect, responded by ordering the building of the Memorial Mosque in Canton City (Guangzhou), China’s first Mosque which still stands today. The Annals of the T’ang Dynasty make the first mention of the Muslim Arabs.
Often the Muslims adopted the names of their Han wives or the nearest Chinese name or letter to their original Arabic names; for example settlers with the name Muhammad or Mustafa would often adopt the name Mu or Mo, those named Hasan would become Ha, Said would become Sai and so gradually, the names became integrated into Chinese culture.
A century later, the Annals again record that an ambassador called Sulaiman was sent by the Muslim Caliph Hisham in 726 CE to the Chinese Emperor Hsuan Tsung. Many years later in 756 CE, his son Su Tsung called upon the Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur to help him recover his capital cities. The Arab troops that assisted him remained in China, married local women and settled.
Up to now, the Muslims were tolerated as foreign guests, but in the 13th century, having already taken control of the Muslim Middle East, the Mongol hoards devastated China. At this time, many Muslims from Central Asia were forced by the Mongols to migrate to Western China to assist with the administration of their empire. When Kublai Khan became the Emperor in 1259 CE in Khanbaliq (Beijing), he appointed ‘Umar Shams al-Din (commonly known as Syed Ajall) from Bukhara as his treasurer, and eventually as Governor of Yunnan, the region in the South-West towards Vietnam.
There had been a period of instability when the Mongols were removed from China as the Muslims were seen as their administrators. Ming Emperor Hung-Wu offered the Muslims many privileges and as their conditions improved, they were provided with new facilities and many new Mosques were built. These conditions continued to flourish throughout the Ming Dynasty (1368 – 1644 CE).
In the late 17th century, the great Chinese Muslim scholars Wang Daiyu, Ma Zhu and Liu Jielien wrote many books in Chinese on Islam and the Holy Prophet(saw). These books helped to increase the knowledge of the Chinese Muslims, although the wider population were still largely ignorant about Islam as the Muslims did not preach publicly.
There was an uprising of Hui and other ethnic Muslim groups against the Qing Dynasty from 1862 to 1877 in the provinces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia and Xinjiang. There were many grievances and to some extent, the coming together of the different sects and ethnic groups was out of convenience, but it is claimed that they wanted to create an independent Muslim country west of the Yellow River.
Whatever their motivation, the rebellion was crushed, and estimates of the number of Muslims killed vary from 1-8 million. Many Hui and other ethnic Muslims migrated from Western China to neighbouring Russia, Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan from 1878 and their descendents still live there whilst maintaining their Chinese roots.
Things stabilised again after the fall of the Qing Dynasty when Sun Yat Sen established the Republic of China and told the people that the country belonged equally to all citizens, including the Han, Hui Muslims, Tibetans and the Mongols.
Modern Islam in China
As mentioned previously, China is a Communist state, and as such, faith was not encouraged and went underground for many years. The China Islamic Association was formed in 1952 but was forced to go underground in 1958. It was the reform years from 1978 that brought religion back to the surface. Five religions wereofficially recognised in China: Buddhism, Catholicism, Taoism, Protestantism andIslam.
The religions and their Mosques, Churches and Temples were revived, and many new converts were attracted to them. By 2000 CE, official estimates claimed that there were now 200 million religious believers in the country, 11% of those being Muslims. The largest community is the 9.8 million Hui Muslims, followed by the 8.4 million Muslims of the Uyghur in the West of the country.
Across the country, there are ten main Muslim groups: Hui, Uyghur, Kazakh, Kirghiz, Uzbek, Tatar, Tadjik, Dongxiang, Salar and Bao’an. In many parts of the country, they live separately and have limited interactions with each other in the same way that religious sects co-exist, but in the major cities where the Muslims are a minority, theyoften come together in unity realising that they have more in common than their theological differences.
In cities such as Beijing or Shanghai, the Muslims cannot be distinguished from ordinary Chinese as beards are not exclusive to Muslims, nor is modest dress exclusive to Muslim women. Perceptions of Muslims from the mainstream population are that they eat lamb kebabs and do not eat pork, and observe strict cleanliness. In Beijing, the Muslims of the city live in several pockets and are often involved in the butchery trade where they provide Qing Zhen (Halal) meat for their own communities and also ‘clean’ meat for the wider population who respect Qing Zhen.
China has over 45,000 Mosques, most with a hybrid style of Arabic and Chinese. A typical example is the Niujie Mosque in the Hui district of Beijing which looks like a Chinese Temple from the outside, and on the inside has decorated pillars, walls and ceilings with red and other traditional colours, and gold Qur’anic lettering. The mosque dates from the 10th century and indeed the graves of two Arab missionaries are within the compound.
The main features of a mosque are there: a mihrab (niche), prayer mats facing Makkah, an ablutions hall, and a nearby Qur’anic School. The style is definitely Chinese and the minarets are built as pagodas and not that tall. One account describes that the Muslims did not build tall minarets so as not to offend the superstitious locals.
The mosque stands on a major crossroads in a Muslim area of Beijing not far from the Temple of Heaven, and across the road, there are Muslim shops and boutiques selling Halal meat, books and Islamic clothing (hijabs, hats etc).
However, the State is still wary of religion as a catalyst in breaking up the country (memories of the rebellion of the 19th century remain strong), and so maintains tight control over all clergy and religious instruction. Imams in China are educated at oneof ten Qur’anic Schools where they are also educated in state law and religious policy. Imams attend regular meetings at the China Islamic Association and are also encouraged to attend inter-faith meetings to promote understanding and goodwill. Indeed many of the Imams are aged 20-40 unlike in the Middle East where they are often from the elders of the community.
China has also had some innovations such as women Imams who lead congregationsof women in Mosques, but in general, the Muslims follow the same basic worship as Muslims elsewhere, and 10,000 attend the Hajj pilgrimage to Makkah every year.
There are many cities and regions in China that have maintained a significantIslamic heritage and a strong Muslim population to this day including Xi’an and the Xinjiang autonomous region.
Influential Chinese Muslims
Zheng He
Yusuf Ma Dexin
Osman Chou
Chinese Muslim Cities
Xi’an
Kashgar
Nanjing
Conclusion
The much-maligned Chinese are a very thoughtful, respectful and spiritual people. Although the political engine of China is facing criticism, the Chinese themselves are very disciplined and considerate and embrace spiritual concepts very easily.
It is interesting that despite being forced to go underground for decades under Communist rule (as did the Muslims of Central Asia under Soviet rule), since restrictions were lifted, the Muslims are back in strong numbers and with their culture and understanding of Islam intact.
Regular contact with the Middle East and South Asia has also ensured a continuous flow of information and active experience back into the Chinese Muslim community and a revival of religious zeal, though there is a difference amongst the Western Chinese who seek political leverage and the Eastern Chinese Muslims who seek to assimilate into main-stream society and practise their faith quietly.
Extracts from :
http://www.reviewofreligions.org/1595/islam-in-china/
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
Does Falungong qualify as a cult? Similar to Scientology? Ban cults to protect public interests?
A cult is one that is not accountable to its members, the government and the public. It's main objective is to serve the material and spiritual interests of leadership / personality without regard for public health and order.
Yet FLG receives funding from various foreign sources and networks bent on frustrating the Chinese authorities. Majority are aware that cults attract gullible and impressionable followers who are oblivious of Li Hongzhi's agenda because they are mere pawns to boost the numbers of FLG.
It is a one-way traffic. What Falungong wants, it will fight to achieve. It accuses the lack of freedom in China but it forbids freedom of speech of others who hold different and alternative views and do not stand up to criticisms.
There are many similarities between Scientology and FLG. Beliefs in alien invasion, rejection of modern medicine and personality cult.
Anyone who personally knows loved ones fallen victims and suffered irreparable damage to these scams would appreciate why cults need to be checked and dismantled.
Why do Germany and some governments and organisations seek to ban Scientology? Others fear because the cult supported by movie stars has grown to powerful to be reined in. The same can be said of FLG.
http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2409
http://xahlee.org/Periodic_dosage_dir/t2/scientology_falun_gong.html
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/14782/falun-gong-not-so-innocent
Yet FLG receives funding from various foreign sources and networks bent on frustrating the Chinese authorities. Majority are aware that cults attract gullible and impressionable followers who are oblivious of Li Hongzhi's agenda because they are mere pawns to boost the numbers of FLG.
It is a one-way traffic. What Falungong wants, it will fight to achieve. It accuses the lack of freedom in China but it forbids freedom of speech of others who hold different and alternative views and do not stand up to criticisms.
There are many similarities between Scientology and FLG. Beliefs in alien invasion, rejection of modern medicine and personality cult.
Anyone who personally knows loved ones fallen victims and suffered irreparable damage to these scams would appreciate why cults need to be checked and dismantled.
Why do Germany and some governments and organisations seek to ban Scientology? Others fear because the cult supported by movie stars has grown to powerful to be reined in. The same can be said of FLG.
http://www.cultnews.com/?p=2409
http://xahlee.org/Periodic_dosage_dir/t2/scientology_falun_gong.html
http://www.religionnewsblog.com/14782/falun-gong-not-so-innocent
Thursday, November 24, 2011
Tibetan Monks' Suicide Mission - marginal sect's interpretation of Buddhism and politics
Monks from Kriti monastery have burnt themselves to send a message to Beijing. They are said to be close and sympathetic to the exiled Dalai Lama and the controversial anti-government Kriti Rinpoche.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5geqMJgfzWImzR1kzZ-sA7cPamEQg?docId=CNG.85d6efd89b39fb7853a1eb4f76261036.431
Self immolation is unheard of in Tibet until recently. It is also discouraged in Buddhist teachings.
It is assumed that His Highness condones such behaviour. Tibetan monks are willing suicide burners to pressure Beijing.
It is a reminder of inferno monks during the Vietnam War which caught media attention. But it was the cost of the war that led to the withdrawal, not protests.
Majority of Tibetans are now enjoying a higher standard of living, modern universal multilingual education and temples receive huge amounts of funding from the government as well as other ethnic followers of Tibetan Buddhism. The cultural genocide charges levelled against Beijing by the Dalai Lama could not be proven or substantiated. Instead, exiled Tibetans have lost much of their cultural heritage compared to their cousins living in mainland China.
The Dalai Lama has been accused of human rights abuses, nepotism and hypocrisy by the Western Dorje Shugden. But victims endured discrimination and harassment and had not resorted to burning themselves to seek attention.
http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/files/tibetan_situation.pdf
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5geqMJgfzWImzR1kzZ-sA7cPamEQg?docId=CNG.85d6efd89b39fb7853a1eb4f76261036.431
Self immolation is unheard of in Tibet until recently. It is also discouraged in Buddhist teachings.
It is assumed that His Highness condones such behaviour. Tibetan monks are willing suicide burners to pressure Beijing.
It is a reminder of inferno monks during the Vietnam War which caught media attention. But it was the cost of the war that led to the withdrawal, not protests.
Majority of Tibetans are now enjoying a higher standard of living, modern universal multilingual education and temples receive huge amounts of funding from the government as well as other ethnic followers of Tibetan Buddhism. The cultural genocide charges levelled against Beijing by the Dalai Lama could not be proven or substantiated. Instead, exiled Tibetans have lost much of their cultural heritage compared to their cousins living in mainland China.
The Dalai Lama has been accused of human rights abuses, nepotism and hypocrisy by the Western Dorje Shugden. But victims endured discrimination and harassment and had not resorted to burning themselves to seek attention.
http://www.westernshugdensociety.org/files/tibetan_situation.pdf
Monday, January 17, 2011
Worship of Chinese Historical Heroic Figures and Cultural Traditions
Deeply entrenched in the traditions and cultures of the Chinese people is practice to remember historical figures and commemorate special events. There is often a fine line between mythology and history. Taoist teachings have an enduring influence in these mystical stories that have wowed many generations. Volumes of folklore stories have been written, with greater ethusiasm, dramatisation and miraculous claims. Many of these have been scripted and performed in opera conveyed in different regional dialects.
Most Chinese peoples including some of the illiterate worshippers are aware that they are not "praying" to a god, demi-god, deity or shen 神 despite the tendency to "idolise" almost every spiritual figure, including the Buddha. However, injecting an element of mysticism adds flavour and colour to enrich their way of life.
Values are incalcated and reinforced by performing rituals for thousands of years. Hence, Chinese including many overseas diaspora have built temples to pay respects to Confucius (scholarship), Guan Yu (bravery, honesty, loyalty), Qu Yuan (righteousness, patriotism) and Zheng He (adventure, diplomacy). Some like Guan Yu and Zheng He are worshipped by other non-Chinese or mixed ethnicities in Southeast Asia. Their beliefs are inclusive. It does not bother overseas Chinese that Zheng He (Cheng Ho / San Bao) was a Hui Muslim. And Guan Yu was held in high regard in Vietnamese home shrines even though he was of a different ethnicity. There are many more regional and local folk heroes held in high esteem and models for laymen to follow.
Hero worshipping is probably the Chinese (and some Asian) way of learning from history. This is probably the reason why ancestral worship is an integral part of Chinese customs and traditions. While Chinese families do not accord divine status to the deceased ancestors, they are "worshipped". It serves as a reminder for past sacrifices and contributions. It is therefore common to to find ancestors' tablets enshrined in villages and overseas Chinese clan societies.
Thousands of years ago, before moderating and nurturing effects of Confucianism and Buddhism was absorbed by the Chinese, many were pagans and animists. To date, we still find families incorporating worship of the Kitchen God, Heaven Emperor, Mountain and Guardians, Wealth God, etc.
Surprisingly Mao Zedong is still worshipped by some mainland born Chinese baby boomers, overseas residents notwithstanding. They would usually place a Mao photo or small figurine on the altar or shrine at the side of a Goddess or Mercy or Buddha. While Mao had built a personality cult, Chinese people had never been duped into believing he was a heavenly son like the Emperors before him who were denounced by his Communist Party. Mao might have shown superhuman powers when he unified China but he had also committed many grave policy errors and caused untold sufferings to his people.
Mao's bid to get rid of religion in Chinese society could not succeed because beliefs, customs, religion and cultures form a complex matrix, so closely and strongly intertwined in Chinese society. Certainly thousands of years of accumulated customs could not be easily wipe out by decades of Cultural Revolution. Today, the fear of excessive materialism and empty souls have prompted the Chinese government to encourage the revival of "religion".
The future face of Chinese religious psyche as increasing number of Chinese turn to Christianity in tandem with the relaxation on church activities is an interesting issue to explore. While Buddhism and Islam are foreign imports assimilated smoothly into the local culture, they are nevertheless oriental philosophies.
I shall deal with this topic in greater detail in future.
References :
http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/History109bye460.html
http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/137215.htm
http://scenery.cultural-china.com/en/109S124S507.html
http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Excursions/Guan-entrance-sign.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_China
Most Chinese peoples including some of the illiterate worshippers are aware that they are not "praying" to a god, demi-god, deity or shen 神 despite the tendency to "idolise" almost every spiritual figure, including the Buddha. However, injecting an element of mysticism adds flavour and colour to enrich their way of life.
Values are incalcated and reinforced by performing rituals for thousands of years. Hence, Chinese including many overseas diaspora have built temples to pay respects to Confucius (scholarship), Guan Yu (bravery, honesty, loyalty), Qu Yuan (righteousness, patriotism) and Zheng He (adventure, diplomacy). Some like Guan Yu and Zheng He are worshipped by other non-Chinese or mixed ethnicities in Southeast Asia. Their beliefs are inclusive. It does not bother overseas Chinese that Zheng He (Cheng Ho / San Bao) was a Hui Muslim. And Guan Yu was held in high regard in Vietnamese home shrines even though he was of a different ethnicity. There are many more regional and local folk heroes held in high esteem and models for laymen to follow.
Hero worshipping is probably the Chinese (and some Asian) way of learning from history. This is probably the reason why ancestral worship is an integral part of Chinese customs and traditions. While Chinese families do not accord divine status to the deceased ancestors, they are "worshipped". It serves as a reminder for past sacrifices and contributions. It is therefore common to to find ancestors' tablets enshrined in villages and overseas Chinese clan societies.
Thousands of years ago, before moderating and nurturing effects of Confucianism and Buddhism was absorbed by the Chinese, many were pagans and animists. To date, we still find families incorporating worship of the Kitchen God, Heaven Emperor, Mountain and Guardians, Wealth God, etc.
Surprisingly Mao Zedong is still worshipped by some mainland born Chinese baby boomers, overseas residents notwithstanding. They would usually place a Mao photo or small figurine on the altar or shrine at the side of a Goddess or Mercy or Buddha. While Mao had built a personality cult, Chinese people had never been duped into believing he was a heavenly son like the Emperors before him who were denounced by his Communist Party. Mao might have shown superhuman powers when he unified China but he had also committed many grave policy errors and caused untold sufferings to his people.
Mao's bid to get rid of religion in Chinese society could not succeed because beliefs, customs, religion and cultures form a complex matrix, so closely and strongly intertwined in Chinese society. Certainly thousands of years of accumulated customs could not be easily wipe out by decades of Cultural Revolution. Today, the fear of excessive materialism and empty souls have prompted the Chinese government to encourage the revival of "religion".
The future face of Chinese religious psyche as increasing number of Chinese turn to Christianity in tandem with the relaxation on church activities is an interesting issue to explore. While Buddhism and Islam are foreign imports assimilated smoothly into the local culture, they are nevertheless oriental philosophies.
I shall deal with this topic in greater detail in future.
References :
http://www.cultural-china.com/chinaWH/html/en/History109bye460.html
http://www.china.org.cn/english/culture/137215.htm
http://scenery.cultural-china.com/en/109S124S507.html
http://www.paulnoll.com/China/Excursions/Guan-entrance-sign.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Religion_in_China
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