- Quote: "Chinese folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion, comprehends a range of traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora."
The pantheon of deities and spirits in Taoist tradition, as well as the popular practices and rituals associated with folk religion.
Taoism: An overview of the religion, its beliefs, practices, and history.
Yin and Yang: The interdependent opposing forces that govern the universe and all its elements.
Wu Wei: The principle of non-action, detachment, and naturalness in Taoist practice.
Taoist cosmology: The understanding of the universe as a combination of Tao, Yin and Yang, the Five Elements, and the eight trigrams.
The Three Treasures: Jing (essence), Qi (life force energy), and Shen (spirit), which are believed to be essential for health and longevity.
The Five Elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal, and Water, which represent the different phases of transformation in nature and human life.
The Celestial and Terrestrial Realms: The understanding of the different realms of existence and the various deities and spirits that inhabit them.
Taoist pantheon: An overview of the different Taoist deities, their roles, and attributes.
Ancestral worship: The practice of honoring and appeasing ancestors for their guidance and protection.
Feng Shui: The art of arranging spaces in harmony with the principles of Qi and Yin-Yang for prosperity, health, and good luck.
Altar etiquette: The proper way to set up and maintain an altar for Taoist deity worship.
Taoist festivals: The various celebrations and rituals observed by Taoists throughout the year, such as the Ghost Festival and the Birthday of the Jade Emperor.
Taoist priesthood: The various levels of spiritual hierarchy within Taoist tradition and the role of priests in worship and spiritual guidance.
Divination: The practice of using various methods such as I Ching or astrology to gain insight into future possibilities.
Talisman and amulet making: The creation and use of charms and tokens for divine protection and blessings.
Taoist magic and sorcery: The application of Taoist principles and rituals for healing, protection, and the manipulation of supernatural forces.
Three Pure Ones: High deities who preside over the Tao and are considered the highest of all Taoist deities.
Jade Emperor: The supreme god in Taoism, who governs all aspects of heaven and earth.
Xuanwu: The god of the north and the protector of the Tao.
The Eight Immortals: A group of legendary Taoist adepts who attained immortality through their practice of Taoist alchemy.
Guandi: The god of war, who is worshipped for his bravery and loyalty.
Mazu: The goddess of the sea, who protects seafarers and fishermen.
Kitchen God: A god who is worshipped in Chinese households for his role in guarding the gates of heaven.
Ancestral Worship: The veneration of ancestors and the belief that they can provide blessings and protection to their living descendants.
Burning Paper Money: A practice in which paper money is burned as an offering to deceased ancestors, who are believed to use this money in the afterlife.
Feng Shui: The practice of arranging one's living and work spaces to promote harmony and positive energy.
Divination: The use of various methods to gain insight into the future or to understand the present.
Spirit Mediums: Individual who are able to communicate with spirits in the afterlife and act as a bridge between the living and the dead.
Ghost Month: A month-long observance during which the gates of the underworld are believed to open, allowing ghosts and spirits to visit the living world.
Dragon Boat Festival: A celebration held on the fifth day of the fifth lunar month to commemorate the life and death of Qu Yuan, a renowned poet and statesman.
- Quote: "Vivienne Wee described it as 'an empty bowl, which can variously be filled with the contents of institutionalized religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese syncretic religions.'"
- Quote: "This includes the veneration of shen (spirits) and ancestors, exorcism of demonic forces, and a belief in the rational order of nature, balance in the universe and reality that can be influenced by human beings and their rulers, as well as spirits and deities."
- Quote: "Worship is devoted to deities and immortals, who can be deities of places or natural phenomena, of human behavior, or founders of family lineages."
- Quote: "By the Song dynasty (960-1279), these practices had been blended with Buddhist doctrines and Taoist teachings to form the popular religious system which has lasted in many ways until the present day."
- Quote: "The present day government of mainland China, like the imperial dynasties, tolerates popular religious organizations if they bolster social stability but suppresses or persecutes those that they fear would undermine it."
- Quote: "After the fall of the empire in 1911, governments and modernizing elites condemned 'feudal superstition' and opposed or attempted to eradicate traditional religion in order to promote modern values."
- Quote: "Many scholars now view folk religion in a positive light."
- Quote: "In recent times traditional religion is experiencing a revival in both China and Taiwan."
- Quote: "Some forms have received official understanding or recognition as a preservation of traditional culture, such as Mazuism and the Sanyi teaching in Fujian, Huangdi worship, and other forms of local worship, for example the Longwang, Pangu or Caishen worship."
- Quote: "Geomancy, acupuncture, and traditional Chinese medicine reflect this world view, since features of the landscape as well as organs of the body are in correlation with the five powers and yin and yang."
- Quote: "Traditional religious practices of Han Chinese, including the Chinese diaspora... can variously be filled with the contents of institutionalized religions such as Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism and Chinese syncretic religions."
- Quote: "This includes the veneration of shen (spirits) and ancestors, exorcism of demonic forces, and a belief in the rational order of nature, balance in the universe and reality that can be influenced by human beings and their rulers, as well as spirits and deities."
- Quote: "By the Song dynasty (960-1279), these practices had been blended with Buddhist doctrines and Taoist teachings to form the popular religious system which has lasted in many ways until the present day."
- Quote: "The present day government of mainland China, like the imperial dynasties, tolerates popular religious organizations if they bolster social stability but suppresses or persecutes those that they fear would undermine it."
- Quote: "After the fall of the empire in 1911, governments and modernizing elites condemned 'feudal superstition' and opposed or attempted to eradicate traditional religion in order to promote modern values."
- Quote: "Many scholars now view folk religion in a positive light."
- Quote: "In recent times traditional religion is experiencing a revival in both China and Taiwan."
- Quote: "Some forms have received official understanding or recognition as a preservation of traditional culture, such as Mazuism and the Sanyi teaching in Fujian, Huangdi worship, and other forms of local worship, for example the Longwang, Pangu or Caishen worship."
- Quote: "Geomancy, acupuncture, and traditional Chinese medicine reflect this world view, since features of the landscape as well as organs of the body are in correlation with the five powers and yin and yang."