Talk about Chinese beliefs and religion on Medium中國人的宗教和信仰
A Chinese Perspective on Love and Religion
A few days ago, I shared my views on family and love as a Chinese person. Both the budget girl and my wife laughed at me, calling me a clueless fool when it comes to understanding a woman’s heart. It’s true that even in first grade, I didn’t know what one plus one equaled. Instead, I would find myself asking my teacher about who or what God was. Surprisingly, my elementary school teacher told me that God was Guanyin Bodhisattva or the Jade Emperor. As I grew older, I would often visit Christian churches on Peace Road in Shenzhen during weekends to listen to hymns and immerse myself in the atmosphere. It was then that I began to understand the unique perspectives and sentiments that many Chinese people hold when it comes to faith and religion.
If you ever have the chance to visit the temples and shrines on China's famous mountains, you'll often find that not far from Buddhist temples, there are Taoist temples. Taoism and Buddhism may be different religions, but they often coexist peacefully on the same mountain or in the same neighborhood. This inherent inclusiveness is especially evident in Hong Kong, where not only different Chinese religions coexist but also Islam, Christianity, and Catholicism can be found on the same street. For example, Tsim Sha Tsui in Hong Kong is a place where you can witness this.
I remember one time when Master Chen took me to worship Guanyin. He said he wanted to have another son and bought a bunch of incense and windmills to offer as sacrifices at the foot of the mountain. After that, we went to worship the Buddha and then the God of Wealth. I couldn't help but ask him,"Isn't it a bit greedy to have so many wishes?" He cunningly smiled and replied,"I owe my achievements today to spending more money on incense and offerings than others, including the various gods and officials in the government. Haha."
When I was a child and felt frustrated and helpless, I would secretly go to the church on Peace Road in Shenzhen. The pastor’s wife there was a kind old lady who was visually impaired. Whenever she knew I was there, she would gently embrace me, pat my head, and say,"My adorable angel is here again. Don’t cry anymore. God is with us."
I didn’t understand why she was always so gentle and selfless in caring for me, and I didn’t know what God was back then. All I knew was that this was love. This was true faith.
