Taoism Religious Concept of Death from its Ritual-Da Chai - Coursework Example

Taoism Religious Concept of Death from its Ritual-Da Chai Student’s Name Institutional Affiliation Date Taoism Religious Concept of Death from its Ritual-Da Chai Introduction Three primary doctrines have defined the philosophical and religious beliefs of the Chinese society, right from its historical background. These three doctrines are Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. While Buddhism came to China from India, Confucianism and Taoism have their foundations in China. Taoism has influenced religious and, sometimes social practices in the Eastern culture, particularly the Chinese culture. For those who practice the religion, Taoism is a path or way of life as opposed to a religion (Brown, 2016). The religious beliefs and practices of Taoism must live through a believer’s practical life. In this paper, the discussion focuses the issue of Taoism religious concept of death through its ritual called Da Chai. Background to Taoism Many scholars believe that Taoism originated in China about sixth century B.C.E. Together with other religious doctrines like Buddhism, Taoism has shaped Chinese life and perspectives for over two thousand five hundred years. The goal of the religion is for one to achieve a path, or way (Tao). Taoists believe that Tao is a reality, and it existed before the universe was created, and continues to guide the world. Tao is the mother and source of everything, yet that source are not one god or Supreme Being, but immortals that lived an exemplary life worth of being emulated by others (Brown, 2016). Taoism does not focus on the worship of one god, but one must strive to create and be in harmony with Tao. Taoism is attributed to classic text of Lao Tzu’s Tao Te Ching (the way and its Virtues), who many say laid the foundation for philosophical Taoism as opposed to religious Taoism. Imperatively, religious Taoism may have arisen as a reaction against the ancient Chinese feudal society’s religion that emphasized the sacrificial altars of soil and grain. Additionally, the quest for immortality (Hsien), traditions of occult masters (Fang-Shih) and the need for the Isles of Blessed (Pengl’ai) and ideas from Yin-Yang created the early Taoist philosophies (Liu et al., 2015). Further, Taoism incorporated rites and myths of shamanism to create mystery cults that led to the creation of Taoist theology and liturgy. Taoism, like other religions was not and has never been immune to political interferences. Some of the political influences have been to its positive advantages while some have been detrimental to its existence. For instance, the popularity of the religion, its ideas and practices increased during the Han Dynasty (221BCE) when it was declared one of the state’s ideologies along with Confucianism. Taoism greatly penetrated the lives of ordinary Chinese in mainland China and Taiwan. Taoism spread and achieved the status of an accepted religion with many temples believers across the Chinese territory (Liu et al., 2015). Therefore, Taoism developed into an organized religion, partly in response to the institutional structure of Buddhism, with an expanding canon of texts and pantheon of gods. The religion also established significant number of schools with distinct ideas and approaches (Brown, 2016). At times, some of the schools became politically active and used to advance political interests in China. Today, the religion is driven by the hope of attaining immortality through its rituals, practices, and philosophies. Immortality is only achievable as an afterlife award for those who live harmoniously with the path. Taoists understand that life and death have a relationship, and that relationship is established through the word itself (Cao et al., 2016). Taoism remains a dominant religion along with Buddhism for most people in the Chinese-speaking territories in the world. Conversely, the attainment of immortality is a rather an esoteric and challenging goal. However, the religion with its popular and cultic components, offers practical guidance through codes of conduct and physical regimens, talismans and ritualistic services that enable it to regulate the everyday life of its followers and believers. The word Tao has two characters representing the head and foot. The foot character depicts the idea of an individual’s direction or path while the head character is a representation of one’s conscious choice. Further, the two characters represent the end and beginning, respectively. Therefore, the Tao characters indicate that the universe is continuous and has no end. It is a cycle between heaven and earth for the Taoist believers since no one can die when they live in harmony with their path or way (Tao) (Liu et al., 2015). It suffices to note that the two characters depict Tao as the beginning and end of life, and that Tao is both moving and unmoving, suggesting that immortality through reincarnation occurs for the dead. As a result of these believes, many scholars have studied and discussed Taoism religious concept of death, especially through their death ritual Dai Chai. Taoism Death Ritual- Da Chai An overview of Da Chai Ritual Religious Taoism philosophy states that a person’s body if filled with monsters and spirits, and based on this, they prescribe the number of rituals that one must undergo so that that the spirits can guard the body. If these spirits leave the body, it weakens and dies because there is nothing to protect it from diseases. Further, the religion believes in life after death or reincarnation of the body. The concept of immortality is at the heart of this religion, and when one dies, they can be contacted through meditation by an alchemist (Liu et al., 2015). Therefore, among the Taoists, death is considered as another phase of life, an event that must take place and must be accepted by all people. Those who have done what they are expected to do when alive are granted immortality. Therefore, death rituals like Da Chai, or communion with the deceased are necessary. Taoism is not the only religion in China with death rituals, but Confucianism and Buddhism have their own set of death rituals. The funeral ceremonies of the dead include having an altar that is placed on a sacred lamp, tea, rice, two candles, and water. The sacred lamp or light represents wisdom and is considered the golden pill of immortality. Two candle lights are then placed on each side of the light to symbolize the sun and the moon, and the two eyes of the person of human beings. Tea, water, and rice are placed in cups before the altar. Tea represents yin, rice represents the union of yin and yang, while water is a symbol of energy of the yang. Further, five plates are then used to represent five elements of the religion that include earth, water, wood, fire, water, and metal. The components are further given specific colors that include green, yellow, red, black, and white (Kong, 2016). These elements are used cyclic to create a balance and ensure that the deceased person’s body is healthy. Additionally, an incense burner is placed in the middle of all the components. Incense is burned to represent refinement and purification of the soul. The purification and refinement of the soul are considered as inner energies. Another critical component of the Da Chai ritual ceremonies is the concept that the deceased person must achieve immortality. Immortality must be reached before one dies and it entails meeting various tasks during one’s entire lifetime (Stuart, 2017). There are two different categories of achieving immortality; these include internal and external alchemies. Internal alchemy consists of having sophisticated visualization, following a strict diet, having particular sexual exercises and activities, and practicing self-control. The essence of a strict is to kill demons within the body and maintain and stimulate energy levels. Further, purification of the body occurs through the consumption of refined products and substances like gold and jade. Further, many different types of meditation are aimed at the common idea of breathing, and most of a Taoist time must be spent in meditation to achieve internal alchemy. For instance, breathing techniques like holding one’s breathe for about twelve heartbeats is considered the “little tour” of the inner soul for a Taoist who spends most of his or her time meditating. To express external alchemy, a Taoist must master special breathing methods, physical exercise, yoga, sexual practices. Further, they can consume refined metals and complex components. One must also develop skills in medicine. Again, Taoism considers the soul or energy as interlocked with essential energy that nourishes their soul (Kong, 2016). Therefore, getting rid of these impurities from the body, especially when one is still alive increases the inner energy. Apart from these requirements, the attainment of immortality needs one to live and lead an upright, good-hearted, and moral life. Imperatively, death rituals because more significant if one attained physical immortality as exemplified by the kind of life that they lived. The Da Chai ceremonies, through preparations, funeral, and post funeral rites reinforce the concept of immortality for the person. Death Ritual Preparation for the Wake Death is considered as a disruption to the existing balance and performing death rituals is aimed at re-establishing harmony and order. The dead influence the fortunes of the living and can be consulted through meditation (Stuart, 2017). Therefore, Taoism, like other religions in China, performs death rituals as a form of respect and filial piety. Upon death, the living room of the dead is cleared since death is considered to pollute the environment. Mourning garments Each family member to the deceased dresses in accordance to the relationship they have with the dead. The different colors of the morning garment correspond with their relationship to the dead. For instance, immediate family members put on a course burlap overcoat, slippers and hat to indicate that they care about their appearances and personal comfort for the grieving people. Five mourning grades and dress codes are prescribed (Kong, 2016). For example, sons, eldest grandson, daughters and daughters-in-law put on white clothes hat and slippers and n under course hempen sackcloth. Preparation of the body Before one dies, a coffin is ordered and kept in the house. From a traditional perspective, bodies are buries in special rectangular coffins with three humps. Secondly, all statutes in the home must have their faces covered with red paper. The family then places a white cloth on the doorway and a gong is put in place for women and men to the right. Before the burial, the deceased is cleaned with a damp towel and talcum powder. They are then dressed in their best garments that may be black, brown or blue in color (Hsu et al., 2009). The face of the deceased is then covered in a yellow cloth and the entire body covered in blue before being placed in the coffin. A pearl is then placed in the deceased mouth to offer them a smooth passage in hell by protecting the body against demons and bad spirits. Coins are then place in their palms, and meant to pay the guardian spirits so that the dead can have a smooth and safe passage. In some cases, a grain of rice is used to ensure that the departed will have enough food in the world ahead (Kong, 2016). Once the body has been placed in the coffin and ready for burial, a ritual ceremony called “entering the wood” is performed. A bag of grain and mirror are placed in the coffin to light the path and ensure that the deceased has enough to eat in the afterworld. Some personal items, huge amounts of joss paper and paper money are included in the coffin (Stuart, 2017). The Funeral The funeral starts with the priest chanting Taoism scripture. Mourners are expected to grieve as loud as they can, and when the mourning or the loud mourning chants reach their peak, the coffin is then nailed by the eldest son (Dean, 2014). The priest’s chanting is meant to welcome the ancestors through what they call “silver and golden bridges.” The ancestors must get a “bath” to remove dirt before they can rest in the house. However, as the ancestors rest and nailing of the coffin takes place, mourners must run away since it is a taboo to see it sealed (Stuart, 2017). A yellow and white paper is then fixed on the surface of the coffin and placed outside as more prayers take place. A procession then begins once the prayers are over to the place where the dead will be laid into the ground. Again, mourners must turn away when the body as the body is lowered into the ground. Post-funeral Once the burial is over, family members need to attend to guests who came for the funeral by giving them meals. The guests then get a red packet filled with money, and everyone at the funeral must burn the clothes they wore (Stuart, 2017). The rituals do not end with the funeral as family members remain to mourn for a period of forty-nine days with prayers taking place after every seven days. The Practice of ‘’ Da Chai in Contemporary Society In a typical visit to Hong Kong in the year 1999, one would witness groups of people practicing Da Chai as part of the death rituals (Leung, 1999). Also, ritual services were conducted for the deceased in order to ensure that the person attained immortality. It was expected that the descendants were to implement the traditions no matter the outcome. According to Leung (1999), over the years, transformation have occurred in the manner in which people practiced Da Chai. Leung (1999), discloses that even at this time the ritual services become more commercialized. In addition, the true spirit of the ritual was left behind. Although many believers are still superstitious, what is apparent is that people’s perception of Da Chai has tremendously changed. In China today, Da Chai is still considered significant especially among the old generation. However, among the young generation, the significance of the practice continues to fade. For instance, Chung and Wegars (2005), disclose that as globolisation expands and the Chinese people continue to settle among diverse cultures in Europe, American and Australia, Da Chai will not be considered an important part of their religious culture. For instance, the Chinese in America harbor mixed sentiments concerning funeral rituals. For example, the Chinese living in Chinatown developed an American civilized version of funerary rites and cultural rites. This basically implies that the formalities implemented in the Da Chai have changed. Why the Rituals Are Fading The death ritual Da Chai continues to fade among many Chinese due to various factors. Foremost, different traditions emanating from diverse parts of the world have changed the perception of the Chinese about their culture and believes. For instance, the Chinese who migrated to America since 1965, have greatly transformed their death rituals. There are people who bury their dead using Westernized practices with some components of Da Chai. While a section of the American Chinese have fully embraced the Westernized approach of conducting burial ceremonies. It is important to note that Within the American cultural framework, Chinese practices and customs are modified by governmental regulations and community consensus. A case in point is in San Francisco Chinatown where the tolerance for cultural tradition permits the adoption of rituals of the ninetieth century. This include sackcloth mourning, the presence of A Daiost, sacrificial animals, walking bare feet and the use of spiritual moment (Chung and Wegars, 2005). Another factor that has instigated the fading of Da Chai is the issue of globolisation and advancements in technology which exposes the young generation to other cultures across the globe. Today, a large percentage of the Chinese population can access new technologies such as the use of the Internet which exposes people to new ways of doing things. The implication is that the death rituals are slowly fading as many Chinese seek to embrace Western Civilization. It can also be argued that the increasing focus on economic development by the Chinese government and the people has impacted the practice of traditional rituals such as Da Chai. Today, a key focus for many Chinese people is to advance their technology and their economy, as opposed to their cultural and religious practices. Although, religion is important for many Chinese people, the economic aspect of life receives more attention. The implication is that the society focuses less on their cultural ceremonies. For instance, when a person dies, the period taken in mourning has been reduced in order to give people an opportunity to go back to their usual business activities. Conclusion Taoism is a philosophical religious doctrine that continues to excite people seeking to understand its practices, teachings, and rituals. Through this discussion, it is evident that the religion presents a strong presence in the Chinese social culture, especially its death ritual- Da Chai. Further, its perception on life and Tao as the path to immortality provides an urge for more research on the practicality of observing all the rituals, practices, and teachings. The paper underscores the fact that the Da Chai ritual is fading away among the contemporary Chinese people. Even during the 1990’s changes were already witnessed because commercialization was incorporated into the practice. The paper takes note of various factors that have instigated the decline in the practice of the ritual. Some of the key factors noted include globolisation, immigration, technological advancement and the focus on economic development by the Chinese people as opposed to their cultural values. In conclusion, this paper argues that there is a need for the Chinese people to revisit the Da Chai ritual because it is an essential element of Chinese culture. References Brown, D. (2016). “Taoism Through Tai Chi Chuan: Physical Culture as Religious or Holistic Spirituality?” In Spirituality across Disciplines: Research and Practice: (pp. 317-328). Cao, C., Cao, C., Jia, F., Jia, F., Zhang, X., Zhang, X., & Chan, K. C. (2016). “Does religion matter to dividend policy?” Evidence from Buddhism and Taoism in China. Nankai Business Review International, vol.7, no.4, pp.510-541. Chung, F and Wegars, P. (2005).Chinese American Death Rituals: Respecting the Ancestors Editors Sue Fawn Priscilla. Rowman Altamira. Dean, K. (2014). Taoist ritual and popular cults of Southeast China. Princeton University Press. Hackley, R. A., & Hackley, C. (2015). “6 Death, ritual and consumption in Thailand.” Death in a Consumer Culture, 91. Hsu, C. O’Connor, M., and Lee, S. (2009). “Understandings of Death and Dying for People of Chinese Origin.” Journal of Death Studies, vol.33, no.2 Liu, X., He, X., & Wong, Y. (2015). Daoism from Philosophy to Religion.” In Dao Companion to Daoist Philosophy (pp. 471-488). Leung. L. (1999). Funeral Rites - Da Chai. Retrieved From Kong, L. (2016). “No-Place, New Places: Death and Its Rituals in Urban Asia.” In Place/No- Place in Urban Asian Religiosity (pp. 49-70). Stuart, J. (2017). “Burial Rituals of Taoists,” People of Everyday life. Accessed on April 22, 2017, from http://peopleof.oureverydaylife.com/burial-rituals-taoists-2212.html Read More

Taoism, like other religions, was not and has never been immune to political interferences. Some of the political influences have been to their positive advantages while some have been detrimental to its existence. For instance, the popularity of the religion, its ideas, and practices increased during the Han Dynasty (221BCE) when it was declared one of the state’s ideologies along with Confucianism. Taoism greatly penetrated the lives of ordinary Chinese in mainland China and Taiwan. Taoism spread and achieved the status of an accepted religion with many temple believers across the Chinese territory (Liu et al., 2015). Therefore, Taoism developed into organized religion, partly in response to the institutional structure of Buddhism, with an expanding canon of texts and pantheon of gods.

The religion also established a significant number of schools with distinct ideas and approaches (Brown, 2016). At times, some of the schools became politically active and used to advance political interests in China.Today, religion is driven by the hope of attaining immortality through its rituals, practices, and philosophies. Immortality is only achievable as an afterlife award for those who live harmoniously with the path. Taoists understand that life and death have a relationship, and that relationship is established through the word itself (Cao et al., 2016). Taoism remains a dominant religion along with Buddhism for most people in the Chinese-speaking territories in the world.

Conversely, the attainment of immortality is rather an esoteric and challenging goal. However, the religion with its popular and cultic components offers practical guidance through codes of conduct and physical regimens, talismans, and ritualistic services that enable it to regulate the everyday life of its followers and believers.The word Tao has two characters representing the head and foot. The foot character depicts the idea of an individual’s direction or path while the head character is a representation of one’s conscious choice.

Further, the two characters represent the end and beginning, respectively. Therefore, the Tao characters indicate that the universe is continuous and has no end. It is a cycle between heaven and earth for the Taoist believers since no one can die when they live in harmony with their path or way (Tao) (Liu et al., 2015). It suffices to note that the two characters depict Tao as the beginning and end of life and that Tao is both moving and unmoving, suggesting that immortality through reincarnation occurs for the dead.

As a result of these believes, many scholars have studied and discussed Taoism's religious concept of death, especially through their death ritual Dai Chai.    Religious Taoism philosophy states that a person’s body is filled with monsters and spirits, and based on this, they prescribe the number of rituals that one must undergo so that that the spirits can guard the body. If these spirits leave the body, it weakens and dies because there is nothing to protect them from diseases.

Further, the religion believes in life after death or reincarnation of the body. The concept of immortality is at the heart of this religion, and when one dies, they can be contacted through meditation by an alchemist (Liu et al., 2015). Therefore, among the Taoists, death is considered as another phase of life, an event that must take place and must be accepted by all people. Those who have done what they are expected to do when alive are granted immortality. Therefore, death rituals like Da Chai or communion with the deceased are necessary.

Taoism is not the only religion in China with death rituals, but Confucianism and Buddhism have their own set of death rituals.The funeral ceremonies of the dead include having an altar that is placed on a sacred lamp, tea, rice, two candles, and water. The sacred lamp or light represents wisdom and is considered the golden pill of immortality.

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