Confucianism and Buddhism on Chinese Family Values

Confucianism
As early as the Western Zhou Dynasty (11th century BC-771 BC), China has already had Confucian, but the system of Confucianism began with Confucius in the Spring and Autumn Period. Originally it referred to the etiquette of entertaining guests, then gradually developed into a ideological system with the core ideology-benevolence at all levels. Slowly, it became the most influential genre and mainstream consciousness in ancient China. From the Qin Dynasty (221BC-207BC) begins, Confucianism became ideological foundation that emperors ruled, and it has also become part of the spiritual world of Chinese. Since then, Confucianism had a profound impact in China, East Asia and even the whole the world.

Children-Sending Kwan-Yin
Buddhism was introduced to China from the India around Anno Domini. And with long-time spread and fusion, the Buddhism changed a lot to cater to Chinese tastes. For example, there is a buddism godness Guanyin called "Children-Sending Kwan-yin", a image of a woman holding a boy. She was greatly loved by Chinese women, and believers think that just touch this statue or chant the <Goddess of Mercy Sutras>, kwan-yin will send children to them.

Actually, Buddhist Goddess of Mercy was a man before entering China. For spreading better and having great influence in China's women, he became a woman. You can find the evidence by visiting the Dunhuang Buddhist cave where you can see that she has beard in the very beginning. In ancient China, almost every body knew Goddess of Mercy, the statues of Godess of Mercy was enshrined in temples throughout whole China. Crafts, Portrait and statues of Kwan-yin are slao common to see in ordinary people's houses who's eager for kids.

Here are some small stories:
"Yixiang Record" has a similar record: In the Song Empire (420AD-479AD) of Southern Dynasties (420AD-589AD)  there was a man named Bian Yue living in Rong River County, Shanxi Province. He was already 50 years old, but have no children, so he promised to Goddess of Mercy chanting the <Goddess of Mercy Sutra> in one thousand times. Later, his concubine was pregnant and soon gave birth to a son.

According to the legend, there was a man named Wang Yu in the Five Dynasties (907AD-979AD). On occasion, he saw the <Godess of Mercy Sutra> at one of his friends' house. Then, he decided to chant the sutra in his whole life for a child. Next year, at one night, his motehr in law had a dream that one person wearing white robe and gold crown with a baby on his arms said:"I came for sending you the St. slave". Next day, his daughter gve birth a son. She named the child "Holy St. Slave".  

The reason why Chinese Buddhism created the female Children-sending Kwan-yin is the dominating traditional Chinese Confuciansim.

1.There are three ways to be unfilial, the worst is to not produce offspring

Marriaged but have no kid that would be regarded as unfilial to ancestors for cannot continue their blood. In ancient China, Chinese has always believed the Theism: People don't really disappeared after died, but become a ghost or god according to their behaviors during his/her lifetime. Besides, they also need to eat, and the stape food is the candles, paper money and incense burned by their male descendants. They will starve if their descendants didn't do those things. In addition, in a feudal society, only man can set up ancestral hall and enshrine and worship their ancestors in it. In whole life of a woman, she only has one chance to pray her ancestors in ancestral hall when she's getting married and ready to leave.

2. Fedual Ethnics:More Kids, More Happiness

In ancient China, Agricultural economy is the mainstream, which means if you have more labors and lands you can live better. Besides, More boys means your twilight years life is secured for girls have to support her parents in law's sunset life.

3. The mother's honour increases as her son's position rises.

If she married into a wealthy family and gave birth a son, the family will give the mother money or promote her status. Some day, if her baby took over this wealthy family, she would become the most important peroson in this family. Moreover, if her Child win promotion in official circles or get rich, she would be respected very much and have a better life naturally, for kids must support their parents at his own house. So, those are the reason why the mother's honor increases as her son's position rises, and women need boys. So, at a long long time, man's social position is always higher than woman's, and people prefer boys to girls.

Confucianism: Three Ways to be Unfilial to parents!
1. Blind obedience and say nothing even saw their parents fault. This is the first unfilial activity.
2. When parents getting old, they have to starve and bear the ill for you have no money. This is the second unfilial activity.
3. No descendants, especially male descendants burn incense or sweep the tombs after their death during festicals. This is the thrid unfilial activity.

Why Lead to China

Plan Your Trip Today

<