Difference between Daoism and Shenjiao ("Chinese folk religion")

I find religion in Taiwan absolutely fascinating and I’m trying very hard to learn as much as I can. One thing I find intriguing is how, if you ask a typical Taiwanese person whether or not they’re religious, they’ll probably say no. Yet, spending some time in Taiwan, you soon come to realise that religion (in the narrow Western sense of the term) is actually a very big part of most people’s lives here. In fact, it’s so ingrained that they don’t even seem to consider it to be “religious”. Yet what I see in the temples is often extremely devotional and very much what I’d consider “religious”.

Something that confuses me is that, if you press a Taiwanese person on this matter, they might give way and say that their religion is “Daoism”. However, the “Daoism” I see practiced around Taiwan seems to have very little bearing on the Daoism I used to read about when I studied Chinese martial arts. I’ve since discovered that this “folk religion” actually has a name, Shenjiao. This is, to my understanding, the popular religion you see all around Taiwan, with numerous gods and shamanistic origins.

I’m very confused about what the relationship between Daoism and Shenjiao (“Chinese folk religion”) is. Why is it it that Taiwanese people refer to this religion as “Daoism”? If this disparate religion of gods and mythologies is Daoism, then what word do they use when they’re talking about the religion/philosophy that was articulated by thinkers like Lao Tzu and (less metaphysically) Bruce Lee?

I guess this goes to show how trapped I am in Western paradigms and creating labels for things. I’m largely ignorant of Daoism, but I understand enough of it to know that it’s opposed to using labels and definitions, so maybe Taiwanese people see beyond these arbitrary distinctions when they consider their religious traditions? Either way, it’s deeply fascinating but also very frustrating for me to get my head around!

Interesting. I’ve always heard it referred to as shaoxiang baibai (燒香拜拜). And I’ve always assumed they just say “Daoist” because it took too long to explain.

Don’t over think it! It is what it is. You go to the temple and pray to the gods now and again, and hope they help you. You make devotions to your ancestors, and hope you have descendants who will do the same for you.

That’s pretty much about it. They think of it as Daoism because that’s what Daoism is here. You probably incorporate some Buddhist ideas here and there, some people a lot more. I don’t know, that’s what I’ve picked up from the old timers and whoever. I’d love to hear more

I wouldn’t considerate it a difference, but more like a conglomeration.

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While we’re on the subject, what’s with westerners who call themselves Christians and/or claim not to be religious yet celebrate pagan festivals? :santa: :christmas_tree: :rabbit: :hatching_chick: :vampire: :woman_zombie:

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The Taoism entry for Wikipedia covers it pretty well, but there is a lot of information there, and a lot of it is historical overload.

To put it simply, there is Chinese Folk Religion, Religious Daoism (Liturgical and Monastic), and Philosophical Daoism (which may or may not be a Western Construct , probably by the Jesuits).

In Taiwan, there is a definite cross-pollination between Chinese Folk Religion and Liturgical Daoism. This is really evident in that the Zheng-yi school of Liturgical Daoism has a familial line tradition that has been maintained in Taiwan outside of the monasteries ( which are more active in the Mainland). The priests often have a large role in the communities and the temples as well.

It is a complex and involved topic that has a fair amount of decent literature if you want to order some (likely) expensive University books. If anyone is really interested I could give some good titles, but right now I need to get my boy ready for soccer.

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For a great read for more Monastic Daoism, but a semi- fictional, kind of a Don Juan/ Castaneda style I strongly recommend this book:

I am lazy, but efficient. I will post a few photos of my bookshelf which are all good books to explore.
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The Overmyer book and the Lopez books are both great general starting points. The other books are great, but once you start down the rabbit hole that is Daoism, it gets pretty complex quickly.

Who calls it “Shenjiao”? Some PRC committee…?

At the popular level, many people do bai-bai without being conscious of belonging to a particular religion. Others call what they do “Buddhism” or “Daoism,” intending the same set of folk practices. At the “elite” level of ritual providers (Buddhist monks and nuns, Daoist masters) there is more of an explicit religious identity, with some people even being interested in ancient texts and theology. Some laypeople also cultivate such interests, e.g. at universities. We also see other types of religious or cultural professionals like fortune tellers, qigong teachers, etc. Temples may join the ROC “Daoist” association (look for plaques on the wall), or maintain ties with PRC temples that belong to an equivalent body there.

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I’m curious about this statement. Wouldn’t philosophical Daoism come from Laozi and Zhuangzi? Or are you referring to something in the western tradition that I am ignorant of? (Admitting that I’m ignorant of a lot! Just looking for a starting point for understanding)

Someone maybe already said. Chinese folk religion (道教) and philosophy of 道家(Laozi, Zhuangzi) are different, but someone from western gave a name of “D(T)aoism” for both of them.

Thanks for all the info to everyone who replied! It’s still difficult to comfortably set these religions within my arbitrary Western parameters, but I think I have a slightly better idea now.

Noel, many thanks for your suggestions! I’m particularly interested in “Taoism: Growth of a Religion” and I might also check out “Chronicles of Tao”, although I’m a little put off by some reviewers saying that it isn’t real. I notice that there isn’t a sign of Alan Watts in your collection. Is that kind of Western “popular Taoism” not reflective of the real thing?

Yes, pretty much. It seems there was an attempt to lump it all together under an umbrella term and make it China’s Hinduism, but it never really caught on. I was reading about it yesterday, but I can’t remember where I found that.

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There is textual evidence to suggest that Dao Jia / philosophical Daoism as a concept was how the Jesuits convinced themselves that Daoism was ok to study if it was philosophy (Jia) versus religion (jiao). They we’re VERY interested in the Daoist texts, and wanted a way to study them without being heretical.

“Jia” did exist in discussions of Daoism in texts, but not in the separation into Philosophical vs. Religious Daoism that has become common thinking in relation to Daoism. Funny enough though, post Jesuit Chinese texts in relation to Daoism did start to discuss such things using those terms and concepts, to the point now that even in Chinese “DaoJia” refers to Chinese Philosophy of the Daodejing/ Laozi, Zhuangzi, and select other texts, while “Daojiao” often refers to religious Daoism, including Monastic, Liturgical, and folk based religious activities.

It is something to keep in mind when reading these things, and I found it became really evident when talking with your average Zhang in the street in relation to Daoism, and how sometimes they don’t really separate any of them from each other, and clump alot of different beliefs and practices under the Daoism umbrella - often just anything Chinese that isn’t Buddhism.

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