Pranam
Q4 Another blasphemy salvo from G The truth is as follows
authentically:
Religion of china today 2021 (2019)
Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are considered the “three pillars” of
ancient Chinese society. As philosophies and religions, they not only
influenced spirituality, but also government, science, the arts, and social
structure. Though their specific beliefs and teachings have occasionally
been at odds with each other, there has been much room for overlap. Instead
of one tradition taking over and pushing the others out, the three
philosophies have influenced society alongside each other, changed each
other, and at times blended together. Understanding the unique interplay
between these three traditions gives great insight into ancient Chinese
society, as well as modern times.
*Confucianism*
Though closer to a philosophy than a true religion, Confucianism was a way
of life for ancient Chinese people, and it continues to influence Chinese
culture today. The founder of Confucianism, named Confucius, lived from 551
to 479 B.C.E. He was a philosopher and political figure who lived during a
time when traditional Chinese principles began to deteriorate under
competing political states. He took older religious precepts and translated
them into guidelines for social mores. His teachings gave guidance on all
levels of ancient Chinese life, from interactions between family members
and in the public sphere, to educational standards and how states should be
governed. Confucius saw every aspect of life as being made up of
obligations between people and entities, and rituals to convey the mutual
dependency between them. His teachings focused on humanism, including
treating others the way you would want to be treated. He taught that if
everyone fulfilled their roles and obligations with respect and kindness
towards others, it would build a stronger state. While religious rituals
were mentioned alongside all of the other rituals a person was expected to
perform, Confucius did not focus on spiritual concerns like the afterlife,
gods and goddesses, or mysticism. This is why Confucianism is considered a
philosophy rather than a religion, even though it is often lumped in with
other major religions.
Confucianism became the dominant political philosophy during the Han
Dynasty from 206 B.C.E. to 220 C.E. Because Confucian teachings were
conservative and told people to maintain their role in social order, the
philosophy was used by the state to keep the status quo from that time
forward. The structure of Chinese society and its focus on rituals,
familial respect and obligation, worship of ancestors, and self-discipline,
remains greatly influenced by Confucius and his teachings.
*Taoism*
Taoism (also called Daoism) is a Chinese religion that developed a bit
after Confucianism, around two thousand years ago. In contrast to
Confucianism, Taoism is mainly concerned with the spiritual elements of
life, including the nature of the universe. The guiding principle of Taoism
is roughly translated as “the Way,” which is a harmonious natural order
that arises between humans and the world, and that Taoists should strive to
achieve. In the Taoist structure of the universe, humans are meant to
accept and yield to the Tao and only do things that are natural and in
keeping with the Tao. This is the concept of wu-wei, which translates as
“non-action,” but really means to go with the true nature of the world and
not strive too hard for desires. This puts Taoism in opposition to
Confucianism in another way: it is not concerned about with humanistic
morality, government, and society, all of which Taoists see as inventions
of humans and not necessarily part of the Tao. At the same time, Taoists
were interested in longevity, both of the human body and the soul.
Achieving spiritual immortality through becoming one with nature is an
important part of the Taoist religion.
Despite their differences, Taoist and Confucian ideas are not completely at
odds with each other, so Chinese society was able to absorb concepts from
both traditions. Taoism had influence on literature and the arts, but the
biggest area of Taoist influence was in science. The Taoist focus on
natural elements and observing how the natural world works helped to create
Chinese medicine. Similar to the modern scientific method, Taoists observed
how different medicines affected people and animals through
experimentation. Their collective knowledge gained through trying to
improve human longevity made a huge contribution to health sciences.
*Buddhism*
Buddhism was the third major belief system of ancient China. It was founded
by Siddhartha Gautama, also called the Buddha, who lived in India around
the sixth century B.C.E. Buddhism is a philosophy that focuses on personal
development and attainment of deep knowledge. Buddhists seek to achieve
enlightenment through meditation, spiritual learning, and practice. They
believe in reincarnation and that life is impermanent and full of suffering
and uncertainty; the way to find peace is through reaching nirvana, a
joyful state beyond human suffering. There are many different sects that
place different emphasis on various aspects of Buddhism. The two largest
sects are Theravada Buddhism, which is found primarily in southern Asia,
and Mahayana Buddhism, which is found in east Asia, including China.
After its founding in India, Buddhism spread to and became popular in China
in the first century C.E. Part of the reason Buddhism became popular in
China was because of Taoism. Some Buddhist practices were similar to Taoist
ones, and Buddhist monks would use Taoist concepts to explain Buddhism to
the Chinese, overcoming the cultural and language barrier between Indian
and the Chinese people. Buddhism also influenced Taoism with its
institutional structure, which Taoists copied and modified. A competition
between Buddhism and Taoism arose to gain more followers and greater
government influence, and this competition increased the vitality of both
religions. As Buddhism became more prevalent, its concepts merged with
Taoist and Confucian ideas to become the basis of ancient Chinese society
and government. Its influence is seen in Chinese art, architecture, and
literature.
*Values and ideas from Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism are still
prevalent in Chinese culture today.* Despite the differences and occasional
contradictions between the three traditions, the ancient Chinese society
held each of these philosophies in high importance and incorporated the
different teachings into multiple areas of life.
As more people in China practice religion, the government
continues to toughen oversight, increase religious persecution, and attempt
to co-opt state-sanctioned religious organizations. (*September 25, 2020)
*
· The Chinese Communist Party is officially atheist,
but it recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Catholicism, Daoism, Islam, and
Protestantism. Authorities tightly monitor registered and unregistered
groups.
· There are a growing number of religious believers, including
those who practice folk religions and more than a dozen other banned faiths.
· China has one of the largest populations of religious prisoners,
and some groups, including Uyghur Muslims, face high levels of persecution.
*Introduction*
Religious observance in China is on the rise. Amid China’s economic boom
and rapid modernization, experts point to the emergence of a spiritual
vacuum as a trigger for the growing number of religious believers,
particularly adherents of Christianity and traditional Chinese religious
groups.
While China’s constitution allows religious belief, adherents across all
religious organizations, from state-sanctioned to underground and banned
groups, face intensifying persecution, repression, and pressure to adhere
to Chinese Communist Party
<https://www.cfr.org/backgrounder/chinese-communist-party> (CCP) ideology.
*Freedom and Regulation*
Article 36 of the Chinese constitution
<http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/constitution/constitution.html> says
that citizens “enjoy freedom of religious belief.” It bans discrimination
based on religion and forbids state organs, public organizations, or
individuals from compelling citizens to believe in—or not believe in—any
particular faith. The State Council, the government’s administrative
authority, passed regulations on religious affairs
<http://english.gov.cn/policies/latest_releases/2017/09/07/content_281475842719170.htm>,
which took effect in February 2018, to allow state-registered religious
organizations to possess property, publish literature, train and approve
clergy, and collect donations. Yet alongside these rights come heightened
government controls. The revised rules include restrictions on religious
schooling and the times and locations of religious celebrations, as well as
monitoring of online religious activity and reporting donations that exceed
100,000 yuan
<https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-religion/china-tightens-regulation-of-religion-to-block-extremism-idUSKCN1BI1IH>
(around
$15,900).
Human Rights Watch’s China director, Sophie Richardson, says that while
religious belief in China is protected by the constitution, the measures “do
not guarantee
<http://www.brookings.edu/~/media/events/2009/4/06-china-religion/20090406_china.pdf>
[PDF] the right to practice or worship.” Religious practices are limited
to “normal religious activities,” though “normal” is left undefined and can
be broadly interpreted. The state recognizes five religions: Buddhism,
Catholicism, Daoism, Islam, and Protestantism. The practice of any other
faith is formally prohibited, although often tolerated, especially in the
case of traditional Chinese beliefs. Religious organizations must register
with one of five state-sanctioned patriotic religious associations, which
are supervised by the State Administration for Religious Affairs
<http://english1.english.gov.cn/2005-10/09/content_75331.htm> (SARA).
The government’s tally of registered religious believers is around two
hundred million, or less than 10 percent of the population, according to
several sources, including the UN Human Rights Council’s 2018 Universal
Periodic Review <https://www.ohchr.org/EN/HRBodies/UPR/Pages/CNIndex.aspx>.
Yet some independent reports suggest the number of religious adherents in
China is far larger and is steadily increasing. The research and advocacy
group Freedom House estimated in 2017 that there are more than 350 million
religious believers
<https://freedomhouse.org/report/china-religious-freedom> in China,
primarily made up of Chinese Buddhists, followed by Protestants, Muslims,
Falun Gong practitioners, Catholics, and Tibetan Buddhists. Many believers
do not follow organized religion and are said to practice traditional folk
religion. These practitioners, along with members of underground house
churches and banned religious groups, account for many of the country’s
unregistered believers.
Religious Affiliation in China Percentage of population in 2020
Agnostic 31.8%
Chinese folk-religionist 30.8%
Buddhist 16.6%
Christian 7.4%
Atheist 6.8%
Ethnic religionist 4.2%
Muslim 1.8%
Daoist 0.4%
Other 0.2%
*Source:* World Religion Database.
KR IRS 91121
On Tue, 9 Nov 2021 at 04:34, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 <
[email protected]> wrote:
> *CULTURAL QA 11-2021-09*
>
> *Being a compilation there may be errors*
>
> *Q1 Is " hot and cold a.c." less durable in comparison to "
> cool only " a.c.?*
>
> *A1 R Bal, Works @ leading Air Conditioner manufacturer
> Answered Mar 8, 2017*
>
> *You cannot really answer this question. Durability heavily depends upon
> Service, Ambience and Usage. Let me explain the difference between these
> two*
>
> *I am considering Split Units. There are two separate units - Indoor and
> Out Door units which are connected through copper pipes.*
>
> *For a cool only AC, refrigerant will flow only in one direction. Indoor
> will act as an Evaporating Unit and Outdoor will act as a condensing Unit.
> This is fixed and no changes can be made.*
>
> *But in case of Hot & Cool, both the units (Indoor and Outdoor) can act as
> both Condenser Unit as well as Evaporating Unit**. *
>
> *This is done with the help of 3 way valve which will change the direction
> of refrigerant as per the requirement.*
>
> *Q2 How do I turn off laptop performance while the laptop is
> charging, I don’t need much performance and the charger gets really hot?*
>
> *A2 Gopala Krishnan , former Assistant General Manager
> 1996-2004 at Department of Telecom** (1966-2004) Answered just now*
>
> *During charging the converter box may get slightly hot since power is
> used for Laptop working and charging. If the converter box and laptop
> getting more hot, take the assistance of a technician. *
>
> *Three reasons can be there.1 Converter box loose connection. 2) Period
> of computer usage. 3) Charging box(converter box) fault. You can stop
> working and switch off laptop and switch on mains. Laptop will be charging.*
>
> *Q3 What is the difference in RPM in a washing machine?*
>
> *A3 Gopala Krishnan , former Assistant General Manager
> 1996-2004 at Department of Telecom** (1966-2004)Answered just now*
>
> *When the RPM is more, beating of clothes will be more during washing in
> simple language. Some** washing machines may vibrate more and rotate if
> the grip at bottom is less like in granite or marble. If planned in advance
> the location can be made rough. Cleaning also depend on the quantity of
> detergent, dirt on clothes and quantity of clothes. Washing machine must
> be sufficiently loaded, machine rotation might be less.*
>
> *Once the beating is more cleaning could be more, and during drying,
> squeezing would be more. We** have setting for RPM in any type of
> washing, automatic washing machine. I hope my answer is clear.*
>
> *Q4 Is it true that in China, almost no people believe in God?*
>
> *A4 Kanthaswamy Balasubramaniam Wed*
>
> *To a Great Extent, this is True*
>
> *I mean - Chinese generally aren’t very religious people , not just in
> mainland China but even the youngsters in Singapore or HK who are generally
> Freethinkers (Agnostics) , though their older parents may be buddhists*
>
> *IN General - Chinese follow religions that are less religion and more a
> way of life like Taoism or Confucianism or Buddhism all of which are
> becoming more and more irrevelant to todays way of living and life.*
>
> *Now Christians believe there is a God who is the father of Jesus Christ,
> Muslims believe there is Allah who guides them through the Prophet and his
> successors or through his words, Hindus believe there are Gods who bless
> the people but the Chinese believe in none of this. LIke the Japanese, the
> CHinese believe in just a way of life - that is - if you do a handful of
> things - you can maybe escape rebirth and find nirvana.*
>
> *So Chinese are more or less Atheists** or Agnostics and even visits to
> Monasteries is more Tourism and Historical Attraction and less Religious
> Visit.*
>
> *Q5 What is the most dangerous place in terms of landscape on
> earth? Possibly not human inhabitable or too toxic to be near.*
>
> *A5 Victoria NgThu*
>
> *This is a lake just like out of a Horror Film! Travellers and tourists
> beware of such danger when you around this lake.*
>
> *The Bloody Lake of Tanzania*
>
> *Ever heard of a lake that could eat away your skin and flesh within
> moments if you touch the water? Well, that is Lake Natron in Tanzania! Do
> not be fooled by the stunning red water of the lake. *
>
> *The beautiful crust is made from an alkaline mineral which is extremely
> corrosive, with a pH of almost 12! Small animals that come in contact with
> the lake rarely survive the caustic waters.*
>
> *6 amazing Lake Natron facts*
>
> *Here are some facts you'll want to share with others for the wow factor!*
>
> *1. Phantom rain*
>
> *Lake Natron receives only 400 mm of rain a year, and much of that is
> ‘phantom rain’ – rain that evaporates before hitting the surface. This is
> because the lake is in a desert.*
>
> *2. A volcano-fed lake*
>
> *The lake has no outlets, and receives most of its water from springs and
> episodic streams. Because the water coming into the lake leaches through
> the volcanic material of nearby Mt Ol Doinyo Lengai, the lake’s water is
> highly alkaline.*
>
> *3. The lake's water is poisonous*
>
> *Lake Natron contains large salt, soda and magnesite deposits. This is a
> good environment for the growth of a kind of bacteria that damages the
> innards of the organisms that drink it.*
>
> *4. Flamingoes thrive where others perish*
>
> *Flamingos aren't negatively affected by the bacteria in Lake Natron that
> harms most other birds. The lake is actually the largest breeding ground in
> the world for lesser flamingoes!*
>
> *5. The water sometimes turns red*
>
> *The water of Lake Natron sometimes turns red (or orange-red) because of
> the algae that thrives in its hypersaline environment. This red tinge to
> the water can even be seen from space!*
>
> *6. The lake is really hot*
>
> *The lake's temperature can rise to 60 °C (140 °F) in summer! There are
> also hot springs on its eastern shore.*
>
> *Q6 How do you run electrical wires under the floor?*
>
> *A6 Gopala Krishnan, former Assistant General** Manager
> 1996-2004 at Department of Telecom (1966-2004) Answered just nowGopala
> Krishnan*
>
> *At most care is required for running an electric wire under the floor.
> Quality wire with good insulation is** required. Quality PVC pipe only
> has to be selected It should be laid at least one feet depth. It is
> preferable if the cable is drawn through a double sheathed pipe. (Cable
> drawn through inner pipe) . If not, place a curved wooden plank above the
> pipe and finish. Identification of the area is a MUST. No damage should
> occur to the area or pipe afterwards. It is advisbale to the grown up wards
> informed about it. No digging should be done. Either end inspection box is
> preferable with wooden casing above that. *
>
> *2nd answer Venkatakrishnaiah Thandaga , works at** Defence Research and
> Development Organisation (1977-present)Answered 5h ago*
>
> *You have to use run the wires in conduits safely secured in the floor, if
> possible having some inspection points …ok*
>
> *Q7 What are the health benefits of African mango?*
>
> *A7 Lucia Garcia Nov 1*
>
> *African mangoes are produced in Cameroon in the** central and western
> regions of Africa. They are usually called Irvingia gabonensis and wild
> mangoes.*
>
> *The pulp of African mango is edible and tastes sweet, similar to ordinary
> mango.**In recent years, African mango has received more and more
> attention. The main reason is that it has obvious effects on weight loss.*
>
> *Unlike ordinary mangoes, African mangoes contain a special kind of seeds.
> Its seeds are smaller than those of ordinary mangoes. The locals in
> Cameroon call it "Dika nuts".*
>
> *Many studies have found that the active ingredients of African mango
> seeds can effectively stimulate metabolism and significantly increase
> passive fat burning.*
>
> *In addition, African mango seeds can reduce total cholesterol,
> LDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, and increase HDL-cholesterol, which is very
> beneficial to the health of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular.*
>
> *My note- Consume only on doctor’s advice*
>
> *Q8 **Why do Indian adults live with their parents and
> grandparents? Don't they think about personal independence?*
> <https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Indian-adults-live-with-their-parents-and-grandparents-Dont-they-think-about-personal-independence>*
> <https://www.quora.com/profile/Aishwarya-Kher>*
>
> *A8 Aishwarya Kher
> <https://www.quora.com/profile/Aishwarya-Kher>* *16h*
> <https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Indian-adults-live-with-their-parents-and-grandparents-Dont-they-think-about-personal-independence/answer/Aishwarya-Kher>
>
> Why do Indian adults live with their parents and grandparents? Don't the...
>
> Aishwarya Kher's answer: The moment you talk about personal space and
> independence with Indian parents and grand...
>
> <https://www.quora.com/Why-do-Indian-adults-live-with-their-parents-and-grandparents-Dont-they-think-about-personal-independence/answer/Aishwarya-Kher>
>
>
> *The moment you talk about personal space and independence with Indian
> parents and grandparents, you’ll be immediately labelled as a selfish,
> ungrateful, spoiled brat who has forgotten his/her culture.*
>
> *These terms send shock waves in several Indian households.*
>
> *The societal norms favour those who sacrifice unnecessarily for family,
> and severely judge those who just wish to live a happy independent life
> without harming anyone else.*
>
> *It’s not that young adults don’t want independent living, they
> (especially men) are conditioned to believe that this would mean ‘leaving’
> their parents who raised them**. A woman’s parents condition her
> differently, which is equally ridiculous.*
>
> *We can never repay our parents for their efforts and should remain
> grateful, but it does not mean that they are allowed to control our lives.
> Get a pet instead.*
>
> *Indian grandparents above the age of 70 cannot be expected to understand
> now because they did not keep up with the evolving times. Too much changes
> happened in India too soon in last 20–25 years.*
>
> *Most Indian parents fail to understand that living in separate houses and
> wanting independence in** decision making & lifestyle does not mean that
> the elders are forgotten and won’t be cared for. It does not mean that
> moral values are forgotten.*
>
> *It only means that people need space to express themselves for a better
> mental and physical well being.*
>
> *Young adults just want to pursue their interests and make choices without
> being subjected to critical analysis of older generations.*
>
> *To those who would likely comment “No, my parents are’nt like that, we
> are pretty liberal” - Awesome, I’m happy for you; but this doesn’t change
> the fact that the stereotypical image of Indian adults living with their
> parents is not yet broken. It’s a reality in several households.*
>
> *Apart from all this, there are grassroot issues of poverty, less
> resources and more than required people in India. Hence, living under one
> roof is economical for many adults.*
>
> *Q9 Why must farmers awake at 4 AM to milk the cows? Why not
> just wait until a more reasonable time, like 8 AM? Won't the cows adjust?*
>
> *A9 Wayne Hajas Oct 30*
>
> *With modern robotic milkers, cows wander into the milking parlour
> whenever they want. Cows like to be milked more than twice a day.When
> milking was a more manual process, as a compromise to the cows, they were
> milked every twelve hours.*
>
> *Some farmers chose to milk at 4am, have breakfast, do some more work,
> milk again at 4pm, eat dinner and then have a relatively normal evening
> with a chance to socialize with people who weren't dairy farmers.*
>
> *Some farmers chose to milk at 8am and 8pm but that meant they would be
> out in the barn until 11pm. It was a personal choice as long as the cows
> got milked every 12 hours.*
>
> *Q10 Even Indians who largely view the British Raj negatively,
> can they admit there was anything positive about British rule?*
>
> *A10 Balaji Viswanathan History buff Sat*
>
> *Some positives out of the British rule:*
>
> *English language as a common denominator for** India. Middle class
> Indians learned English as the first language due to the colonial history
> that was instrumental in this group rising to the top of the corporate
> ladder across the world.*
>
> *Cricket as a national pastime. India didn’t have a** sport that
> connected people across the country. Cricket filled that gap.*
>
> *A generation of freedom fighters. India’s freedom** movement produced a
> generation of amazing leaders — Gandhi, Bose, Patel, Nehru, Rajaji etc.
> Without the freedom movement, we would not have as many great political
> leaders to look up to.*
>
> *That’s about it. Some of the things that people consider as positives,
> but not really so:*
>
> *Uniting India as a country. Before the British came,** there was the
> Mughal rule where most of the subcontinent was under one political rule.
> And British competed with the Marathas for uniting the country. The
> nation’s geography meant that it was always hard for a lot of competing
> powers to live together in the same subcontinent. India would have been as
> one political with or without the British.*
>
> *Railway system. This is again touted as a positive of** the Raj, but not
> really so. Countries across the world adopted railways as an efficient way
> to move things. Japan was not colonised and has among the best railway
> systems. *
>
> *Just as India didn’t require to be colonised by the Americans to adopt
> computerisation or the Internet, India didn’t need to be colonised to get
> the railways technology. Tech progress go on without any need for political
> unions.*
>
> *All the above QA are from Quora website on 08-11- 2021. Quora
> answers need not be 100% correct answers *
>
> *Compiled and posted by R. Gopala krishnan on 09-11-2021*
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
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