Up until the end of the Han Dynasty (202 BC--220 AD), China's dominant belief systems--Taoism and Confucianism--were both of domestic origin. Taoism existed in two forms--philosophical Taoism and religious Taoism. Philosophical Taoism emphasized the goal of living in harmony with Nature; religious Taoism was (and is) a form of nature-based polytheism. Confucianism was not strictly a religion, but rather a system of personal and social ethics which ultimately became the official state philosophy. However, with the collapse of the Han Dynasty, China entered into an extended period of political and social upheaval. It was during this period that Buddhism, a religion originating in India, began to make inroads among the Chinese people at all levels of society, perhaps in part because it offered a hope for personal peace in a time of chaos. By the time of the Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD), Buddhism had become well entrenched in Chinese society, despite the fact that it was initially viewed with some disdain on the part of some due to its foreign origin. Ultimately, however, there was something of a backlash against Buddhism. As Herrlee G. Creel tells us in Chinese Thought: From Confucius to Mao Tse-Tung:
...the very success of Buddhism caused it to become identified with political and economic abuses. Powerful monks, enjoying favor at court and controlling vast properties, sometimes found it quite unnecessary to be bound by the moral code of [Buddhism]. These things naturally brought Buddhism into ill repute. At the same time, Confucianism, almost shorn of prestige and influence...gradually acquired a new standing as the doctrine of those who sought reform, not only in philosophy but also in the realm of practical affairs. (pp. 202-203).
Consequently, Confucianism, a system of thought indigenous to China, regained its ascendancy, at the expense of Buddhism, a foreign faith--although Buddhism retained a hold on a part of the country's population.
Confucianism's position as China's official doctrine would not last, however. By the early 20th century, as China's government exhibited persistent weakness in the face of foreign powers and its society increasingly seemed undeniably backward in comparison with the West, many Chinese, especially intellectuals, began looking for a new ideology that could ensure a revival of China's past greatness. A number of them found such an ideology in Marxism, which, ironically, like Buddhism, was non-Chinese in origin. As we know, by the middle of the 20th century, Marxist thought would triumph in China, and remains (as the statute of Marx in Trier reminds us), China's official ideology.
Nevertheless, it can be argued that Marxism/Communism in China is facing a crisis of faith. Despite efforts by the current Chinese government to promote Communist ideology, it is evident that many Chinese, even some Party members, do not really believe in Communism. Indeed, the Communist Party's embrace of market-style economic reforms over the past few decades has not helped it make the case for the validity of Marxism. More and more Chinese seem to be seeking meaning for their lives in materialism or have turned to more traditional systems of belief like Taoism or Buddhism for solace. Perhaps most striking is the large number of Chinese at various levels of society that are turning to Christianity. Some observers believe that there are now more Christians in China than there are Communist Party members, and it has been predicted that in a few decades, if current growth rates continue, China could have the world's largest number of Christians, surpassing the United States. In short, it seems that once again, many Chinese are finding that their own culture falls short in providing ultimate meaning and hope for their lives and are looking beyond their country's borders for an enduring faith.
Image of Karl Marx statue in Trier from Wikimedia Commons