Yang Qingkun’s book “Religion of Chinese Society” was published by the California Major Book Society in 1961. It is a classic work that studies China’s religion, society and civilization, and has a profound impact. The question discussed in this book is not only about socializing the phenomenon of Chinese religion, but more importantly, it correctly observes various theoretical problems about Chinese religion. At the beginning of the article, the author admitted that it is more in line with other civilization systems in the world, “Chinese religion is the most vague in society”, and there are many questions that need to be answered, including “Is Confucianism a religion?” [1]

The question of whether Confucianism is religion is still difficult to the academic world, and scholars are not suitable for it. This article will sort out the description of Confucianism’s religious nature in Yang’s religious society analysis, as well as the color and influence of Confucianism in the religious career of Chinese people. Yang Qingkun wants to challenge the religious society of that era To learn about religion, we must also conquer the bias of Eastern Chinese scholars towards Chinese religion. He eventually believed that Confucianism had a strong influence on understanding religion in Chinese society, and pointed out that in China, the world was the leading position in social and political aspects of replacing religious religion and divine power in China. href=”https://sites.google.com/view/sugarpapa”>Confucianism, agnostic tradition that is oriented and cannot be considered agnostic. Confucianism, as an educational path of social civilization (including political ethics), has inherent religious characteristics. . In Yangqingkun’s book, regarding the discussion between Confucianism and Chinese religion, it is important to adopt the perspective of effectiveness theory—analyzing the influence of religious reasons in the development of Confucianism as a tradition of social political ethics. [2] After Yangqingkun confirmed that Confucianism has a system of ideological system with ultimate moral character, Confucianism and Confucianism held by Confucius outside of survival and death The relationship between concepts such as heaven, destiny, divination, and the five elements of yin and yang, as well as the support of Confucian traditions on memorial and ancestor reverence, discuss the relationship between Confucianism and religion separately. [3]

This article will discuss from three aspects: First, pay attention to how Yang Qingkun responds to the question of whether Confucianism is religion through the theory of efficacy; second, , analyze the influence of religious reasons on Confucianism in ensuring the usefulness of traditional social order, which includes the educational effectiveness of Confucianism, the inclusion of the broad tribute system and the mutual inclusion of social order in religious careers, etc.; finally, in the reality of “political ethics worship” and “Shidharma teaching” that focuses on Confucianism, it has formed the basic characteristics of Chinese religion. — The moral principle of Shinto worship and the existence needs of diverse religions are suitable for “teaching”. Yang Qingkun’s efficacy perspective analyzes the religious characteristics of Confucianism, reminds Confucianism in historical and social practices to remind Confucianism of the relationship between Chinese religions, so that we can recognize that when facing the ultimate problems of preservation, dilemma and death, the Confucian tradition as a system of meaning directly participates in the construction of social order through the concept of “teaching Shinto” and practice.

1. Is Confucianism a religion?

Is Confucianism a religion? This is a problem that Yang Qingkun needs to face.

Benjamin Schwartz in “The World of Thoughts in Modern China”》 asked in the opening chapter: “Are there anything else that I have not said before and need to say again?” [4] Since modern times, how to recognize Confucius and the religious issue of the entire Confucian tradition is a topic that still needs more research. Yang Qingkun never said anything like “Confucianism is not included in an important religious system.” [5] The problem is that “religion” has entered China’s academic vernacular system for more than a hundred years, and Confucianism, as a long-term tradition and meaning system that inherited the Shang and Zhou civilizations, has provided structural principles and practical value to the entire Chinese society in the past 2,000 years, from the country to the family, covering all levels of society. [6]

Since the social sciences originated from the East, the concepts and theories developed cannot prevent the separation and difficulties formed by the differences between Chinese and Western civilizations. These concepts and theories have not only shaped Chinese academic phrases, but also influenced the religious practices of the common people. Since modern times, Chinese intellectuals have tried their best to use Oriental concepts and theories to describe Chinese religious traditions, and on the other hand, they have used the concepts of using Oriental to promote the movements in Mongolian movements to spread new ideas from abroad to oppose Chinese traditions. Confucian tradition, family system, and the theory of Fu Rui, the five elements of the Yin-Yang family were all highly opposed by the leaders of the new civilization movement. At the same time, among the mainstream Chinese scholars, a common sense is formed, that is, the country of China’s long-term religion, especially the Confucian tradition, is eliminated from the religious paradigm. In his book, Yang Qingkun used Liang Qichao, Hu Ying and other scholars to deny that Confucianism is a religion. For example, Liang Qichao opposed the practice of those who respected Confucius at that time, and believed that Confucius said that religion “is entirely in terms of sentiment, and is completely incompatible with the original religious principles from the present.” [7] Hu Yingyi further said that as a whole, “China is a country without religion.” [8] Liang Shuming believed that both Chinese and Western countries went their own way. The East is the way, Christianity is actually opened; the China path is driven by the Zhou Confucianism, and the Zhou Confucianism is “non-religious”. Confucius worked specifically from the inspiration of human emotions and formed the characteristic of China’s “reforming religion with virtue”. [9] Yang Qingkun believes that modern Chinese scholars’ views on the non-religiousness of Chinese society, especially the value of traditional worship, are in response to the global secularization tide, pointing out that this wide-ranging understanding of the intellectual world is far from facts, because “underestimating the position of religion in Chinese society is contrary to historical facts” [10]

It is undeniable that the 20th-century junior high school elites had a profound impact on Confucian tradition and religion, and it was also an academic fact that Yang Qingkun had to constantly take a correct view when discussing Chinese religion;In addition, Yang Qingkun also paid special attention to the relevant qualities and opinions of Eastern scholars and Oriental priests in order to understand the