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Yin Yang: A New Perspective in Understanding the Development of Religion in Contemporary China



Author(s)

CHU YI, Lu

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DOI:10.17265/2328-2177/2014.02.002

Brigham Young University

The Taoism on Yin Yang has influenced the Orientalists’ perception concerning the types of relation among all existence in the universe for centuries. It maintains that a society is comprised of countless antagonistic components or conflicting social players, including religious institutions and the Chinese government. All existence is charged with two great forces, simply known as Yin and Yang. These two great forces are opposite-but-complementary to each other. They determine how social players interact to avoid chaos and destructions, so balance and harmony are established and maintained in society. In other words, Yin Yang helps the social players to form a harmonious relationship with one and another by weakening or strengthening their inner inherited Yin-or-Yang elements according to timing and conditions. Drawing on recent research on Yin Yang as a novel approach in understanding business-related issues in contemporary China, such concept is also relevant to understand the development of religion in China.

religion, China, Taoism, Yin Yang