Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region

Han Yu 韓愈 was a prominent literatus in the Tang dynasty and an influential figure in the history of Chaozhou culture. From the Song dynasty, the Neo-Confucian teachings became popular, and Han Yu was revered as a significant pioneer; hence, his position was raised to a new height. In Chaozhou, local...

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Main Author: Guoping Li
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2024-12-01
Series:Religions
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1523
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author Guoping Li
author_facet Guoping Li
author_sort Guoping Li
collection DOAJ
description Han Yu 韓愈 was a prominent literatus in the Tang dynasty and an influential figure in the history of Chaozhou culture. From the Song dynasty, the Neo-Confucian teachings became popular, and Han Yu was revered as a significant pioneer; hence, his position was raised to a new height. In Chaozhou, local officials and the literati continuously emphasized Han Yu’s significance to Chaozhou culture and education and built many temples and academies devoted to him. As a deity, Han Yu was viewed as a representative of Confucianism and was typical of orthodoxy sacrifices. The present article clarifies the origination and transmission of the Han Yu belief in the Chaozhou region and explores the process of deification and the spread of Chinese popular religion. Although local officials and the literati spared no efforts in promoting the Han Yu belief, the belief never became popular among Chaozhou people. Local officials and the literati focused on different aspects of the Han Yu belief. They stressed the orthodoxy of the belief and were never concerned with miracles. What they were concerned with and endeavored for somewhat hampered the spread of the belief among the masses.
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spelling doaj-art-00034ca2de144b609cd89ec0c2d115c12025-08-20T02:43:43ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442024-12-011512152310.3390/rel15121523Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou RegionGuoping Li0Center for Chaoshan Culture Studies, College of Liberal Arts, Shantou University, Shantou 515063, ChinaHan Yu 韓愈 was a prominent literatus in the Tang dynasty and an influential figure in the history of Chaozhou culture. From the Song dynasty, the Neo-Confucian teachings became popular, and Han Yu was revered as a significant pioneer; hence, his position was raised to a new height. In Chaozhou, local officials and the literati continuously emphasized Han Yu’s significance to Chaozhou culture and education and built many temples and academies devoted to him. As a deity, Han Yu was viewed as a representative of Confucianism and was typical of orthodoxy sacrifices. The present article clarifies the origination and transmission of the Han Yu belief in the Chaozhou region and explores the process of deification and the spread of Chinese popular religion. Although local officials and the literati spared no efforts in promoting the Han Yu belief, the belief never became popular among Chaozhou people. Local officials and the literati focused on different aspects of the Han Yu belief. They stressed the orthodoxy of the belief and were never concerned with miracles. What they were concerned with and endeavored for somewhat hampered the spread of the belief among the masses.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1523Han Yubelieftempleacademyorthodoxydeification
spellingShingle Guoping Li
Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region
Religions
Han Yu
belief
temple
academy
orthodoxy
deification
title Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region
title_full Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region
title_fullStr Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region
title_full_unstemmed Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region
title_short Reflection on the Spread of Chinese Popular Religion: A Case-Study of the Han Yu Belief in the Chaozhou Region
title_sort reflection on the spread of chinese popular religion a case study of the han yu belief in the chaozhou region
topic Han Yu
belief
temple
academy
orthodoxy
deification
url https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/15/12/1523
work_keys_str_mv AT guopingli reflectiononthespreadofchinesepopularreligionacasestudyofthehanyubeliefinthechaozhouregion