Review: The Souls of China – The Return of Religion After ...€¦ · confession which excludes other forms of faith, instead, as the saying goes, every Chinese wears a Confucian

Review:TheSoulsofChina–TheReturnofReligionAfterMaobyIanJohnson

2017(c)mycountryandmypeople.org 1

YearsagoIclassifiedforeignerscomingtoChinaintothreecategories:mysticswholookforspiritualanswersinanalienculturalrealm;nerdswhodidn’thaveenoughstudyingtechnicalchemistrybackhomelookingforyetanotherintellectualkickinChinesecharacters;andgoldrushingadventurerswhofollowedthecurrentofglobaleconomics.Itshardtodrawaline,butIwouldsaythatwiththepreparationsoftheBeijingOlympics,thefirstinternationaleventwhichputtheChinesecivilization-stateintothelimelight,anddefinitelywiththemoreorlesscoincidingGFC,theratiobetweenthesethreegroupsdidtip,inparticularbecausethenumberofforeignersinChinagrewexponentiallyandmostofthemarrivedonitsshoresontheaforementionedcurrentofmammon.Ifyoubelongtothefirstgroup,thenTheSoulsofChinaisyourdecisivereadtounderstandeventuallywhatyouhavebeenlookingfor,butmostlikelyhaveneverfoundonyourown.Ifyoubelongtothesecondgroupofnerdishgeeks,thenIanJohnsontranslatesforyoutheenigmaticriddlesofBuddhism,DaoismandsinifiedChristianity.Ifyouareoneofthemany,whohavearatherpragmaticmotivationtounderstandtheMiddleKingdom,youwilllearnhowtheXiadministrationtransformstraditionalreligionsintotheatheistParty’snewpowerbase.Andthat’sprobablywherethesethreestrandsofinterestmerge:attheintersectionoffaithandpowerinan–totheWesternmind-aliencivilization.Onlyapersondrivenbyseriouspainandbyagenuineinterestinunderstandingthenatureofsufferingandtranscendence,i.e.peoplewhomwecallmysticsaftertheyhavemanagedtocopewiththeirpain,gotosuchgreatlengthslikeIanJohnson.ItsinexplicablehowhemanagedtowriteoveracourseofapproximatelyfiveyearsnexttohisfulltimejobasBerlinbasedcorrespondentforanAmericannewspaperthisemotionallyandintellectually



richbook.ItunfoldsinthreenarrativesaboutaBeijingbasedBuddhistpilgrimageassociation,aShanxifamilyofTaoistritualmastersandrevolutionaryChengduprotestants,weavedintoastructurethatfollowsthetraditionalChinesecalendar,whichissomewhatsymbolicfortheresurgenceofthepast,becauseitwasmoreorlessabolishedinfavoroftheGregoriancalendarafterthecollapseoftheQingdynasty,butenjoysacenturylaterwiderandwiderusage.Withhoursofpersonalinterviews,daysandevenweeksspentonvariousreligiousretreats,andmassiveresearchintoChineseandreligioushistory,eachofthesenarrativeswouldhavebeensufficientforabookinitself.JohnsonmanagesthoughtotietheseparatenarrativestogetherbyaddingascholarlyanalysisofhowtheChinesegovernmentevolvedinitsrelationshiptowardsreligionoverthelastroughly200yearsandwhatroleitplayedandwillplayinthedevelopmentofacivilization-statewhichcurrentlyshapestheworldlikenootherhumanorganizationandwhosecitizensfeelaspiritualvoid.Progressisnotlinear—churchesaredemolished,templesrunfortourism,anddebatesaboutmoralitymanipulatedforpoliticalgain—buttheoveralldirectionisclear.FaithandvaluesarereturningtothecenterofanationaldiscussionoverhowtoorganizeChineselife.[…]Allofthisexistsandistruebutmissesabiggerpoint:thathundredsofmillionsofChineseareconsumedwithdoubtabouttheirsocietyandturningtoreligionandfaithforanswersthattheydonotfindintheradicallysecularworldconstructedaroundthem.Theywonderwhatmorethereistolifethanmaterialismandwhatmakesagoodlife.

JohnsonexplainsthattraditionalChinesereligionwasnotlikeSemiticreligionsapillarnexttosecularsociety,butwasspreadovereveryaspectoflifelikeafinemembranethatheldsocietytogether,andwasorganizedaroundlocalcommunities,e.g.almosteverycraftsmanshiporguildineverytownhaditsownpatroninsteadofcentralizedauthorities



inRomeorMecca.Chineseneverbelievedexclusivelyinonereligionandthushadnoconfessionwhichexcludesotherformsoffaith,instead,asthesayinggoes,everyChinesewearsaConfuciancape,aTaoisthatandBuddhistsandals.AndprobablymostimportantlydoesChinesereligionnotprovideahomeforthespiritualseeker,butcertainserviceslikeaTaoistfuneral,aBuddhistmeditationoraConfucianmoralself-cultivation;allofthemmakingupanamalgamofChinesereligioninwhichallChinesebelievemoreorless,eventoday,eveniftheytellyouthattheyareatheists.IamnotentirelyconvincedbyJohnson’selaborations,inparticularthewayheopposesChinesetoWesternfaith,becausethenatureofreligionhaschangedinAbrahamictraditionssubstantiallyovertime.EarlyChristians,too,wereorganizedincommunitiesinsteadofbeingstreamlinedbyapopeandastrictlyhierarchicalorganization.Theideaofconfessingone’sfaithontheotherhandisahistoricalconsequenceofthereformistera,whenLutheranspushedexactlyagainstthishierarchical,communitysuffocatingaspectoftheRomanchurch.Moreover,Ibelievethatallreligionsrequestintheiroriginalformthatasetofvaluespermeatesone’sentirelifeandnotonlyperiodsofobservanceinplacesofworship.InparticularJudaismshowsthattheseparationbetweensecularsocietyandreligionishardlypossible;nonobservantIsraeliswillmostlystillconsiderthemselvesJewish;andIhavenotonlyoncemetaChinesewhodescribeshimselfasaJewoftheEast:businessmindedandbyculturenotbynationalityorgeneticheritagetiedtoanethnicity.Religionisassuchalwaysanintegralpartofwhatmakesupasociety’sculture,evenifithasbecomesecularoratheist,observingoneofthenewhumanistreligionsofliberalism,communismorfascism.

JohnsondoesobservethatChinesereligionfocusesonthecultivationofthemindthroughthebodywithtaichi,qigongandotherphysicalpractices.AnapproachwhichwasfamiliartotheRomanswhobelievedthatasoundmindrestsinahealthybody|menssanaincorporesano.ButhedoesnotexplainthatthisfocusontheintegrationofbodyandmindwhichpersistedinChinauntilmodernityandwasrefinedevenintopoliticalconceptslike



globalharmony|datong,istheresultofafromtheWestdifferentculturalevolutionduringtheAxialAge,whenothermodernsocietieshadgonethroughaprofoundseparationofthespiritualfromtheeveryday,butnosuchdivisionevertookplaceinFarEastAsia.ChinaneverunderwentwhatGermanphilosopherKarlJasperscalledthe‘AxialAge’,aseparationcreatingadynamictensionbetweentheworldofmatterandanotherworldofspirit.Chineserarelydoubtedthesuperiorityoftheircivilization,whichrestedinthisrefinedbodymindequilibirium.Theywereoftenself-criticalbutbelievedthattheirwaysoflifewouldprevail.China’sencounterwiththeWestshookthatself-assuranceandledtothedestructionofmostreligion,inparticularoffolkreligion.AdevelopmentwhichismostclearlyconfirmedbythedemolishmentofapproximatelyonemillioncitygodtemplesandculturalheritagesitesliketheBuddhistgrottosofDunhuang.OnlyTaiwanandHongKongweresavedfromthismadnessandthusdifferentiatethemselvesexactlyinthisaspectfrommainlandChina.ItseemsthoughasifJohnsonimpliesthatChinesepoliticiansarebettersocialpsychologiststhantheirWesterncounterparts,whenhedescribeshowthe150yearlongstruggleoftheChineseelitetoidentifyreligionandsuperstitionwithinthehithertoholisticculturalblendinordertoeraseitcompletely,leadseventuallytoaresurgenceofexactlythesameblend,whichnowsupportedbynewtechnologyputsthepartylikeneverbeforefirmlyinitssaddle.TheHuJintaoandXiJinpingadministrationshaverealizedinthewakeoftheChineseindustrialrevolutionthatwhatsocietylackedwasrules,standards,ties.Chinesesocietywaslikeasailboatunmoored,itscenterboardbroken,itssailsfull,flyingwildlyacrossthewater—exhilaratingtowatchfromtheshorebutterrifyingtoride.JohnsoninterestinglydescribesforChinawhatKenWilberdescribedfortheUS:aperspectivalmadness,i.e.thegovernmentbroadcastingcontinuousandrepeatednon-truthwiththesingleobjectiveofstayinginpowerandcompletelydetachedfromthevalueslivedinsociety.HeconfirmsmyobservationthattheG2governmentsconvergeinhowtheyruntheirnations.“Youhaveasocietywheretheeducationalmaterialsareallaboutlovingtheparty,soofcourseitleadstoaspiritualcrisis.AfterawhilethestudentslearnthatLeiFengisafake.Thisisdestructive;itdestroyseverythingyou’vebeentaught.Youfeelthatnothingisreal.Howcantheyteachvirtues?It’simpossible.Youfindoutthatthethingsyou’resupposedtoadmirethemostarefake.Soitseemsnothingisreal.Faithisafoundation,butthegovernmenthasnofoundation:theywillsayanythingordoanything.Theonlywaythepartycansucceedisbycheatingyou.Thatbecomestheirbiggestsuccess—byhowmuchtheycancheatyou.That’swhomyou’reruledby.”Despitethetitle,TheSoulsofChinaisadeeplypoliticalbookandthesubtitlecouldwellbeThankyou,Mr.Xi:wedon'tneedanotherregionalsetofregressivevaluesinaneraof



globalization.Societiesdoneednotonlylawsbutalsovaluesanditisevidentthatthemodernworldisinageneralcrisis,becausethevalueswhicharepropagatedarenotlivedbythosewhoareinpower;theresultingdistrustseepsthroughsocietyandpermeatesallareasandmembers.ButeveniftheXiadministrationmanagestoalignitsvaluepropagandawithitsdeeds,itwillleadtowhatSamuelHuntingtondescribedin1996asaclashofcivilizations.ThestakesfortheWestarehigh,becauseitishighlyheterogeneous,badlyorganizedandfromaChineseperspectiveitsincreasinglyjustifiedtospeakofabunchofbarbarians.IfBeijingsucceedstoimplantitsvaluesintothemindsofitscitizensthenitwillhavecreatedtrust,i.e.thecurrency,whichFrancisFukuyamaarguedin1995tobeanessentialantidotetotheincreasingdriftofAmericancultureintoextremeformsofindividualism,which,ifunchecked,willhavedireconsequencesforthenation'seconomichealth.Aprognosiswhichproofedtobetrue.Johnson’smainmeritconsistsinshowinghowChinahaspainfullyalienateditselfoverthelast150yearsfromitsmostintrinsicculturalassettocatchupwiththeWesternworld;andhowXiJinpingemulatestheparamountleaderoftheculturalrevolutionandhisdynasticpredecessorsinreinstatingexactlythisasset.Maohimselfunderstoodreligion’spower,callingdivineauthorityoneofthe“fourthickropes”bindingtraditionalsocietytogether;theotherthreewerepoliticalauthority,lineageauthority,andpatriarchy.Thusheturnedhimselfintothesonofheavenwhoappearsasthesunfromtheeast;andXiportrayshimselfaspatronoftraditionalChinesebeliefsystems,i.e.Buddhism,TaoismandConfucianismwiththesoleobjectiveoftyingthepopulationatlargeclosertohimself.



InretrospecttheGFCwasamuchunderestimatedturningpoint,whichgaveChinesetheimpressionthattheyhadoutperformedtheWesteconomicallyandcouldnowfocusagainonthevalueswhichmadethemwhattheyare.ThissearchforidentityismostprominentlyfeaturedinJohnson’sbookbyMasterNan,aTaiwaneseborntraditionalistwhonowteachesintheYangtzeRiverDelta:“Inthepastonehundredyears,ChinausedWesternthinking,notChinesethinking,”MasterNansaid.“CommunismisWestern,notChinese.CapitalismisalsoWestern.SocialismisalsoWestern.WhatisChinese?”Indeed,whatisChinese,andwhymustitbebasedonalookbackwards?Whycan’twestarttodefineourselvesbyacommonfuture?Xitriestowrestthedivineauthorityfromreligiouscommunities,becausehehasbrilliantsociologistsasadvisors;theyhaveunderstoodbystudyingothermodernsocietiesthattheindustrialrevolutionunderminespolitical,lineageauthorityandpatriarchy.Religionwillbetheonlystrongropewhichwillholdinthe21stcenturyasocietytogetherandthereforehastobecontrolledbythegovernment;thereinforcementofthestateasaparentsurrogateisthereforetopnationalistpriority,nomatterifsuchpolicieshamperthepersonalgrowthofthepopulationatlarge.Xi’spolicyiscontradictorytowhattheSwisspsychoanalystJungsaidaboutindividuation:Peelingoffculturalconditioninganddevelopingatrueselfofteninvolvesphysicaldetachmentfromone’soriginatingsociety.

ThattheChinesegovernmentdoesnotwantitscitizenstogrowupissubtlyreflectedintheopenstreet.Collectingphotosofthenewpropagandaartworkhasturnedduringthelastyearintoahobby,andwhenItakemystrollsinourneighborhoodIamonadailybasisconsternatedbythechildishnessofpoliticalmessages,whichmakethecontentsseemevenmoresevere.Theaboveleftpictureshowsthenationasthemotherandthecitizenasthechildholdingontothemother’sback.Itreads:ifthenationofancestorsiswealthyandstrong,thenmymindisatpeace.TherightpictureisoneoutofaseriesspottedinShanghai’sChangningdistrictwhichtriestopushthevalueoflawandorderbyshowing



childcitizenslookinguptotheirneighborhoodpoliceofficer.Iamnotsurprisedthatacountry,whereHelloKittyturnedintoamegabrand,generatessuchpropaganda,butIamamazedaboutthemultitudeofpolicyinterpretations.Itseemsasifthecentralgovernmentassignedtoeverylocalgovernmentthetaskofcreatingpoliticalartworkaroundthenewlydefinedsocialistcorevalues,becauseatleastinShanghaieverydistricthasitsownpeculiarsetofposters;eachoneofthemrevealinganotherdetailtothekeenobserveraboutthetruemessageofthiscampaign:obey.Johnsonwritesthatthecontentforthiscampaignwasconceivedintheautumnof2011,atthelastbigannualCommunistPartymeetingundertheoldadministrationofPresidentHuJintaoandPremierWenJiabao.Thecommuniquéissuedbythatmeetingfranklydescribedasocietywhere“inanumberofareas,moralsaredefeated,sincerityislacking,theviewoflifeandvaluesystemofanumberofmembersofsocietyisdistorted.”Thesolutionwastoeducatepeoplein“CoreSocialistValues.”Theseweremainlyanodyneterms(“patriotism,”“honesty,”“thrift”),buttheybegantobesupplementedwithideasfromtheoldpolitical-religioussystemofHanChinesethought,suchasfilialpiety,orxiao,andapoliticalutopianterm,datong,oftentranslatedas“greatharmony.”Infact,thereportcalledChina’straditionalheritage“acommonspiritualgardenfortheChinesenation.”OnewouldthinkthatpresidentXiwhoseemstobeinparticularfondofBuddhismpushescorevalueslikecompassion,butwhatweusuallyseefirstareairplanecarriers,tanks,soldiersorsymbolsoftraditionalChinesepowerliketheTempleofHeavenunderthecharacters富强|wealthandpower;translatedeuphemisticallyintoprosperity.Thesimplefactthatthisvalueisalwaysleadingallothersreflectsthatitisnotintendedtoinstilltruevaluesintosocietyatlargebutshowsbywhatitismotivated:thepartieswilltopower.Shouldn’tauthenticvaluesbedefinedbypurpose?Someoverviewbillboardsseparatethetwelvekeytermsintothreegroupsofeachfourwhichreflectthreedifferentlevelsofsociety:国家|nation,社会|society,公民|citizen.Thenation,whichisthesameasthegovernmentandthustheparentsurrogateforthecitizensshouldstrivetobe富强|prosperousandpowerful,民主|democratic,文明|civilized,和谐|harmonious.Societyshallfollowthevaluesof自由|freedom,平等|equality,公正|justiceand法治|theruleoflaw.Thecitizenmustbe爱国|patriotic,敬业|dedicated,诚信|honestand 友善|friendly.Shouldvaluesbeessentiallythesameforallmembersofsociety,nomatterwhethertheyhavetheroleofgovernmentorordinarycitizen?TheChinaDreamcampaignwithitsimplementingstrategyofpropagatingsocialistcorevaluesisbackwardsandinwardslooking;itisdeeplynationalisticandistheantithesisof



whataglobalizedandunitedhumankindneedstotackletheproblemsahead;itistheChineseversionofaJapanesesakokupolicy.InsteadofrevivingtheNüwamyth,tellingtheChinesethattheyweremadeoutofYellowRiverclayandteachingthemtobepatriotic,itwouldmakemoresensetotalkaboutTheJourneyofMan,i.e.whyhumansareonebigfamiyhavingitsorigininAfrica.Prosperity,democracy,civilityandharmony,eveniffake,areunderpresidentXi’spolicyonlyvaluesforChinesesubjectsandfostertherenaissanceoftheHuaYidichotomy:asuperiorChinesecultureopposedtobabarians.

Johnsonmakesthoughaslightlyoptimisticresumeofhiswritingandemphasizestheopportunityforbroadertransformation.Religionprovidesamoralityandframesofreferenceforuniversalaspirations—likejustice,fairness,anddecency—thatarehigherthananygovernment’sagenda.OutofthisiscomingaChinathatismorethanthehyper-mercantilist,fragilesuperpowerthatweknow.Itisacountryengaginginaglobalconversationthataffectsallofus:howtorestoresolidarityandvaluestosocietiesthathavemadeeconomicsthebasisofmostdecisions.PerhapsbecauseChinesetraditionsweresosavagelyattackedoverthepastdecades,andthenreplacedwithsuchanakedformofcapitalism,Chinamightactuallybeattheforefrontofthisworldwidesearchforvalues.ReadinghisaccountofhowprotestantchurchesinChengdutranslatetheBiblefromclassicGreekintoChineseandhowtheymeetlikeearlyChristiancommunities;howBuddhistassociationsfocusinthelastextentonexhortingpeopletodogood;andhowTaoistsfavordeedsoverruminations;IfeelthatthereishopeandIonceagainwouldliketoaskphilosopherKenWilberifhewouldn’tagreethattheleadingedgeofevolutionhasshiftedtoChina;consideringthatcompetitionhasdefinitelyshiftedtothefieldofvalues.WertbewerbinsteadofWettbewerb.

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Review: The Souls of China – The Return of Religion After ...€¦ · confession which excludes other forms of faith, instead, as the saying goes, every Chinese wears a Confucian