You’re invited to a May 13 RASBJ event on “Religion in Traditional China” which includes the screening of a documentary film on Taoism followed by discussion and QA featuring scholar Neil Schmid and journalist Ian Johnson.

WHEN: Wednesday May 13, 7:00-9:00pm

WHERE: EU Delegation, 15 Dongzhimenwai Dajie, Galileo Room

HOW MUCH: RMB 30 for RASBJ members, RMB 60 for non-members

RSVP: please e-mail [email protected]

MORE ABOUT THE EVENT:

Religion in China often confounds western notions of belief and practice. Recent opinion polls suggest that Chinese are the most unreligious people in the world–and yet temples, churches and mosques continue to be built at a record pace. Adding to the confusion is how Chinese seem able to subscribe to radically different traditions as Confucianism, Buddhism, and Daoism. These questions reveal how Chinese notions of religiosity differ from western preconceptions.

As a point of departure, the Royal Asiatic Society Beijing will screen the incisive BBC documentary, “Taoism: A Question of Balance”. Filmed in the late 1970’s as part of the groundbreaking program, The Long Search, this video is remarkable for its sophisticated examination of traditional religious life in Taiwan and for its use of an anthropological approach pioneering for its time. Crucially, the film captures a variety of practices and devotion that once permeated the daily lives of all Chinese. Although now disappearing, those ideas still govern how many Chinese people practice their faith. A question and answer period will follow the documentary for audience discussion of the traditional beliefs and practices depicted and more recent 21st century developments in China’s religious landscape.

Co-hosting the event are Ian Johnson, a regular contributor for the New York Review of Books, and Neil Schmid, a scholar of Chinese Religions and Dunhuang Studies.

We hope you can make it!