Berkley Center

If I had to choose one word to describe modern Chinese people, it would probably be “pragmatic.” A concern for practical outcomes over lofty ideals informs all manner of Chinese activity, ranging from the consumption of pirated films to the conduct of foreign affairs. This approach was best exemplified by Deng Xiaoping, who transformed China from a socialist economy into a market economy, famously declaring: "I don't care if it's a white cat or a black cat. It's a good cat so long as it catches mice." Perhaps the ordinary Chinese person's attitude toward religion would run something like this: “I don't care if it's Buddha or Christ. It's a good religion so long as it gives me ping an (peace).”

According to official estimates, China has 100 million religious believers, a number that is steadily rising. For those skeptical of information released by the Chinese Communist Party, independent research suggests a number closer to 300 million. What makes either of these figures so impressive is that it has only been 34 years since the end of the Cultural Revolution; and 28 years since Article 36 of the state constitution substantially expanded religious freedom. Although the Chinese Communist Party continues to exercise strong state control over religion, especially when it is tied to political goals (such as Tibetan Buddhism) or proves effective at organizing people (such as Falun Gong), the fact is that most Chinese people no longer face the same insane obstacles to public and private worship they once did.

What puzzles me is why a modern Chinese person would even choose to worship at all. The Chinese take great pride in their modern achievements, especially in science and technology. Although I do not believe there is a conflict between scientific and religious truth, science does have an unfortunate tendency to lead rationalists away from religion, with its implication that God might exist only to explain temporary gaps in scientific knowledge. The Chinese are certainly capable of God-of-the-gaps thinking. Beijing’'s Temple of Heaven is associated with the imperial practice of annually praying to the gods for good harvests, but that ancient ritual was discontinued around the same time modern farming techniques were discovered. Likewise, setting off firecrackers is a popular Spring Festival tradition that was once thought to drive away the evil spirits, but today few Chinese still believe in demons of the sort that can be scared away by loud noises.

Could the major religions in China one day suffer the same fate as these bygone traditions? Could the grand cathedrals and serene monasteries one day become primarily the destination of Western tourists in search of souvenirs, rather than of Chinese believers in search of truth? It is an appalling thought, but one that is not likely to be realized. Precisely because China has undergone considerable economic and social upheaval in recent times, the Chinese have a strong reactionary desire to adopt religious world views that might reflect or uphold traditional Chinese values. As the writer Thomas Friedman might have put it, religion is the “olive tree” that Chinese people can cling to in the face of relentless globalization and cultural homogenization.

I shall describe three examples. The first concerns the condition of the family. The Chinese have long regarded the family as the most basic unit around which community should be organized, but changing economic incentives and social norms have resulted in the disintegration of the traditional family structure. Whereas 30 years ago it was common for three or four generations to live together under the same roof, today Chinese people often pursue individualistic lives that tear them apart from their family members. Most rural children, especially girls, will migrate to large cities to work in factories in the economic processing zones and return home typically once a year during the Spring Festival. Most urban children aspire to study or work overseas in a Western country, with no intention whatsoever of returning home. Under these circumstances, there is a strong need for families to redefine or enlarge the traditional concept of community. Communities built around faith can provide many people with a strong sense of social cohesion in an increasingly fragmented society.

The second example concerns the materialism of society. Ever since Deng Xiaoping flung wide open the door to trade and foreign investment, the Chinese have been materially better off now than they were at any other point in history. Judging from the omnipresent advertisements and the large crowds that can be found on any given night, shopping seems to be the national pastime. Certainly from an economic standpoint, this is something to be proud of. But in a Chengdu monastery, a Buddhist monk confided to me his worries about the state of the world. "People have become so selfish," he said. "Yet their unsatisfied desires will cause suffering. Buddhism can help them leave suffering and attain happiness. They need to sacrifice themselves for the family, the country, the world..." I told him that Christianity takes essentially the same view toward rejecting worldly values. Thus, religious doctrine can provide Chinese people with a traditional set of values to counter the unfamiliar and often unsavory values that modern, Western society forces upon them.

The final example concerns the purpose of work and life. At the expense of waning Marxism, the capitalist society has appeared to have a dehumanizing effect on human labor. If you work over 60 hours a week at a menial retail job, as many Chinese people do, it becomes easy to view your life in terms of your work. Moreover, those lacking higher education have virtually no chance of upward social mobility. Two of the first Christians I met in China were young women who left school to work as restaurant waitresses, which they could be doing for the rest of their lives. But when they viewed their lives through the lens of Christianity, it gave them a sense of living and working for something greater than themselves (God’'s will on earth). In fact, every major world religion offers a compelling narrative and ultimate concern for the present life. Thus, religion in China can provide people with something important to strive after, imbuing their life with meaning where there might otherwise be none.