Yellow River Culture Series · Religion Volume

Author: Wang Zhixuan et al.
Publisher:
Publishing Date: 2001-05-01
Features: Mountains have roots, and rivers have sources. Everything in the world has its own origins. And why should the nation be an exception! The root of our Chinese nation is the Yellow River. This is a historical fact that no one can deny. In recent years, Chinese archaeological work has made rapid progress and achieved remarkable results. In summary, I believe there are two things worth noting: one is that the ancient history of China cannot be capped; the other is that the origin of Chinese culture may be pluralistic. First, let me talk about this. For many years, we have been accustomed to saying "five thousand years of Chinese civilization." Five thousand years is already a very long time. However, archaeological work has proven that our history is actually even longer. Originally, there were doubts about the existence of the Xia Dynasty. Now, reliable remains of the Xia Dynasty have been found. As a result, many people believe that those who used to doubt ancient history were completely baseless in their skepticism. With archaeological discoveries, the history of the Chinese nation and the origins of Chinese culture continue to extend upward. It is likely that six thousand or seven thousand years is still not the limit. Therefore, I say that the ancient history of China cannot be capped. As for the second point, with the expansion of archaeological work, splendid remnants of civilizations have now been found in remote areas that were once considered barbaric, such as in Yunnan and other regions. A little further north than Yunnan, in ancient regions like Jingchu, there are even more and richer cultural sites. Sometimes it is truly astonishing. Places like Zhejiang and Guangdong also belong to this category. I cannot list them all here. Therefore, I believe that the brilliant and diverse Chinese culture was produced pluralistically and created jointly by all the ethnic groups of China. Understanding this can better enhance the cohesion of our great national family and promote ethnic unity. When we study the history of Chinese literature, with a little attention, we can see that Chinese literature in the pre-Qin era was actually divided into two major systems: the northern and southern systems. The Chuci of the southern Jingchu region represents southern literature and can also be said to represent the culture of the Yangtze River. Its characteristics, in simple terms, are rich in romanticism. The north, represented by the Book of Songs, is a concrete manifestation of the Yellow River culture, with a strong tendency toward realism. These two are the sources of Chinese poetry for thousands of years, and their influence cannot be underestimated. Since Chinese culture and literature were produced pluralistically, is there a core or a foundation? I believe there is. This core or foundation must be the culture of the Yellow River. "The Yellow River rises among the white clouds," is a famous line that everyone knows. "The waters of the Yellow River flow from the heavens," is even more widely quoted. In China, the Yellow River is like the Ganges River in India. To Indians, the Ganges is a sacred river, the source of Indian culture, and its holy water. The Yellow River, though balanced by the Yangtze River in China, plays a supplementary role in culture. The sacred water in the hearts of the Chinese people remains the Yellow River. This is why, at critical moments of national survival, the Yellow River still inspires the Chinese people to move forward and boosts their morale. Today, who, upon hearing Xian Xinghai's Yellow River Cantata, does not immediately feel spirited and full of vigor? However, the culture of the Yellow River, though the core and foundation, is by no means closed off or exclusive. The ancient Chinese said, "Only with tolerance can one be great." The ocean can accommodate a hundred rivers, and that is why it is great. Chinese culture, centered around the Yellow River culture, also has the vastness of the ocean. Over thousands of years of development, it gradually absorbed the cultures of all ethnic groups in China and even welcomed foreign cultures without resistance, ultimately forming a great culture with a long history and the accumulation of all virtues. Our culture has influenced the world and has played a positive role in the progress and development of humanity for millennia. It will endure for all time. This is a pride of our entire Chinese nation. Our great country, with such a glorious culture, would any descendant of Yan and Huang not feel genuine love for it? In the current high tide of patriotic education across the nation, the leaders and publishers of several provinces and cities have jointly written this Yellow River Culture Series. It truly resonates with the people. It is both an embellishment and, in a way, a timely gift. It is certain to be warmly welcomed by people of all ethnic groups in China and scholars from around the world. Therefore, I am delighted to write this preface.
Postscript: The development of culture is shaped by both changes in time and differences in geography. The evolution of any cultural phenomenon is always constrained by time and space. Religion is a form of culture, so the study of religious phenomena must also not overlook the characteristics formed by the interaction of time and place. To fully showcase the human and geographical features of the Yellow River Basin, Ningxia People's Publishing House, with foresight, included the presentation of religious culture in the editorial plan of the Yellow River Culture Series. As early as 1992, they invited us to organize the compilation of the Religion Volume, aiming to explore the patterns and characteristics of the birth, distribution, spread, and evolution of religious culture in the Yellow River Basin. They also required the writing style to reflect both the origins and the developments, combining academic rigor with readability, making it both an academic work and one that is quite accessible. This concept is very much in line with the needs of current readers. According to this requirement, starting from September 1992, Professor Wang Zhiyuan, the chief editor, formulated the main purpose, structural framework, chapter outline, and basic content of the book. He personally wrote the Introduction, which concisely explains the basic characteristics of religious culture in the Yellow River Basin and briefly contrasts the significant differences and general features of the northern and southern religious cultures. Guided by the main ideas of the Introduction, Professor Wang Zhiyuan, along with and, invited over ten scholars and graduate students (master's and doctoral) engaged in the study of Chinese philosophy and religious studies to jointly complete the writing of the book. These contributors, such as Wu Rui, Yang Shengping, Sha Zongping, Chen Peng, Peng Yongjie, Shang Jiuyu, Yu Xueming, Tan Mingran, Ren Zefeng, Pei Yong, Yang Lihua, Zhang Yangsheng, Zhao Xinfeng, Liu Wei, and Sun Xingguo, are now basically all experts in the field of religious studies. After the initial drafts were completed, Professor Wang Zhiyuan, Professor Bian Qian, and Professor Feng Jinyuan reviewed and revised the manuscript from different perspectives, going through multiple drafts. Some chapters were assigned to the original authors for major revisions or new contributors were invited to make significant improvements. Professor Bian Qian later conducted a thorough proofreading of the unified manuscript. This book took seven years to complete, with the persistence of the publisher, editors, and contributors, and a commitment to a rigorous and responsible academic attitude. Due to the large number of contributors, the quality may not be entirely uniform, and errors are inevitable. Moreover, it did not fully meet the fundamental requirement of highlighting regional characteristics. We sincerely hope for corrections and suggestions from experts in various fields. The publication of this book is indebted to the strong support of Ningxia People's Publishing House and Shandong People's Publishing House. Here, we especially express our gratitude to Mr. Liu Dejiu, the General Editor of Shandong People's Publishing House; Mr. Wang Wenqing, the Deputy Editor-in-Chief of Ningxia People's Publishing House; and Ms. Shen Bin, the editor-in-chief.
Wang Zhiyuan Bian Qian Feng Jinyuan
July 1999, Beijing