Confucianism |
practices
The Well-known Confucian Temple
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Wen Miao Temple
The temple is located in Shanghai and is devoted to worshiping Confucius and study of his texts. Before this temple there was a substitute place to worship and study Confucian, named the Zitong Clan Temple. This new temple was completed in 1296 and was constructed solely to Confucius. Soon after it became the most important place of learning. There are three paths within the temple, each dedicated to something different. The first one is for public worship and sacrifice, the second is for scholars and studying, and the third one is directed by nature. This location hosts the annual ceremonies for Confucius on his birthday, September 28th.
The temple is located in Shanghai and is devoted to worshiping Confucius and study of his texts. Before this temple there was a substitute place to worship and study Confucian, named the Zitong Clan Temple. This new temple was completed in 1296 and was constructed solely to Confucius. Soon after it became the most important place of learning. There are three paths within the temple, each dedicated to something different. The first one is for public worship and sacrifice, the second is for scholars and studying, and the third one is directed by nature. This location hosts the annual ceremonies for Confucius on his birthday, September 28th.
Rites of Passages
The most important rite of passage in the Confucius religion is death. They have an immense amount of value and respect for their ancestors. Although death is often looked at as a bad thing, to Confucians a funeral is one of the most memorable events to them. They do a wide range of rituals varying from colorful decorations, to traditional foods, to the burning of paper money, paper cars, paper planes, etc. They provide all that in the funeral so that the spirit of the dead has a more enjoyable journey into the world of ancestors.
Funerary Practices & Rituals
The founder of Confucianism, Kongzi, was a strong supporter for ritual. He believed in the great purpose of rituals which was to unite the people and strengthen the community. The strongest and oldest practice is that of ancestory worship. It's such an important ritual that one cannot consider themselves a "Confucian" without this traditional practice.
Family Rituals Composed by Zhu Xi
Zhu Xi composed a manual of four family rituals. They are essential to this religion. The four rituals in this manual consist of: capping and pinning (an initiation), wedding, funeral, and rituals to ancestral spirits. They are important to carry on throughout their lives. In Confucianism, the importance of these rituals is high and no matter what stage in their life they are in they are obliged to carry on a practice.