zhu-yiwen

Can Chinese Temples Help the Souls of Dead Pets? It’s Complicated

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

As Chinese people increasingly see pets as beloved friends, the question of what to do when a cat or dog passes away has many asking temples for guidance. They don’t always have the answers.

Three Ways to Become a Taoist Deity

Just because there are many ways to enter the Taoist pantheon doesn’t make it easy.

Checking in on Taoism Abroad

Where do Taoists around the world look for leadership?

Post-COVID, China’s Taoist Temples Are Still Finding Their Way

Taoist Temples spent the past three years moving services online. Can they bring devotees back?

China’s Taoist Temples Try a Little Marketing 101

Are temples’ trendy new talisman lines good business — or mass-produced sacrilege?

The Divine Legacy of a Dutch Taoist

Kristofer Schipper’s decision to approach Taoism as a living, breathing religion was revolutionary.

Fishers Among Men: Lake Tai’s Catholics Bid Farewell to the Waters

For centuries, the lake’s has been home to a unique population of Catholic converts. A new fishing ban means the end of an era — but not their faith.

How Old Beliefs Are Adapting to China’s ‘New Normal’

After months of being closed, Shanghai’s places of worship are cautiously reopening to the public.

The Many Lives of Hong Temple

Although Shanghai’s Hong Temple has historically adapted to meet the needs of the surrounding neighborhood, it faces an uncertain future.

We’ve Got to Stop Calling Taoism a ‘Superstition’

Self-proclaimed progressives are fueling suspicion of China’s homegrown religion.

How Taoists Found Their Way To a Young Audience

A successful Shanghai-based ceremony shows that attracting adepts hinges on mixing tradition, technology, and trade.