Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
The Chinese communities in Malaysia usually follow a mix of Buddhism, Confucianism
and Taoism. Buddhism takes care of the afterlife, Confucianism looks after the political
and moral aspects of life, and Taoism contributes animistic beliefs to teach people to
maintain harmony with the universe.
But to say that the Chinese have three religions is too simplistic a view of their tradi-
tional religious life. At the first level Chinese religion is animistic, with a belief in the in-
nate vital energy in rocks, trees, rivers and springs. At the second level people from the
distant past, both real and mythological, are worshipped as gods. Overlaid on this are pop-
ular Taoist, Mahayana Buddhist and Confucian beliefs.
On a day-to-day level most Chinese are much less concerned with the high-minded
philosophies and asceticism of the Buddha, Confucius or Lao Zi than they are with the
pursuit of worldly success, the appeasement of the dead and the spirits, and seeking know-
ledge about the future. Chinese religion incorporates elements of what Westerners might
call 'superstition' - if you want your fortune told, for instance, you go to a temple. The
other thing to remember is that Chinese religion is polytheistic. Apart from the Buddha,
Lao Zi and Confucius, there are many divinities, such as house gods, and gods and god-
desses for particular professions.
Adat,
with its roots in the region's Hindu period and earlier, is customary law that places great emphasis
on collective rather than individual responsibility and on maintaining harmony.
Hinduism
Hinduism in the region dates back at least 1500 years and there are Hindu influences in
cultural traditions, such as
wayang kulit
(shadow-puppet theatre) and the wedding cere-
mony. However, it is only in the last 100 years or so, following the influx of Indian con-
tract labourers and settlers, that it has again become widely practised. Hinduism has three
basic practices:
puja
(worship), the cremation of the dead, and the rules and regulations of
the caste system. Although still very strong in India, the caste system was never signific-
ant in Malaysia, mainly because the labourers brought here from India were mostly from
the lower classes.
Hinduism has a vast pantheon of deities, although the one omnipresent god usually has
three physical representations: Brahma, the creator; Vishnu, the preserver; and Shiva, the
destroyer or reproducer. All three gods are usually shown with four arms, but Brahma has
the added advantage of four heads to represent his all-seeing presence.
