This book surveys China’s religion from its primal animism to the later blends with Buddhism and Confucianism. It explains how the native belief in two cosmic forces, Yang and Yin, and a multitude of spirits, governs practices from ancestor rites to temple rituals. You’ll see how state ceremonies and local worship coexist, and how ordinary people interact with a crowded world of gods and specters.

Learn the core idea of universalistic animism and its polytheistic, polydemonistic landscape.
See how ancestor worship, local shrines, and state rituals interconnect in daily life.
Understand how Confucian rites and Buddhist influences mix with folk beliefs.
Recognize the dynamics between official religion and popular practice, including persecution and tolerance.

Ideal for readers of world religion, Chinese history, and cultural studies seeking a clear, accessible overview of how belief, ritual, and social life intersect in China.

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