110 Philosophy and Progress Philosophy and Progress: Vols. XLIX-L, January-June, July-December, 2011 religions and blend them with their own culture has led them to ISSN 1607-2278 (Print), DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/pp.v50i1-2.11925 the formation of a new religion known as Caodaism. Caodaism is an indigenous Vietnamese religion originated in South Vietnam in 1926. Caodaists have assimilated elements from Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, Hinduism and native Vietnamese spiritism (Smith, 1970: 350). THE CHINESE RELIGIOUS INFLUENCES ON Caodaism is fundamentally and deliberately syncretic CAODAISM : A CRITICAL ANALYSIS religion (Smith, 1970:573). They have attempted to bridge the gap between the East and the West based on religions and Md. Shaikh Farid * philosophies from both the Eastern and theWestern cultures since it includes Buddha, Confucius, Lao-tzu and Christ as its pantheon. But the real basis of the syncretism is an attempt to Introduction bring together the three religions of the Sino-Vietnamese Throughout the history the people of Vietnam have been ruled traditions, namely Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism. and dominated by other nations and cultures. Over the last three Christianity has only a peripheral position except Christ as its thousand years Vietnam has been significantly influenced by pantheon, and nothing has been adopted from Christianity and China. Both China and France have tried to conquer not only Islam that would seriously clash with the underlying doctrinal the land but also the spirit of its people by attempting to impose tolerance of East Asian religions. The most important feature of their culture on the Vietnamese people. The Vietnamese people Caodai syncretism is that of Taoist spirit-mediumship with a have not taken that has been imposed on them rather they have concept of salvation that was originally Buddhist. If any one of taken what suits with their culture and temperament. They have the three Sino-Vietnamese religions may be said to be the most taken the best of other cultures and have combined them with dominant in Caodaism that is Taoism. Here I propose to analyze their own culture and heritage. The best example of this kind the significant elements of Chinese religions which have made can be seen in religious influences mixed in the Vietnamese great impact in the formation Caodaism. culture. They have accepted the foreign religions and The Chinese Religions and the Emergence of Caodaism philosophies into their cultures because they have viewed them as natural and sensible additions to society. The ability of the The Chinese started contacts with the Vietnamese as early as th Vietnamese people to take the elements from other cultures and the 6 century B.C. (Fairbanks and Reischauer 1960:60). By 218 B.C. the Red River Delta was part of China when Shih * Assistant Professor, Dept. of World Religions and Culture, University of Dhaka. E-mail : [email protected] Huang Ti was emperor of China, but China went through a The Chinese Religious Influences on Caodaism 111 112 Philosophy and Progress period of anarchy after the death of Huang Ti in 210 B.C. control over the masses resulted in Chinese cultural influence During that time, the Red River Delta and the coastal areas of being felt most deeply and being maintained for an extended Southeastern China became the Kingdom of Nam Viet (Hickey period of time in religion, education and public administration 1964:2).In 111B.C. Nam Viet conquered the two Chinese (Thai,1926:50). In 58 A.D. Confucianism was made the state provinces namely Kwantung and Kwangri, but the Chinese cult in China. All the schools were ordered to institute a system Emperor Wu Ti (141-87 B.C.) consolidated his empire and of worship and reverence to Confucius before an ancestral altar. conquered the Nam Viet again. The fall of Nam Viet was the As a part of China Vietnam also felt the impact of beginning of almost ten centuries Chinese domination over Confucianism. Vietnam, inculcating it with ideas and culture. But there is some Taoism came in Vietnam about the same time as dispute with regard to the actual amount of Chinese influence Confucianism. Thich Nhat Hanh writes “In Vietnam the on Vietnam and its people. Some Vietnamese scholars claim essence of Laotzu’s and Tchang Tse’s philosophy is expressed that through many centuries of Chinese rule the Vietnamese only in the thought and conduct of educated persons of both the managed to maintain a distinct and independent civilization Buddhist and Confucian faith. There were no Taoist clergy as (Oliver, 1976:20). During the ten centuries of Chinese such in Vietnam. Among the ordinary people, there were a domination there was a continuous exhibition of nationalistic number of Taoist practitioners who knew little doctrine but movement by the Vietnamese. Despite the nationalistic fervor made a living from their supposed magical powers…. they do the long period of Chinese rule in Vietnam the society has been not reflect the high spirit and thought of orthodox Taoism” molded by Chinese cultural values, customs and religions. As (Hanh, 1967:13). Hickey states : “Numerous material benefits resulted from the Chinese dominated administration of this period. Roads and Buddhism was brought to Vietnam by the Chinese monks rd bridges were constructed to improve communications with in the second century A.D. In the 3 century A.D. many of the China, extensive irrigation projects were undertaken in the Indian Buddhist monks who were going to China en route Vietnam lived in Vietnam. By land and sea monks, merchants delta, and harbors were improved. In addition, Chinese cultural and travelers brought both Mahayana and Theravada to influence increased and spread among the Vietnamese. The Vietnam. “Thien” sect of Mahayana Buddhism became the Chinese literary tradition provided a basis for the emerging dominant sect during the course of time in Vietnam (Oliver, Vietnamese literature and poetry......Legal codes were modeled 1976:21).Orthodox Taoism was firmly established in China but after those in China” (Hickey, 1964:4). in Vietnam Taoism was hardly distinguishable from the Although Vietnam achieved independence under a native indigenous religious elements. Both Taoism and Buddhism did dynasty from China in 939 A.D., the Mandarinal emphasis on not establish in Vietnam as separate religion but they were educational attainment, ritual performance, and governmental synthesized with the indigenous religious beliefs of Vietnam. The Chinese Religious Influences on Caodaism 113 114 Philosophy and Progress Vietnamese indigenous beliefs included the cult of spirits, worshipped. The rationale was to unite Buddhism, Taoism and ancestral cult, the hero cult, animistic beliefs and an underlying Confucianism under the aegis of the better teachings. However, core of animistic beliefs (Duncanson, 1968: 46). “Three Teachings” did not inform about syncretism. It was In addition to these major religions, Vietnam was also open rather a call for harmony or peaceful coexistence (Hickey, to the other Chinese popular religious movements, many of 1964:59). them were secretive. All these religions and movements played Ngo Thi Nham, another prominent scholar, also a vital role to the origin of Caodaism. Particularly, the religious endeavored to harmonize the “Three Teachings”. His thinking movements of the first quarter of the 20 th century namely; produced a slogan: “Great Way produces Three Teachings Way; religious syncretism, anti-colonial expression, secret societies, Three Teaching Way unites in the Great Way”. By mid 19 th the Minh organization and the emphasis on spiritism played an century in line with popular syncretism it was believed that all important role in its origin (Oliver, 1976:24). None of these those possessing merits are worth worshipping. Thich Nhat aforementioned religions was exclusive, but they tended to be Hanh wrote about syncretism in Vietnamese religions: “A syncretic, adding and adapting their rituals and teaching to Vietnamese who profess to be a Confucian does not deny his other religions. The Vietnamese found little difficulty accepting belief in Buddhism, nor-must a convinced Buddhist declares a synthesis of the religions with their indigenous religious that he disbelieves Confucianism. That is why we cannot say beliefs, because religious amalgam was universal among the with accuracy how many Vietnamese are Buddhists. When we Vietnamese. Its contexts varied from place to place. The examine the beliefs of a typical peasant, we find elements of traditional syncretism had been enriched by the coming of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism intimately mixed Caodaism. The religious synthesis was common as early as the together, along with still other elements belonging to native 13 th century. It was primarily associated with “Three beliefs that existed in Vietnam” (Hanh, 1967:12). Teachings” namely Taoism, Confucianism and Buddhism. In The Vietnamese are said to be dominated by a synthesis of 1247 Tran dynasty introduced the examinations in “Three the three great religions. Socially, the Vietnamese reactions are Teachings”. The various modes of worship, which prevailed in generally Confucian. From the religious point of view they are Vietnam, were considered by the people are true. The “ Tam generally Buddhists and from the programmatic side, they are Giao ” Three Tradition weakened during 15 th and 16 th centuries Taoist. It is generally unacceptable and foreign concept to the due to the rise of orthodox Confucianism. But “Three Vietnamese that one religion exclusively owns the “truth”. Teaching” surfaced once again in 18 th century. Confucian Dutton quotes a Vietnamese : “We do not believe that there is scholar Ngo Thi Si (1726-1793) argued that Buddhism and only one true and uniquely sanctifying belief. The creator has Confucianism differ by name, but their way was one. In the scattered the seeds of truth over the centuries and over the altar of Three Teachings, Confucius, Buddha and Lao-tzu were continents of the earth.