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Many years ago, in ancient China, people believed in the Buddhist concept of reincarnation and the belief in Karma – in other words ‘what you give is what you receive.’ There are now 1.4 billion people living in China, but the ancient eastern beliefs are no longer religiously held by most Chinese people. Confucianism is also studied as part of ancient Chinese history rather than religiously held customs.
That being said, many of the ancient customs are still
influencing how the Chinese people behave toward one another; most are
polite and courteous in their daily interactions. The concept of Karma
may no longer be a religious concept for the majority, but it’s still
deeply rooted in their culture.
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The old Buddhist concepts have now become more of a
philosophical pursuit for many of today’s youth and that is certainly a
good thing. The ancient eastern traditions that are widely rooted in
China are beginning to lose their religious significance, mostly due to
education and western influences.
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There are still people, however, living in China that still
hold the belief in rebirth, and your life’s fate can be determined by
your actions from previous lives. The majority though regard such
beliefs as mere superstition.
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I have come in contact with some elderly Chinese people who
believe my good fortune is a direct result of my previous life
experiences. Those whose lives are more burdensome, it’s a direct result
of bad karma according to my elderly neighbors.
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It used to be a commonly held belief here that people are
reincarnated to work through their karma and learn from past mistakes.
However, if you were to ask an average university student whether
Reincarnation and karma are realities or myths many students would
respond that it is a possibility and then engage you in a philosophical
discussion. Many of China’s ancient beliefs are philosophically
discussed in Universities. It’s a way for the ancient traditions to be
remembered and to keep the ancient Chinese culture alive in our modern
world.
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I had several experiences where two 3-year-old children
pointed to me on different occasions then ran up to me to hug me. Those
children’s grandparents would laugh and then stare at me in disbelief.
I’m not sure what name the children called me but those experiences were
quite intriguing. It kind of reinforces the belief that I am in China
for a reason and there are certainly deeper dimensions to life than
meets the eye.
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I find many of the ancient Chinese customs intriguing and
discussing them more fully here is a way of gaining a greater
understanding of why many of today’s cultural differences between the
west and the east exist. When I delve deeper into the Chinese cultural
traditions I gain a better understanding of our own culture. Many of the
misconceptions I had about China, in general, before moving here have
faded away toward a deeper understanding of myself in relation to
others.
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Living and working in China for the past 12 years has made me
a better person, and I hope I can bring my personal experiences from
living here back to the US through my writings for the betterment of
others.
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Thomas F O’Neill
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