NO. 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM 219 



standing the culture, the ideals, and the customs of the people with 

 whom he is working. 



The history of religions indicates that in the future as in the past 

 new religions will arise and that some old as well as some new re- 

 ligions will disappear. It also indicates that there will be changes in 

 the present religions. We can be sure that in the centuries to come 

 those religions that do the most for the development of character and 

 personality and for the betterment of mankind will, in the long run, 

 prosper most and have the allegiance of the largest numl^er of human 

 beings. 



The popular religion of the Chinese people, which is unorganized 

 but which influences and permeates the other religions of China, con- 

 taining as it does many superstitions and superstitious practices, has 

 already weakened a great deal during the past century and will con- 

 tinue to weaken as the people of China become more and more en- 

 lightened. The religions of the non-Chinese ethnic groups of China 

 will also change with enlightenment, and some may practically dis- 

 appear. The lesser religions that have been mentioned, and other 

 lesser religions that have not been described, will change and probably 

 disappear. New religions may arise just as some of these lesser re- 

 ligions have arisen during the past decades. 



As to the greater religions in China, Confucianism, Taoism, Bud- 

 dhism, Mohammedanism, and Christianity, any prophecies must be 

 made with caution and with the realization that the unexpected may 

 happen. 



CONFUCIANISM 



The character and teachings of Confucius were high and noble, and 

 the purpose of Confucius was to reform people and society so as to 

 bring order, peace, and prosperity to the world. While Confucianism 

 apparently degenerated because of the influence of Taoism and of 

 the religion and customs of the common people, for many centuries 

 it has been a benefit to the peoples of China and of other countries 

 of Asia. 



I regard as shortcomings of Confucianism the fact that in addition 

 to the supreme being there are lesser deities ; the fact that the supreme 

 being could be worshiped only by the emperor and thus could not be 

 approached by the common people; its low estimate of women; and 

 the fact that the ideal age was considered to be in the past, not in 



