Malaysian Chinese religion
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Malaysian Chinese Religion refers to religious beliefs of Chinese origin as practiced by the sizeable Chinese minority of Malaysia. These beliefs and practices are heavily influenced by Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and Chinese Imperialism.
According to The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, vol. Religions & Beliefs, statistic from 2000 Census indicate that around 20% of the population, mainly Malaysian Chinese, are Buddhist and a further 3% follow Chinese religions including Confucianism and Taoism. The Chinese folk beliefs in Malaysia include beliefs in local guardian spirits which originated from traditional animism and mysticism, and the worship of sacred monks and spirits popular among the Thais, also elevated local heroes and leaders to patron saints and guardians.
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[edit] History
The Encyclopedia of Malaysia stated, early history of Malaysian Chinese religions traced back to the 15th century small settlement that established in Melaka by Hokkien traders, but not until the 19th century when mass migration of Chinese. They built shrines dedicated to their deities and cemeteries for those who died. The Chinese migration during the tin and gold mining days, as a result of high demand, the need of temples also growth along, for practices and religious rituals. During that time, most immigrants were illiterate or poorly educated peasants and coolies, thus Buddhist and Taoist monks were brought over from China to run the temples.
Social organizations in the Chinese migration society were important means, where family surnames, dialect, locality and trade do matter. The Cantonese, Hokkien, Teochew and Hakka, respectively formed their secret societies, such as the Ghee Hin and Hai San, and they played as 'government' in controlling the Chinese immigrants. Local Malay chiefs called the Chinese leaders Kapitan Cina, soon it became patron saints of the Chinese. The evolution of Malaysian Chinese Religion was a mixture of local value and belief system, where it produced some local deities such as the Na Tuk Kong and Tua Pek Kong.
[edit] Christianity
According to Encyclopedia of Malaysia, there was record where Persian and Turkish traders with Nestorian Christian origins came around the year 650 CE, but not until the conquest of Melaka by the Portuguese in year 1511, that marked the introduction of Roman Catholicism. The Dutch colonial in year 1641 brought in Protestantism, and with the influx of Chinese and Indian immigrants during the 19th century, more Christian missionaries were imported. However there were small numbers of Chinese Christian, before the migration to Malaya.
[edit] Islam
In the Terengganu state, Jeram and Tepoh were two of the traditional Chinese-Muslim villages, their forefathers arrived together with Zheng He or much earlier. Dato’ Haji Mustapha Ma Qi is among the well-known Malaysian Chinese-Muslim, he is the president of Chinese Muslim Association (MACMA - Persatuan Cina Muslim Malaysia). According to official census, there were about 57,000 Chinese Muslims, mostly converts, in Malaysia in year 2000.
The Chinese accepted Islam as a religion can be traced back as early as 7th century, from the Chinese Muslims annals and the history of Islam in China. Guangzhou city has one of the earlist Huaisheng Mosque. Today in China, there are as many as 50 millions or more Muslims, they can be identified by their surname especially Ma, Li, Chang, Zhang, Lan, Wu, Mi, Yang, etc. The famous Ma Shan Bao, (Zheng He), was himself a good friend to Parameswara who founded Melaka in year 1402.
[edit] Malaysian Chinese Gods
The name of Gods listed here does not represent Chinese of The People's Republic of China. However the Gods listed here were tradition passed down from ancestors living in ancient China. The God of Na Tuk Kong, in particular, was a localized God where the name derived from 'Dato', which is a local Malay word.
List of Malaysian Chinese Gods:
- Na Tuk Kong (Chinese : 拿督公)
- Celestial God Tnee Kong (Chinese : 天公)
- Earth God Teh Choo Kong (地主公), Tu Di Gong (Chinese : 土地公)
- Tua Pek Kong (Chinese : 大伯公)
- God of Prosperity Choy Sun Yeh / God of Fortune (Chinese : 财神)
- Kwan God Kwan Kong (Chinese : 關公)
- Kwan Yin Ma originated from Sanskrit Avalokiteśvara (Chinese : 觀世音), commonly known as the Goddess of Mercy.
- Matsu (goddess) (Chinese : 媽祖) is the Taoist Goddess of the Sea who protects fishermen and sailors.
- Di Zhu God (Chinese: 地主神) Lord of the Land Used.
[edit] Material suppliers
Malaysian Chinese Gods is also a thriving business in Malaysia, there are large numbers of suppliers and shops specialize in the materials of local Malaysian Chinese beliefs, such as joss sticks, dead people's money (Hell money), etc, they are commonly known as Gods Material Shop (Chinese : 神料商店).
[edit] List of Malaysian Chinese religions
- Ancestor worship
- Superstition of Malaysian Chinese
- Fengshui
- Protestantism
- Catholicism
- Islam
- I-Kuan Tao
- De Jiao (Moral Uplifting Society)
- Atheist
- Buddhism
- Taoism
- Confucianism
[edit] See also
- Chinese religion
- Ancestor worship
- Superstition of Malaysian Chinese
- Fengshui
- Chinese folk religion
- Chinese mythology
- list of deities
- Gods Material Shop
[edit] References
- The Encyclopedia of Malaysia, vol. Religions & Beliefs, edited by Prof. Dr M. Kamal Hassan & Dr. Ghazali bin Basri ISBN 981-3018-51-8 [1]
