ABSTRACT
Chines e Fo lk Re lig ion Popular religions or folk religions, sometimes referred to as community traditions, are distinguished from the world’s major religious traditions by their lack of organization; scripture; and systematic doctrine, beliefs, and practices. Popular or folk religions typically focus on local or regional issues of concern and local or regional religious fi gures, gods, or spirits, though globalization is changing the local face of folk religion. The relationship between folk religions and the leading organized religions in a culture is complex in that both groups borrow freely from each other. The practices of a folk religion are often drawn from very ancient, even prehistoric tribal customs. Folk and organized religions share a dynamic historical development such that it can be diffi cult, if not impossible, to determine whether a belief or practice began in the folk or the organized religion. Because early anthropologists and historians who studied religion in China encountered a good deal of confusion about what constituted Daoism, Confucianism, and Buddhism in China, scholars have referred to Chinese folk or popular religions to classify those beliefs and practices that are not strictly part of the organized religions. Folk religions also exist in other cultures. Though often associated with the common people, elements of folk religion are practiced by people from all classes and social strata.
