A Sense of Self: Examining the Relationship between Chinese Religion and Self-Identity

My project will be examining different aspects of Chinese popular religion, including online representations, physical landmarks, and firsthand accounts, and drawing connections between popular religion in China and the self- and community-identities of lay practitioners in Beijing. I will be visiting sites in Beijing, including St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Yonghe Gong, and Baiyun Guan, examining primary and secondary online sources for each of these sites, and conducting interviews with practitioners of these three religions, Christianity, Taoism, and Buddhism. The goal of this research project is to draw connections between the resurgence of popular religion in China and the ways in which identities of practitioners have been shaped by it.

Faculty Supervisor:

Susan Andrews

Student:

Cassidy Phillips

Partner:

+VG Architects

Discipline:

Religion

Sector:

University:

Mount Allison University

Program: