China: Information on the Tie Shan and Pie San Jiao religions
| Publisher | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada |
| Author | Research Directorate, Immigration and Refugee Board, Canada |
| Publication Date | 4 July 2003 |
| Citation / Document Symbol | CHN41745.E |
| Reference | 2 |
| Cite as | Canada: Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada, China: Information on the Tie Shan and Pie San Jiao religions, 4 July 2003, CHN41745.E, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/3f7d4d7023.html [accessed 17 September 2023] |
| Disclaimer | This is not a UNHCR publication. UNHCR is not responsible for, nor does it necessarily endorse, its content. Any views expressed are solely those of the author or publisher and do not necessarily reflect those of UNHCR, the United Nations or its Member States. |
Information on a religion called "Tie Shan" could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate. However, several sources refer to a Bishop Fu Tieshan as the chairman of the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (China 17 Mar. 2003; AFP 15 Mar. 2003; Center for Religious Freedom 5 Jan. 2003; Europa 2002 2002, 1072). According to the National People's Congress of China, Fu Thieshan was born in 1931 in the province of Hebei (China 17 Mar. 2003). He is also the vice chairman of the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress (ibid.). For more information on Fu Tieshan, please see his biography on the National People's Congress Website at: According to a report by the Center for Religious Freedom, based on an article from the Vatican-based online newspaper L'Espresso, Michael Fu Tieshan "with the old-school Communist Ye Xiaowen, the director of the Office of Religious Affairs, ... is at the controls of the repressive machine that suffocates religious rights in China" (5 Jan. 2003). Additionally, the report states that Bishop Fu Tieshan was "the only churchman who defended the actions of the army after the massacre in Tiananmen Square in 1989. For more than a year he has been travelling all over the world promoting the outlawing of Taoist Buddhist sect Falun Gong, not only in China, but in every country" (Center for Religious Freedom 5 Jan. 2003).
Information on a religion called "Pie San Jiao" could not be found among the sources consulted by the research Directorate. However, several sources consulted by the Research Directorate mentioned that the term "San Jiao" represents the three major religions, or "three teachings," in China: Confucianism, Daoism and Buddhism (MFA n.d.; Teiser 1996; L'État des religions dans le monde 1987, 262). Mary M. Garrett referred to the terms "san-jiao jiangtan," "jianglun" or "jiangshuo" as "explications and discussions of the Three Doctrines" that occurred in the Tang dynasty (American Forensic Association 1994). According to Stephen F. Teiser: [a]cknowledging the wisdom of Chinese proverbs, most anthologies of Chinese religion are organized by the logic of the three teachings (sanjiao) of Confucianism, Daoism, and Buddhism. ... The three teachings are a powerful and inescapable part of Chinese religion (1996). No other information on the above-mentioned topic could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.
This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.
References
Agence France Presse (AFP). 15 March 2003. "Hu Jintao nouveau président de la République populaire de Chine." (NEXIS)
American Forensic Association. 1994. Argumentation and Advocacy. Vol. 30. No. 3. Mary M. Garrett. "The 'Three Doctrines Discussions' of Tang China: Religious Debate as a Rhetorical Strategy." Center for Religious Freedom. 5 January 2003. "Urgent Action." China. 17 March 2003. "10th National People's Congress Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference." L'État des religions dans le monde. 1987. Edited by Michel Clévenot. Paris: Éditions La Découverte and Éditions du Cerf.
The Europa World Year Book 2002. 2002. 42nd ed. Vol. 1. London: Europa Publications.
Museum of Fine Arts (MFA), Boston. n.d. "Fun Facts: The Three Teachings." Teiser, Stephen F. 1996. "The Spirits of Chinese Religion." Religions of China in Practice. Edited by Donald S. Lopez Jr. Princeton: Princeton University Press. Additional Sources Consulted
Contemporary Religions: A World Guide
Encyclopedia of Religion
IRB Databases
Religion in China: 100 Questions and Answers
Internet sites, including:
Adherents.com
Cardinal King Foundation
Christian Solidarity International (CSI)
Christianitytoday.com
Human Rights in China
International Religious Freedom Report 2002
International Who's Who
People's Daily Online
Persecution.org
Taoism for Dummies
Virtual Religion Index
WNC