Good vs evil: how 17th century introduction of Catholicism impacted Chinese beliefs of retribution
- When Kangxi emperor decriminalised Catholicism in China, it created immense opportunity for dialogue and debate
In 1669, the Qing dynasty (1644–1911) Emperor Kangxi (r. 1661-1722) made a radical decision and set the wheels in motion for Catholicism to be officially recognised and protected in China.
As the religion became newly acceptable across the mainland, it began to blend with the local beliefs already flourishing in China, specifically Confucianism, Buddhism, Taoism and local folk religions.
A study published in the Journal of Chinese Theology in June analysed the similarities and differences between the Chinese religions from the late Ming dynasty (1368-1644) and the early Qing era, specifically focused on the all-important question of how to approach retribution for acts of good and evil.
“With the arrival of Catholicism in China, missionaries and Chinese believers became involved in the issue [of retribution], partly to refute the anti-Catholic allegation of God’s nonexistence or injustice,” wrote the author Xiao Qinghe, an associate professor at Peking University in Beijing.
The core difference between Catholicism and the Chinese ideologies was the idea that evil deeds were ultimately forgiveable because the Christian God allowed people to ascend to heaven if they successfully repaired the damages created by their previous sins.
For example, an example of a Chinese belief came from Confucianism, the idea that people accumulated small “goods” and small “evils” throughout their lives, and much of life was about avoiding a “great evil” while working towards a “great good”.
