The Evolution Of Modern Mongolian Religious Beliefs

Currently,the relationship between nationality and religion is a hot topic at home and abroad, it is also a significant research subject for religious study . Religion belongs to the spiritual belief while Ethnic nationality is subordinate to the social ethnic form. Therefore their development is not strictly corresponding and synchronized with each other, yet they are closely related. As a traditional nomadic ethnic group, Mongolian culture's core is grasslands culture and religious culture. As the vector of ethnic culture, the religion mixed the ethnic spirit, ethnic character, ethnic psychology, moral concept, value ideal. It not only inherits the Mongolian's history and culture, but also reflects the changes of the social history.Since the modern times, Mongolian religious belief have changed obviously against the background of constantly changed international and domestic situation. This changed of religious belief not only decided culture direction but also presented characteristics which were different from any other ethnic group's, the significance of the topic of evolution of Mongolian religious belief is very obvious. Unfortunately there are no systematical researches about Mongolian religious beliefs problem in present academic world in China. Therefore I choose the topic of evolution of Mongolian religious belief in the hope of explaining the development and decline of Mongolian religion in the Qing dynasty systematically.In the introduction,there are briefly explanations about the purposes and senses of selecting this topic, the current situation of Mongolian religion study, the theoretical method and difficulty of this research, breakthrough and innovation of the thesis. Further explanation will be given in the following six chapters.The first to fourth chapters are the core of this thesis. The first chapterbegins with the introduction and popularization of one sect of Tibetan Buddhism ,Gelug Sect (Tibet Yellow sect), and detailed elaboration abort Tibetan Buddhism's historical development in the early period of the Qing Dynasty are given in these aspects: religion policy of the Qing Dynasty, development of temples' economy, seting up of living Buddha system, temples' education,etc.The Second chapter takes the Tibetan Buddhism's decline in Mongolian society as a theme and analyzed the cause of its decline systemically. It is thought that the Tibetan Buddhism in Inner Mongolia area gradually declined through the late Qing Dynasty, the republic of China, Japanese colony period and civil war years, and the changed religion policy of the late Qing Dynasty ,the influence of Confucianism culture, the spread of enlightenment thoughts of Mongolian ethnic group and inflation of the temple economy are considered as the main causes.In the Third chapter " Mongolian religion in the Republic of China and Japanese colony period",there are discussions abort the religion policy of the Republic of China, religion condition under the throne of ",Japanese colony period"political power , relationship between the Tibetan Buddhism and politics of Mongolian society which is the most important subject in this chapter.In the fourth chapter "the Inner Mongolia religion reformation", firstly, it is described the Inner Mongolia's religion condition in the initial period of China, then briefly summarized the necessity of religion reformation, the religion policy at Inner Mongolia self-government movement period and New china, the religion reformation and the spread of atheism doctrine in Inner Mongolia, and also estimate the senses of religion reformation objectively. As results of the religion reformation, the condition of Mongolian religion changed dramatically, especially Tibetan Buddhism in the aspects such as organizing system, structures of followers, religious concepts.The main purpose of writing the fifth chapter "the other religions "is to show the multicultural characterstic of Mongolian religious beliefs. A brief introduction is given on the religious beliefs of Shamanism, Islam, and Christianity in the history. Since the modern times, Shamanism which is Mongolian traditional religious belief lasted constantly besides the Tibetan Buddhism which is in the leading position of religious belief, while other religions such as Christianity , Islam also affected a certain group of Mongolian people who live in compact communities although the affection was limited. So it is to say, Mongolian religious belief was diverse, it based on Shamanism, took Tibetan Buddhism as the main body, other religions such as Christianity, Islam were also included.In the sixth chapter "religious belief of Mongolian ethnic group in new periods ", summarized the Mongolian's religious belief since 1980's. Enormous changes have happened in Chinese social life as the reform and open policy came into practice. As the religion policy worked gradually and religious practice rehabilitated in Inner Mongolia area, the religious belief of Mongolian ethnic group was recovering and reconstructing. By depicting the present status of Inner Mongolian religion, characteristic has been summed up, and then foresees the future of religious belief of Mongolian ethnic group.In the process of writing this thesis, the innovations and original views are made on the basis of respecting historical documents and survey data. For instance, the analysis of cause of Tibetan Buddhism's decline in modern times, the summary of Tibetan Buddhism's characteristic during new period. Attention, please.It is not easy to investigate the evolution of Mongolian religious belief in the changing historical background of the modern times, flaws are unavoidable. Your commitments and critique are appreciated.