East Asia
Home to Confucianism, Taoism, Shinto, and unique Buddhist traditions.
Sub-topics
Founded by Confucius ~500 BCE, China. Ethical philosophy emphasizing ren (benevolence), li (ritual propriety), filial piety, and social harmony. Shaped East Asian civilization for 2500 years.
Philosophical and religious tradition, ~4th century BCE China. The Tao (Way) that cannot be named. Wu wei (non-action), yin-yang, naturalness. Laozi's Tao Te Ching and Zhuangzi's parables.
Indigenous religion of Japan, prehistoric origins. Kami (spirits/gods) inhabit nature, ancestors, and sacred places. Ritual purity, shrine worship, and seasonal festivals. No founder or central scripture.
Syncretic blend of Confucian ethics, Taoist cosmology, Buddhist karmic beliefs, and ancestor worship. Practiced by hundreds of millions. No formal organization — embedded in daily life and festivals.
Founded 1926, Vietnam. Explicitly syncretic — unifies Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Spiritism. Saints include Victor Hugo, Sun Yat-sen, and Joan of Arc. ~5 million adherents.
Prehistoric Korean indigenous religion. Female shamans (mudang) mediate between human and spirit worlds through ecstatic rituals (gut). Persists alongside Buddhism and Christianity.