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Many of my friends ask me whether there is religion freedom in China. My answer is yes. With the opening of China more and more people have started to take up their own religions.

Buddhism, Taoism, Mohammedanism, Catholicism and Christianity are the biggest religions in China and about 100 million Chinese people follow the various religious faiths.

Now, although I don’t follow any particular religion yet, I usually go to a Christian church when I have the time on a Sunday. I read the Bible in English as one of my lessons in English and in Western culture. I am interested in church music and enjoy the atmosphere when singing along with hundreds of other people.

I would like to present you with some vocabulary about various religions. Today, I will introduce some new words about Buddhism and Taoism and next weekend I will introduce some new words about Mohammedanism, Catholicism and Christianity.

I do hope this is a little help to you in knowing more about Chinese culture and in learning the Chinese language.


NEW WORDS :

Please click on any Chinese character to see its Chinese pinyin, pronunciation and meaning, and then to read it after me.

If you have any difficulty in displaying the Chinese characters, or you cannot hear the audio file, you can Download Software on the Homepage to Help You. . :-)

religion: n.宗教 -- zōngjiào

Buddhism: n. 佛教 -- Fójiào
Buddhist Scripture/ sutra: n.佛经--fójīng
Power of Buddha/ Buddhist doctrine: n.佛法 -- fófǎ
Buddhist ceremony(or service)：n.佛事 -- fóshì
temples of Buddhism：n. 佛寺 -- fósì
pagoda: n. 佛塔 -- fótǎ
Buddha: n.佛陀 -- Fótuó
figure of Buddha: 佛像 -- fóxiàng
beads: 佛珠-- fózhū,fózhū

Buddhist：n.佛教徒-- fójiàotú
Buddhist：n. 佛门弟子 -- fómén dìzǐ
Buddhist monk: 和尚 -- héshang
Buddhist nun: 尼姑 -- nígū

Taoism: n.道教 -- Dàojiào
Taoist school/Taoists: 道家 -- Dàojiā
Taoist temple: n.道观-- dàoguàn
Taoist priest's robe: n.道袍 -- dàopáo
Taoist nun：n.道姑 -- dàogū
Taoist priest: n. 道士 -- dàoshi
Taoist monk: n. 道士, 道教徒 -- dàoshi，


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If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please write to shirley@ebridge.cn, or shirleyz004@yahoo.com, You are also welcome to publish your opinions in Forum For Friends. :-)   
--Shirley
Written, Translated and Recorded on Saturday, March 31, 2007