Monday, April 21, 2008

Blame tardiness on "black karma"

All that talk of movements, and here I am with a cold! Serves me right! Hard to make myself do anything, and I didn't see what I wanted on RSS feeds - I can't do the Tibetan Buddhists because I get too emotionally involved. But to pick something that "interests you" - I can do that. Our reading in Blum and Jensen (okay, so it's not from the news - flunk me!) included an essay by Dru Gladney, "Ethnoreligious Resurgence in a Northwestern Sufi Community". I have been interested in Sufism for many years (and no, I'm not naive enough to interpret it through the lens of Idries Shah). Here we have the Hui people in China in the small north-central province of Ningxia. The Hui here belong to the Khufiyya brotherhood which "developed from a branch of the Naqshbandiyya" - of interest to me if no one else, as the early Naqshbandi Order held an esoteric school. My reading of Gladney made it very obvious (to me) no such thing is present here in contemporary China, which is one reason the sociology takes on the character it does. (That's an observation - not a judgment). Sufism in general is a diverse set of mystical or quasi-mystical heterodox Shiite sects whose origin can be ultimately traced to a Hermetic influx that took on the garb of Islam as a cover against persecution (see Tobias Churton, "The Golden Builders"). The Hui in China don't seem to match such a description very well - to me, they're just Muslims, which is fine but (to me) doctrinally boring. In fact, I'm hitting at a main point here - these Hui are not very doctrinal at all. Researchers cite the most common answer they give as to why they believe in Islam: "We believe in Islam because we are Hui." Okay... Most of the sociological research reported on by Gladney centered on a village called the Na Homestead. These people during the Cultural Revolution had deviated from the straight-and-narrow, engaging in alcohol and tobacco among other things. Now they are very strict. Attendence at the local mosque is very high. Large numbers of men, some elderly, prostate for over an hour in prayer even when the ground is frozen. Han influence is all around, and the state is up to its usual nonsense, while the Hui cling to their identity strongly in practice even if not in overt ideology. Ironically, the economic liberalization policies of China in the post-Mao era has led to an increase in religious conservatism and practice. Chinese economic and political reforms are making the Hui feel closer to Islamic neighbors than to Beijing and intensified their religious and social identity. The state wishes to keep ethnic identity separate from religious belief and practice, but for the Hui these are shown to be nearly inseparable. This is especially the case in conservative Na Homestead. We tend to see the modern reforms in China as a unifying force leading toward globalization, but it can also be fragmenting, or lead toward greater unity in directions very different than intended by Beijing.

6 comments:

Desirepath said...

Sorry about your cold, Steve. Sometimes, I figure, it's just our turn to be diseased. It gives us a freshened perspective on what a joy it is to be healthy, and at ease. Perspective, rather the lack thereof, seems to terminally afflict the CCP in its dealings with minority ethnic groups as evidenced by its viciously maladroit tactics. This corporate refusal to allow for cultural or traditional differences harkens back to the forced uniformity of Mao. Where's the perspective? When will they realize that you only take two steps backward when you try to shove changes down people's throats. Education and freedom of information and freeing people to make educated choices is the way toward building a sense of unity or nationalism with these remote groups. Allowing people to have their differences while still identifying with the larger society is the key to harmony. Speaking of education, I feel that the world, including the Hui, needs more education about religions. Many peoples in areas without education are illiterate, and only know the verses of the Quran that they are taught by memory. The Mullahs decide what is taught, and what is ignored. That is dangerous. Even here in our country our own people have become intellectually lazy. Charismatic leaders of any religion have followers who never seek out the full story laid out in their sacred texts informing their beliefs. Education about belief creates dissonance with reality. Ultimately, reality is the place we all inhabit everyday. It is time for the world to shake off it's distressing cold that could turn into terminal pneumonia, and look with clear eyes into the beauties and value of every human's existence. Truly valuing the individual whether Han or Hui is something China has yet to achieve.

Lisa Eller said...

Valuing the individual does not happen in the current world order, nor will it as long as might makes right. And now that might/right is wealth and the accumulation of it, any sense of religion, naturalism, humanism, spirituality, karma, dogma, etc., and the pursuit thereof, have little value at all. Since culture and belief go hand in hand, I'm saying that by the time my great grandchildren are adults, we'll all be the same: without soul and purpose every one of us. (I've been sick with a stomach virus so my good humor has left me. Can you tell?)

Steve Adams said...

Kevin, I'm late spotting your post. I like it a lot. We are in sync on this. I'm better now, but behind - I'll catch up. I found one of your remarks ironic: "education about belief creates dissonance with reality." Any authentic practice of spirituality, regardless of tradition, makes you face reality more - not less. And good education should make you broader - not more myopic. I'm not disagreeing with you, I'm perhaps indicating another dissonance - maybe between spirituality and religion. Well, however drawn, we see a lot of dsissonance don't we! And you're right - China just doesn't get it. Steve

Steve Adams said...

Lisa, I hope you get better - much and quickly. Don't believe the voice of your virus. Even if things get as bad as you say, which it could, things on a larger scale (even just Mother Nature) will force channel it in new directions. And that, at least, would be something very different. If you try to see hope along the line of time you have to look far: it's a javalin hurled into the future. Hope is close by perhaps only in the present moment when you are present to it - anyway, I don't know any other place to even look for it. Steve

Desirepath said...

Hi Steve - it's me - Karen Reed (KR), not Kevin.

Goodness, for once I think I'm glad that we can only be together in cyberspace - with you and Lisa germy. I'm still sneezy with allergy season. It is so beautiful right now though. I just finished a walk with my husband and two dogs. We walked past the farm and saw 4 baby black and white piglets that the mama had just allowed out of her high grass nest. So adorable. The world is fresh and bright and just sparkles. The color of the new green is so glowing. Dramatic clouds rolled up raining cold refreshing rain drops through the sunlight. We stopped under a neighbors porch for the downpour, and as it abated and we stepped out toward home, a rainbow appeared ahead of us against the dark gunmetal grey clouds. We only get so many springs. I feel lucky to be alive here and now.

Steve Adams said...

Well, hello there Karen!!! So sorry I confused your identity. What a beautiful post! Hints at what I said to Lisa about hope abides in the present moment if you contact the present. You should see my three adorable kittens, about two weeks old. This has been good - the two of us seemed to wander into cyberspace this semester and found our way around. But your spring walk sounds better! Warm regards, Steve