Sanyi teaching

Church of the Three-in-One
三一教协会 Sānyī jiào xiéhuì
TypeChinese folk religious sect
FounderLin Zhao'en
Origin16th century
Putian, Fujian
Other name(s)Sanyiism (三一教), Xiaism (夏教)
Official websitehttp://www.31jiao.com/

The Harmonious Church of the Three-in-One (Chinese: 三一教协会; pinyin: Sānyī jiào xiéhuì[a]), or Sanyiism (Chinese: 三一教; pinyin: Sānyī jiào) and Xiaism (Chinese: 夏教; pinyin: Xià jiào[b]), is a Chinese folk religious sect of Confucian character founded in the 16th century by Lin Zhao'en, in Putian.[1] In 2011, it was officially recognised by the government of Fujian.[2]

The religion is based on Confucian moral ideas and ancestral worship, and includes meditation techniques modeled after neidan (Chinese: 內丹术; pinyin: nèidān shù) and pursuit of enlightenment.[1][3] Differently from other Chinese folk religious sects, the Sanyi philosophy is not expounded in the sentimental vernacular language but in the elaborate language of the Confucian literary tradition.[1] The "Three in One" is a philosophical concept expressing the original trinity proceeding from the Tao, the two principles, yin and yang, of the Great Pole.[4] The Great Pole is the One that contains yin and yang, the Two, in the Three.


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  1. ^ a b c Seiwert, 2003. p. 343
  2. ^ China Zentrum: Religions & Christianity in Today's China Archived 2014-05-02 at the Wayback Machine. Vol. IV, 2014, No. 1. ISSN 2192-9289. pp. 22-23
  3. ^ Edward L. Davis. Encyclopedia of Contemporary Chinese Culture. ¶ Sanyi jiao
  4. ^ Dean, 1998. pp. 36-37