| Part of a series on |
| Chinese folk religion |
|---|
 |
|
Major cultural forms
Main philosophical traditions: Ritual traditions: Devotional traditions:
 Confucian churches and sects: |
| Part of a series on |
| Love |
|---|
 |
Yuán (traditional Chinese: 緣; simplified Chinese: 缘; pinyin: yuán; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iân) or Yuanfen (traditional Chinese: 緣分; simplified Chinese: 缘分; pinyin: yuánfèn; Pe̍h-ōe-jī: iân-hūn), "fateful coincidence," is a concept in Chinese society describing good and bad chances and potential relationships.[1] It can also be translated as "destiny, luck as conditioned by one's past", or "natural affinity among friends."[2] It is comparable to the concept of karma in Buddhism, but yuanfen is interactive rather than individual. The driving forces and causes behind yuánfèn are said to be actions done in previous incarnations.
Scholars Yang Kuo-shu and David Ho have analysed the psychological advantages of this belief: by assigning causality of negative events to yuanfen beyond personal control, people tend to maintain good relationships, avoid conflict, and promote social harmony; likewise, when positive events are seen as a result of yuanfen, personal credit is not directly assigned, which reduces pride on one side of the relationship and envy and resentment on the other.[3][4]