The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (2222 page)
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Authors: John Bowker
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Shembe's Church
(Zulu movement):
(Zulu movement):
Shemini Azeret
(Jewish festival):
(Jewish festival):
AT TORAHShemoneh Esreh
Shen
.
.
Chinese word for spirits. In antiquity, it refers to the spirit of the
ancestor
who enjoys an afterlife because of the continuing and periodical sacrifices offered to him by the members of his offspring. Shen is not immortal; it is contingent upon the continuing offering of the sacrifices. Ancient China had a composite concept of the ‘soul’ in the body composed of
hun
and
p’o
. After death, hun becomes shen and partakes of the ancestral offerings. P’o, after death, becomes
kuei
and goes to the Yellow Spring—the underworld. But in later times, shen and kuei refer to the two alternative designations of the spirit of the deceased: it is called shen when continuing sacrifices are offered to it, and it is called kuei when such sacrifices are denied to it. Shen blesses and kuei harms the family.
ancestor
who enjoys an afterlife because of the continuing and periodical sacrifices offered to him by the members of his offspring. Shen is not immortal; it is contingent upon the continuing offering of the sacrifices. Ancient China had a composite concept of the ‘soul’ in the body composed of
hun
and
p’o
. After death, hun becomes shen and partakes of the ancestral offerings. P’o, after death, becomes
kuei
and goes to the Yellow Spring—the underworld. But in later times, shen and kuei refer to the two alternative designations of the spirit of the deceased: it is called shen when continuing sacrifices are offered to it, and it is called kuei when such sacrifices are denied to it. Shen blesses and kuei harms the family.
Sheng(-jen)
.
.
In China, one who hears the way of Heaven (
T’ien
) and develops understanding, often translated as ‘sage’. Sheng-
jen
is therefore the ideal wise person who penetrates the hidden meaning of all things and lives accordingly.
T’ien
) and develops understanding, often translated as ‘sage’. Sheng-
jen
is therefore the ideal wise person who penetrates the hidden meaning of all things and lives accordingly.
Shen-hsiang
(teacher of Huo-yen who took the school to Japan):
(teacher of Huo-yen who took the school to Japan):
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