This lecture provides an insightful exploration of the dynamics of religious and spiritual practices in Chinese society, particularly focusing on the concepts of orthodoxy and heterodoxy. It delves into the complexities of religious beliefs and organizations in pre-modern China, highlighting the absence of a strict orthodoxy and the prevalence of what could be termed orthopraxis. The lecture elucidates the role of elite religion, notably the state religion of Tian, and its interaction with popular folk religions. Furthermore, it examines the cross-class nature of religious participation and the fluidity between different religious traditions, shedding light on the blurred line between the "great tradition" and the "little tradition" in Chinese civilization.
