关键词: 类型学 , 动态研究 , 信仰的流动

Abstract:  Since C.K. Yang identified “diffused religion” and “institutional religion” in the 1960s, various typologies on Chinese religions have been promoted. For example, there are at least eight different terms in Chinese referring to sects, and there are six versions of translation on the term “diffused religion”. The prosperity of typologies is helpful to understand Chinese religion, but it also leads to confusion. This article argues that we should shift our attention from typology study to dynamic study. In order to illustrate the new perspective is helpful to understand religious phenomena in China and to develop several theories in the field of sociology of religion, we brief examine three kinds of faith’s mobility: gods, believers and religious organizations from the perspective of dynamic analysis. The followers of Chinese popular religion worship three kinds of supernatural beings: gods, ghosts and ancestors. They believe that people would become ghosts after death and very few people could become gods. There is not an absolute line between gods and ghosts; under some conditions, ghosts could become gods. In addition, many gods (e.g. Guangong) are commonly worshiped by different religions. The mobility of supernatural beings, which is popular in China, is helpful to understand the birth and rise of gods. In detail, we find that there are at least four factors contributing to the popularity of gods: the perceived efficacy of gods, the righteous behaviors, the state’s promotion and the religious groups’ efforts.The examination of religious believers’ mobility in China can broaden the research on conversion. Chinese people attach little importance to conversion and they could easily change their religious affiliation. Many people practice more than one religion simultaneously. For this reason, then examining the mobility of religious believers, we should pay attention to religious preferences besides religious affiliation. Especially, we should investigate their preferences on efficacy. The change of religious preferences would reflect the degree of commitment and thus finally determine the change of religious affiliation. We suggest that future researches should probe the logics behind the transformation of religious preferences.The mobility of religious organization could go beyond the scope of sectchurch theory. In the history of China, many secular organizations finally developed into religion, while some religions eventually became secular organizations. In addition, religions in contemporary China become more and more exclusive. In a sense, these phenomena are a laboratory for sociologists to examine the transition of religious organizations; and the dynamic study on religious organizations would expand the boundary of secularization theory and sectchurch theory.The main purpose of this article is to promote the shift of research perspective in the field of Chinese religious studies, namely from typological studies to dynamic analysis. While the former can only tell us what the reality is, the latter can predict the trends. In so doing, dynamic study can shed new light on some classic theories.

Key words: mobility of faith , typological studies ,  , dynamic analysis