Introduction
People’s beliefs have been formed for centuries and each region has specific perception of reality. Clearly, people share some universal beliefs but all nations and cultures have certain peculiarities. For instance, Far East is the region where people believe in spirits, harmony and the rule of nature. Notably, it is possible to trace these perceptions in the Shinto religion, Chinese writing system as well as Asian art.
Shinto Religion
Admittedly, religion is one of the most traditional and comprehensive ways to pass on beliefs and traditions. People form their beliefs on the basis of a variety of factors: environment, historic events and so on. Shinto religion still reflects basic concepts of the Far East culture. In the first place, it is quite an ancient religion and people do not have to undergo any particular rituals. This suggests that the people are open to share their beliefs and traditions.
The religion is based on numerous rituals and it is possible to assume that these people rely on order and specific patterns. According to Shinto religion, the world is full of spirits both good and evil. However, people believe in harmony and rules of nature. There is afterlife but people focus on their earthly life and they long for the rightful life.
Chinese Writing
It is noteworthy that Chinese writing also reflects people perceptions in the Far East. Apart from the fact that Chinese writings contain information on beliefs and major concepts of culture, the very writing system is a reflection of people’s worldview. As has been mentioned above, people of the Far East pay attention to particular patterns and long for order and harmony. Chinese writing can be regarded as a reflection of these basic concepts (McNeill 103). McNeill stresses that Chinese scripts were often addressed to deities and they contained both questions and answers (103). Again, harmony rules in Chinese writing system. Each symbol has its place in the system that is sophisticated and comprehensive.
Asian Art
Finally, Asian art is another illustration of major concepts of people’s perception of the world. Asian painting is based on principles of harmony. There are particular patterns and rules to be followed. The art also addresses such topics as good and bad, life and death and so on. Dance plays an important role and is a part of Shinto rituals. Again, harmony and patterns are specific features of the dance that is also a way to reveal the balance between the two worlds, the world of spirits and the world of humans. People transform their knowledge of the world and put it in the form of dance, painting, and architecture and so on.
Conclusion
To sum up, it is possible to note that the worldview of people of the Far East can be traced in Shinto religion, in Asian art and Chinese writing. It is noteworthy that these three facets of the Far East culture are interconnected. They are also based on such concepts as harmony and the rule of nature. People believe in the supernatural, which is reflected in various aspects of people’s lives, but they also tend to focus on the real world. Finally, it is important to stress that the Shinto religion, the Chinese writing system and Asian art should be regarded as a way to pass on the knowledge and experience of previous generations.
Works Cited
McNeill, William H. A World History. New York, NY: Oxford University Press, 1998. Print.