(Characters of the Two Sessions) "Taoist" after 20 years of office and discussing "Tao" again
China News Agency, Beijing, March 7th: "Taoist" after 20 years of service
China News Agency reporter Liu Zhankun Jiang Tao
"The root of China lies in Taoism. The origin and historical development context of Chinese excellent traditional culture are also the origin and context of Taoism." During the National People's Congress and the National People's Congress in 2022, the representative of the National People's Congress, the vice president of the China Taoist Association, and the Jiangxi Provincial Taoist Association Zhang Jintao, the director of the Longhu Mountain Tianshi Mansion, once again talked about "Tao" in an exclusive interview with a reporter from China News Agency.
The picture shows Zhang Jintao, deputy to the National People's Congress, vice president of the China Taoist Association, president of the Jiangxi Taoist Association, and chair of the Tianshi House on Longhu Mountain.
(Data map) Photo courtesy of respondents
As the only representative of the National People's Congress in Taoist circles, Zhang Jintao has served in the National People's Congress for 20 consecutive years.
This year, he will continue to offer advice and suggestions for the inheritance and development of Taoism in China, mainly focusing on "effectively playing a positive role in Taoism and providing greater support for strengthening cultural self-confidence".
"Deputies to the National People's Congress accept the people's entrustment and exercise state power on behalf of the people, which is not only a lofty honor, but also a heavy responsibility." Zhang Jintao said frankly that in the past 20 years, he has new insights and experiences every time he attends the meeting.
This year's government work report once again mentioned that "adhering to the direction of sinicization of Chinese religions and actively guiding religions to adapt to socialist society".
As a representative of the National People's Congress from the religious circle, Zhang Jintao believes that religious people and believers must consciously identify with politics, integrate culturally, and adapt to society consciously, so as to keep pace with social development and the development of the times. , become a harmonious factor in social construction.
In Zhang Jintao's view, love for the country is a distinct and unchanging theme of Taoism, and propagating civilization is a long-term duty of Taoism to protect China. Adhering to the direction of sinicization and promoting the modernization, life, academic and internationalization of Taoism is the key to the development of Taoism. only way.
Taoism is the only indigenous religion among the five major religions in China.
Zhang Jintao believes that the teachings and stories of Taoism contain the unique creation, value concept and distinctive characteristics of Chinese civilization, and that making good use of the role of Taoism as a bridge is the key to making good use of the role of Chinese culture.
Located in Yingtan City, Jiangxi Province, Longhu Mountain is the birthplace of Chinese Taoism and the "ancestral court" of Taoism, with a long history and a prominent position.
Every year, new Taoist practitioners from home and abroad will gather here to participate in the teaching ceremony.
Zhang Jintao said that religion has always been the forerunner and leader of cultural exchanges in history.
"The root of China lies in Taoism." Taoism contains Chinese cultural genes, which enables Taoism to and should assume the historical role of a bridge between China and foreign countries.
To this end, he suggested that we should tell the stories of Taoism well, and make interpretations of traditional teachings in line with the significance of the times; strengthen personnel training, inherit and carry forward the cultural value and connotation of Taoism; Help Chinese and foreign civilizations influence each other, promote each other, and deeply integrate.
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