Throughout The Haunted Monestary, it becomes apparent that the religions of Daoism, Confucianism and Buddhism have unique religious lifestyles. The first, clear glimpse of distinction between Daoism, Buddhism and Confucianism is portrayed after Judge Dee notices the strange scene of the one-armed naked woman and the aggressive man wearing an iron-helmet. Shortly after Judge Dee witnesses the peculiar scene, he shares his experience with his assistant, Tao Gan, in which his perspective of Daosim and Buddhism is revealed. Judge Dee describes Daoism as a “weird creed” with a useless amount of “mystery plays and pompous religious ceremony.” Then, he praises Confucianism for its “wise and crystal-clear teachings” of Master Confucius. Judge Dee concludes …show more content…
On the other hand, Daoism prioritizes the significance of the spirit world and supernaturalism. Moreover, Gulik suggests the idea that even though all three religions prioritize different beliefs, they are able to tolerate one another in Chinese society. The monastery is combined of all three religions and despite the fact that each one is distinct, they continue to act civil towards one another. This idea is clearly demonstrated during the interactions between Judge Dee and Master Sun who disagree with one another’s religion, but are still able to have a friendly conversation. The contrasting lifestyles of the three religions are also portrayed during dinner in which Judge Dee’s choice of food is extremely different from the Daoist’s. Judge Dee is given fish and wine in contrast to the Doaists who abstain from consuming any intoxicants and follow a strictly vegetarian diet. Based off the Daoist religion, Master Sun describes to Judge Dee that by following a strict diet, sustaining a healthy mind and body, and living in a natural manner will nurture vital