As A Cultural Symbol Of The "cross" Into China In The Beginning Of The Characteristics Of

The study of Christian symbols has attracted mostly western scholars who focus on the symbols'classification or on the relationship between religious symbols and sect development. Carl G. Liungman's book Dictionary of Symbols, which was published in 1991, lists all the basic symbols and classifies them by their physical structures. Henry Dana Ward's book History of the Cross offers a new historical slant on research Christianity, specifically the investigation of the origins of Christian symbols. A book written by P.Y. Saeki—The Nestorian Documents and Relics in China—is one of the rare books that mentions Christian symbols in China. It points out that after researching the symbols carried on relics, the conclusion that Nestorianism intentionally integrated itself with the local Zoroastrianism and Manicheism of Persia and Buddhist thoughts of the West is obvious. Christian symbols include more than crosses. There is no book written in Chinese that specifically investigate these symbols'history and their acceptance in China.Crosses on Chinese steles and murals are always combined with symbols such as a lotus, clouds, and flames, especially those from the Tang Dynasty. It is a very inspiring and valuable research to find out how this western symbol was transmitted to and accepted in China.Nestorian missionaries first entered China in 635AD. It was the earliest Christian sect to leave relics and scriptures in Chinese—a rare occurrence and an invaluable resource for the study of the history of world culture. It is also the first time the East truly met the West. One of the main ideas of this paper is to focus on the resulting processes, patterns, and characteristics of this first encounter by interpreting religious symbols and scriptures inscribed on Nestorian relics during that period. This study offers a new way to understand the doctrines of Nestorianism and its failures in the Tang dynasty.By studying the symbol of the cross, it turns out obviously that religious symbols represent much more than simply their physical shapes and images. Instead, they illustrate the differentiation, adaptation, and combination of cultures. In Ireland a popular legend says that the Celtic Christian cross, a symbol that combines a cross with a ring surrounding the intersection, was introduced by Saint Patrick or possibly Saint Declan during his time spent converting the pagan Irish. It is believed that Saint Patrick combined the symbol of Christianity with the sun cross to give pagan followers an idea of the importance of the cross by linking it with the idea of the life-giving properties of the sun. The goal of learning Cross and other religious symbols is to find the cultural causes behind the symbols'development and to help us understand the nature of the religion. This research requires interdisciplinary preparation, including knowledge of religious history and dogma, skills in reading textual materials in different languages, the ability to analyze existing relics.Religious study in the 21st century is more closely connected with cultural studies and also other disciplines than it has ever been in the past. Research on Christian symbols and their intercultural uses is an innovative and practical attempt at meeting society's changing demands. It will be a cross-cultural and interdisciplinary study that will provide a new perspective on religious studies. Meanwhile, although some of the variables of Christian symbols have already been explored, little has been directly investigated concerning these symbols'cultural uses in different countries, especially in China. The relics left in China by the Nestorians are invaluable resources in the history of world culture that have not been investigated thoroughly enough. Religious studies should be rigorous and also interesting. It is an approach to exploring the roots of cultures and it's a reflection of human intellectual development. Thus, it has an important role in any society. The research of Cross applies to all these aspects of religious studies and will serve as a valuable reference and as an inspiration for further cross-cultural and interdisciplinary research in the current age of globalization.