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On Becoming a Religious Therapist in Chinese Culture

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Abstract

This essay will present an approach to psychotherapy in China that emerges out of Chinese literature and theology. We refer to it as Zhi Mian (i.e., facing life directly) therapy because it accepts Lu Xun’s challenge to become warriors of the spirit, to avoid escapism, to take responsibility, and to create a new culture. On the other hand, this approach is very much in resonance with the theological writings of Bishop K. H. Ting who was a leader of the Three-Self Protestant Church in China. His emphases on the nature of finiteness, growth, love, struggle, suffering, non-coercion, and following Jesus inform the Zhi Mian approach to therapy.

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Acknowledgements

My deep appreciation to Prof. Al Dueck for his support and encouragement throughout the years of my endeavor to develop an indigenous psychotherapy in China and for his help in editing this chapter. My sincere thanks also go to Prof. Lewis Rambo, for his conscientious editorial work by providing suggestions and comments.

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Correspondence to Xuefu Wang.

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Wang, X. On Becoming a Religious Therapist in Chinese Culture. Pastoral Psychol 61, 1007–1024 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-012-0430-7

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