The story
Coined by British anthropologist Alan J. A. Elliott in 1955 in his book Chinese Spirit-Medium Cults in Singapore, from Chinese 神 (shén, “god, deity, spirit”) + -ism.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Today it means: Synonym of Chinese folk religion Full definition →
Coined by British anthropologist Alan J. A. Elliott in 1955 in his book Chinese Spirit-Medium Cults in Singapore, from Chinese 神 (shén, “god, deity, spirit”) + -ism.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.