Search results
This study estimated 21.9% of the population of China believed in folk religions, 18.2% were Buddhists, 5.1% were Christians, 1.8% were Muslims, 0.8% believed in other religions, while unaffiliated people constituted 52.2% of the population.
- Buddhism. Buddha Statues in Yungang Grottoes, Datong. Chinese Religion Pictures. Being brought into China 2,000 years ago, it was gradually widely accepted by most Chinese people and developed into three sections, namely the Han, Tibetan and Southern Buddhism.
- Confucianism. Statue of Confucius. Confucianism, not a real religion, is just an ethical and philosophical system, which developed from Confucius’ thoughts and later was treated as a kind of belief to educate common people.
- Taoism. The Immortals Worshipped by Taoism. Taoism, with more than 1,800 years’ history originated in the Warring Period and came into being in Eastern Han Dynasty (25 - 220).
- Islam. Being introduced into China in the 7th century in Tang Dynasty, Islam has more than 1,400 years’ history in the country. Now, Muslims live everywhere, but the highest concentrations are Ningxia Hui Autonosmous Region, Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Gansu Province and even Qinghai Province.
- History of Religion in China
- State Atheism and Religious Policies in China
- Confucianism
- Buddhism
- Christianity
- Islam
- Folk Religion
- Other Religions in China
- Sources
China’s first religions were ancient forms of animism and shamanism. As the centuries progressed, religion adopted more complex systems of belief and practice. Notably, the Zhou dynasty, which predates the Warring States period in China, saw the manifestation of the Mandate of Heaven, the philosophical belief that legitimized the power of the rulin...
According to recent demographic reports, 52% of Chinese people are religiously unaffiliated, highlighting the official religion of China, atheism. However, there are five state-sanctioned religious affiliations under which all other religious organizations must register. These five religions are Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Isl...
Though not formally recognized as a religion by the Chinese government, Confucianism has had an undeniable impact on Chinese history and culture since its conception by the Chinese philosopher Confucius around 479 BC. The primary goal of Confucianismis to achieve social harmony through the strict observance of rituals and deference to social hierar...
Buddhism is the largest religious organization in China, though only about 18.2% of the population identifies as Buddhist. Buddhism in China is largely of the Mahayana school, though there are minority groups of Theravada Buddhists, mostly concentrated in the southern parts of the country. There are two significant sub-organizations of Mahayana Bud...
European Jesuits are considered to be the first Christians to preach in China, arriving during the 16th century and taking up council with the emperor of the Ming Dynasty. However, some sources indicate groups of Chinese Christians dating back to the 7th century. Today, about 5.1% of the population identifies as Christian, though this number is lik...
About 1.8% of Chinese people identify as Muslim. The majority of Muslims in China are Sunni, and most are ethnic minorities. Uighurand Hui Muslims are the largest Muslim ethnic minorities, but there are also significant numbers of Kazakh Muslims. Muslims in China face strong persecution and religious discrimination as a result of what the Chinese g...
Approximately 21.9% of Chinese people identify as followers of folk religion, also known as Chinese popular religion. Like other religious statistics, this number is likely to be understated, as many Chinese people view traditional practices to be cultural rather than religious. Most followers of folk religion are ethnically Han Chinese. Though fol...
Only about 1% of Chinese people identify as another religion, but this number is difficult to determine considering the legal status of religions in China. These other religions include Falun Gong, Hinduism, Judaism, Shinto, Zoroastrianism, and a handful of indigenous faiths. Notably, Falun Gong—a spiritual practice associated with Buddhism and Tao...
Albert, Eleanor. “The State of Religion in China.” Council on Foreign Relations, Council on Foreign Relations, 2018.Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor. 2018 Report on International Religious Freedom: China. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of State, 2019.Central Intelligence Agency. The World Factbook: China. Washington, DC: Central Intelligence Agency, 2019.Johnson, Ian. The Souls of China: the Return of Religion after Mao. Vintage Books, 2018.- Mckenzie Perkins
Aug 30, 2023 · Although the government formally recognizes five religions – Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism and Taoism – it closely monitors their houses of worship, clergy appointments and funding.
- Reem Nadeem
The Major Four Official Religions of China: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, and Christianity. Religion today is growing in diversity and openness to the worldwide context. No religion has ever assumed a dominant position in China.
Jul 9, 2019 · Overview. Historically, China and its people have been characterized by three religiophilosophical traditions. These are Confucianism, Taoism, and Buddhism. All three traditional beliefs, at one time or another overlapped, to help shape Chinese culture and traditions.
Aug 30, 2023 · Confucianism, Taoism, folk religions and Buddhism are often deeply intertwined, and the differences among them can be indistinguishable to Chinese people.
