Religion in China

For religion in the contemporary Republic of China, see Religion in Taiwan.

Religion in China by self-identified affiliation (Pew Research Center 2023)
  1. No religion (93.0%)
  2. Buddhism (3.70%)
  3. Folk beliefs (0.20%)
  4. Christianity (1.40%)
  5. Islam (1.30%)
  6. Other (0.30%)
Religious affiliation among persons claiming one (The World Factbook 2021)
  1. Unaffiliated (52.1%)
  2. Folk beliefs (21.9%)
  3. Buddhism (18.2%)
  4. Christianity (5.10%)
  5. Islam (1.80%)
  6. Others (0.90%)

Religion in China is diverse and most Chinese people are either non-religious or practice a combination of Buddhism and Taoism with a Confucian worldview, which is collectively termed as Chinese folk religion.

The People's Republic of China is officially an atheist state, but the Chinese government formally recognizes five religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity (Catholicism and Protestantism are recognized separately), and Islam. All religious institutions in the country are required to uphold the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), implement Xi Jinping Thought, and promote the Religious Sinicization under the general secretaryship of Xi Jinping. A 2023 Pew survey found 93% of the country reported no religious affiliation. According to 2021 estimates from the CIA World Factbook, among people claiming any religious beliefs, 52.1% of the population is unaffiliated, 21.9% follows Chinese Folk Religion, 18.2% follows Buddhism, 5.1% follow Christianity, 1.8% follow Islam, and 0.7% follow other religions including Taoism.


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