Initially, since the proclamation of the People's Republic of China, members of its government belonged to atheists. The peak of atheism came in 1966, the time of the "Cultural Revolution": radical youth destroyed churches and tried in every possible way to eradicate religions. The situation eased in the 70s, and religious freedom was introduced, which continues to this day. One-fifth of the world's population lives in the PRC, so it is quite logical that far from one religious trend is developed here.
More than half of the inhabitants of modern China consider themselves atheists - an obvious result of the "Cultural Revolution". However, only 15% of the population belongs to real atheists - those who do not believe in any religions, do not celebrate religious holidays and do not observe customs. For most of the inhabitants, especially those living on the mainland, religion occupies a significant place in life.
In 1978, the PRC adopted a constitution that is relevant to this day. Its 36th article states that every citizen has the right to freedom of religion. At the same time, they begin to restore destroyed temples, primarily Buddhist and Taoist, this emphasizes which religions are dominant in China. However, one should not forget that along with Buddhism and Taoism, other religions are also developed in the PRC: Confucianism, Islam, Christianity, including Catholicism.
Over the past 20 years, Catholicism has been actively penetrating China - now there are more than 5 million Catholics here. During this period, the Bible was published in Chinese, its circulation amounted to 3 million books.
Buddhism in China
Buddhism came to the PRC in the 1st century, during the reign of the Han dynasty. At first, this religion was alien to the locals, but over time it borrowed some ideas from Chinese philosophy and by the 9th century it was firmly rooted in China. If we talk about which of the religions in the PRC is now the most popular, then this is undoubtedly Buddhism. More than 30% of the population adhere to the Buddhist faith, and this figure is constantly growing.
Buddhism is considered the main religion in China. Over time, the number of not only followers increases, but also the attention of society. Thousands of temples, monasteries and schools of Buddhist orientation have been built in the country, all of them are united in the Buddhist Association of China.
Khan Buddhism is one of the largest religious movements in the world. In the PRC, 8,400 temples have been built, in which more than 50,000 monks adhering to Han Buddhism live.
Taoism is a kind of Chinese folk religion
Over the course of several centuries, a huge number of religious traditions and customs have arisen among the Chinese, and when combined, they are called the Chinese folk religion. As a rule, this trend consists in the worship of various natural, clan and national deities: spirits, heroes, dragons and ancestors.
By the 6th century, the largest branch of folk religion, Taoism, was formed; its origins date back to the 2nd century. The main Taoist thought centers around issues of health, immortality, longevity, and natural behavior. Taoists, along with other followers of the folk religion in China, account for up to 30% of the total population.
