Our answer
No single religion 无主导宗教
Few people join a religion; many follow Buddhist, Taoist and folk customs
The short answer
China has no single main religion. Only about 10% of adults formally identify with one, and Buddhism is the largest. But everyday practice is far wider: around a third believe in Buddha or bodhisattvas, nearly half believe in feng shui, and about three in four visited a family grave in the past year.
| Formally religious | About 10% of adults (2018) |
|---|---|
| Largest organised religion | Buddhism 佛教 |
| Native religion | Taoism 道教 |
| Officially listed religions | Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestant Christianity |
| Most common practice | Visiting and tending family graves |
How we know
4 signals · SourcedReligious identity
In the 2018 Chinese General Social Survey, 10% of adults identified with a religion; 4% named Buddhism. [1]
STRONGBeliefs
33% said they believe in Buddha or a bodhisattva and 47% in feng shui (China Family Panel Studies, 2018). [1]
STRONGPractice
About three-quarters visited a family member’s grave in the past year, and 26% burn incense at least a few times a year. [1]
STRONGOfficial count
The government counts nearly 200 million religious believers, about 33,500 Buddhist temples and more than 9,000 Taoist temples. [2]
STRONGWhat Chinese people believe and do
Share of Chinese adults, from national surveys analysed by Pew Research Center.[1]
| Belief or practice | Share of adults | Survey |
|---|---|---|
| Visited a family member’s grave in the past year | About 75% | CGSS 2018 |
| Believe in feng shui | 47% | CFPS 2018 |
| Believe in Buddha or a bodhisattva | 33% | CFPS 2018 |
| Burn incense at least a few times a year | 26% | CFPS 2016 |
| Visited a temple or shrine to pray for wealth or good fortune in the past year | 24% | CGSS 2018 |
| Say religion is very or rather important in their life | 13% | World Values Survey 2018 |
| Identify with a religion | 10% | CGSS 2018 |
CGSS: Chinese General Social Survey. CFPS: China Family Panel Studies.
Why most people say “no religion” but still go to temples
For many Chinese people, religion means formally joining a faith, and few do. Visiting a temple, burning incense before an exam, choosing a lucky date for a wedding or sweeping ancestors’ graves at Qingming are seen as custom rather than religion.
These customs borrow freely from Buddhism, Taoism and older folk beliefs. The same family may pray to Guanyin, the Buddhist goddess of mercy, hang a Taoist charm and keep an altar for its ancestors. Confucianism, which shapes values such as respect for parents, is generally treated in China as a philosophy rather than a religion.[1]
Temples and clergy, by the official count
From the Chinese government’s 2018 white paper on religious belief.[2]
| Measure | Number |
|---|---|
| Religious believers | Nearly 200 million |
| Buddhist temples | About 33,500 |
| Buddhist clergy | About 222,000 |
| Taoist temples | More than 9,000 |
| Taoist clergy | More than 40,000 |
| Registered places of worship, all religions | 144,000 |
| Religious schools | 91 |
The white paper lists Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism and Protestant Christianity as the main religions.
Young people and temples
Temples have become a popular trip for young Chinese. Trip.com (Ctrip) reported that bookings for temple sites rose 310% year on year from February 2023, and that people born in the 1990s and 2000s made up nearly half of the bookings.
Many go to pray for a job, an exam or love, or simply for a quiet day out. Some temples now sell bracelets, coffee and other souvenirs aimed at younger visitors.[3][4]
Lucky bracelets and museum souvenirs
Many young visitors leave a temple with a bracelet. Popular types include glazed beads made with incense ash, crystal, jade and precious woods, each sold as bringing wealth, love or a smooth year.
Some temple bracelets sell out. Hangzhou’s Lingyin Temple paused sales of its “eighteen seeds” bracelet in August 2022 after people queued from 6am in 40°C heat. Beijing’s Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple) sells incense-ash bracelets from ¥200 to ¥500 in its official online shop, more than 1,000 a month, and resellers have asked up to ¥1,080 for a ¥200–300 bracelet.
The trend reaches far beyond temples. Online sales of crystal bracelets in China rose 320% in 2024, according to e-commerce data cited by CNN, and made up more than a third of an online crystal market of about ¥3 billion.
Museums have joined in. The Palace Museum (the Forbidden City) sells more than ¥1.5 billion of its own cultural products a year, and museum gift-shop sales across China reached about ¥9.7 billion in 2025; the National Museum’s phoenix-crown fridge magnet alone sold over a million.[5][6][7]
Questions readers ask
What is the main religion in China?
There isn’t one. About 10% of Chinese adults identify with a religion; Buddhism is the largest. Many more follow Buddhist, Taoist and folk customs without calling themselves religious.
Is Buddhism popular in China?
Yes, as a practice: a third of adults say they believe in Buddha or a bodhisattva, and China has about 33,500 Buddhist temples. Only about 4% formally identify as Buddhist.
Why do young Chinese people wear temple bracelets?
As lucky charms. Bracelets made with incense ash, crystal, jade or precious wood are sold as bringing wealth, love or a smooth year, and some temple versions sell out or are resold at several times their price.
Is Confucianism a religion in China?
It is usually treated as a philosophy and set of values, not a religion, and it is not among the religions the government lists.
Do Chinese people believe in God?
Most do not follow a religion with one god. Belief is more often in Buddha and bodhisattvas, local deities, feng shui and ancestors.
Can tourists visit temples in China?
Yes. Most temples are open to visitors, usually for a small fee. Many visitors light a stick of incense and make a wish with palms together; follow the temple’s signs on photos and other customs.
Sources
- Pew Research Center, Measuring Religion in China (30 August 2023) · accessed 26 Oct 2026
- State Council Information Office, China’s Policies and Practices on Protecting Freedom of Religious Belief (white paper, April 2018, in Chinese) · accessed 26 Oct 2026
- The Paper, young people and temple tourism, Ctrip data (31 July 2024, in Chinese) · accessed 26 Oct 2026
- Sixth Tone, Young Chinese embrace temple visits to evade life’s pressures (21 March 2023) · accessed 26 Oct 2026
- The Paper, Temple bracelets: Yonghe Temple and Lingyin Temple (19 March 2023, in Chinese) · accessed 26 Oct 2026
- CNN Style, Forget logos, young people in China want ‘spiritual’ luxury (7 July 2026) · accessed 26 Oct 2026
- NetEase / Sanjiapijiang, Museum cultural products market (17 June 2026, in Chinese) · accessed 26 Oct 2026
Update log. 26 October 2026 — reviewed. Next review due 26 January 2027. Suggest a correction