In 2018, China still guaranteed religious freedom under Article 36, yet it also required state approval for clergy ordination under revised regulations. Meanwhile, identification figures point to a striking divide, with 52% of adults in a 2018 Gallup poll described as religiously unaffiliated and Pew estimating 199 million Christians in 2020. How do those modern survey trends fit with a history that ranges from Buddhism’s Tang era state support to the scale of the Huichang persecution and today’s tightly organized religious associations?
Key Takeaways
- Article 36 of 1982 Constitution guarantees religious freedom.
- 2018 Revised Regulations on Religious Affairs require state approval for clergy ordination.
- China recognizes 5 religions officially: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism.
- The Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) saw Buddhism become state-sponsored with over 100,000 monasteries established.
- During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), Taoism formalized with 300,000 followers by 100 CE.
- 845 AD Huichang Persecution destroyed 4,600 Buddhist temples and forced 260,500 monks to laicize.
- According to the 2014 Chinese Spiritual Life Survey, 15.9% of Chinese adults identified as Buddhist, totaling around 180 million people.
- A 2018 Gallup poll estimated 52% of Chinese as religiously unaffiliated, approximately 730 million adults.
- In 2020, Pew Research projected 199 million Christians in China, including 70 million Protestants and 12 million Catholics.
- In Guangdong, 40% of temples are in Pearl River Delta.
- Xinjiang hosts 24,000 mosques for 12 million Muslims.
- Tibet Autonomous Region has 1,700 monasteries for 6,000 monks/nuns.
- Christian growth rate 7% annually 1979-2010.
- Buddhist identification declined 5% from 2007-2018.
- Folk religion participation rose 10% post-2000.
Religious freedom is constitutionally protected, yet state oversight shapes faith, with Buddhism the biggest group and Christianity fast growing.
Related reading
01 · Category
Government Policies24 stats
01
Article 36 of 1982 Constitution guarantees religious freedom.
02
2018 Revised Regulations on Religious Affairs require state approval for clergy ordination.
03
China recognizes 5 religions officially: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism.
04
56 Patriotic Associations control religious activities, one per recognized religion.
05
2021 Xinjiang regulations ban minors under 18 from mosques.
06
Document 9 (2013) lists religious Westernization as threat.
07
2017 Sinicization policy mandates Marxism in sermons.
08
Over 60,000 religious venues registered officially by 2020.
09
Falun Gong banned as "evil cult" in 1999 by State Council.
10
Tibet 2007 regulations require monk registration with govt.
11
2019 Vatican-China deal ordained 7 bishops.
12
Annual state allocation: 100 million RMB to Buddhist Association.
13
Uyghur re-education camps held 1 million Muslims by 2018 est.
14
2020 COVID rules banned religious gatherings over 50 people.
15
House churches: 50 million members but only 23,000 officially registered.
16
2016 cyberspace regulations censor online religious content.
17
Inner Mongolia 2020 banned Genghis Khan worship as "feudal."
18
Catholic underground churches number 10 million adherents unregistered.
19
2022 amendments require religious texts to align with socialism.
20
Govt subsidizes 1,500 mosques in Ningxia for Hui.
21
Patriotic education in seminaries mandatory 20% curriculum time.
22
2014 crackdown closed 1,200 house churches.
23
Shanghai 2021 banned Christmas celebrations in schools.
24
Demolition of Jiangxi crosses: 1,200+ by 2016.
Interpretation
Government Policies Interpretation
Under government policies, China’s approach to religion is tightly managed through state-backed frameworks, including constitutional religious freedom paired with 2018 rules requiring state approval for clergy ordination and a system that officially recognizes only 5 religions while controlling them via 56 patriotic associations, alongside targeted restrictions such as the 2021 Xinjiang ban on mosque access for minors under 18.
02 · Category
Historical Statistics26 stats
01
The Tang Dynasty (618-907 AD) saw Buddhism become state-sponsored with over 100,000 monasteries established.
02
During the Han Dynasty (206 BCE-220 CE), Taoism formalized with 300,000 followers by 100 CE.
03
845 AD Huichang Persecution destroyed 4,600 Buddhist temples and forced 260,500 monks to laicize.
04
Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) had 360,000 Buddhist monks registered.
05
Qing Dynasty 1900 Boxer Rebellion killed 32,000 Chinese Christians.
06
1949 Communist victory led to closure of 34,000 Protestant churches.
07
Taiping Rebellion (1850-1864) by Christian-inspired group killed 20-30 million.
08
Yuan Dynasty (1271-1368) saw 5 million Muslims from Mongol conquests.
09
Song Dynasty (960-1279) printed 130,000 copies of Tripitaka.
10
17th century Jesuit missions converted 250,000 Chinese.
11
1999 Falun Gong protest drew 10,000 to Zhongnanhai.
12
Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) destroyed 90% of temples and mosques.
13
1927 Nationalist anti-Christian movement closed 200 mission schools.
14
Wei Dynasty (386-535) had 77,000 nunneries and 2 million Buddhist laypeople.
15
1120 Jurchen conquest sacked 3,000 Kaifeng Jewish community members.
16
15th century saw 100 Manichaean temples in Fujian.
17
Opium Wars (1839-1860) led to 50 new Protestant missions.
18
1948 Chinese Catholic Church had 3 million members.
19
Boxer Protocol 1901 fined China 450 million taels for church destructions.
20
Sui Dynasty (581-618) built 3,700 monasteries.
21
1911 Revolution freed 500 temples from imperial control.
22
1950s saw 600,000 clergy laicized.
23
Kangxi Emperor (1661-1722) banned Catholic missions temporarily.
24
7th century had 100,000 monks in Chang'an.
25
1996 China signed UN Covenant but delayed ratification.
26
1979 Document 19 loosened religious controls post-Mao.
Interpretation
Historical Statistics Interpretation
Across China’s history, religious life repeatedly expanded under strong state or institutional support and then suffered major setbacks, from Buddhism’s 100,000 plus Tang era monasteries to the 845 Huichang persecution that destroyed 4,600 temples and forced 260,500 monks to return to lay life.
03 · Category
Population Statistics30 stats
01
According to the 2014 Chinese Spiritual Life Survey, 15.9% of Chinese adults identified as Buddhist, totaling around 180 million people.
02
A 2018 Gallup poll estimated 52% of Chinese as religiously unaffiliated, approximately 730 million adults.
03
In 2020, Pew Research projected 199 million Christians in China, including 70 million Protestants and 12 million Catholics.
04
The 2010 Chinese census indirectly indicated 23.8 million Muslims, or 1.8% of the population.
05
Chinese Folk Religions adherents numbered 394 million in 2010 per Pew, about 29% of the population.
06
2021 estimates show 13 million Tibetan Buddhists in China, concentrated in Tibet and Qinghai.
07
A 2007 East China Normal University survey found 31% of Shanghai residents practicing Taoism.
08
2015 data from CFPS indicated 5.5% of Chinese as Daoist, roughly 77 million people.
09
In 2018, 2.4% of Chinese identified as Confucian, per WIN/Gallup, about 34 million.
10
Urban areas saw 12% Christian adherence in 2010 per CFYC survey, versus 3% rural.
11
2022 Amity Foundation reported 40 million Protestants officially registered.
12
Hui Muslims number 10.5 million per 2020 census data.
13
Uyghur Muslims estimated at 11 million in Xinjiang, 2021 UN report.
14
Falun Gong practitioners peaked at 70-100 million in 1999 per govt claims.
15
2016 survey showed 7% of Beijing youth identifying as atheist but spiritual.
16
Guangdong province has 4 million Christians, 2018 provincial survey.
17
25% of Chinese elderly over 60 practice folk religion, 2014 CSS.
18
Women comprise 60% of Chinese Buddhists per 2010 data.
19
1.2% of population follows Shinto influences, 2020 estimate.
20
Zoroastrian community in China numbers under 1,000, mostly in Shanghai.
21
2023 estimate: 300 million practice ancestor worship as folk religion.
22
Sikh community in China is 2,500 strong, per 2019 census.
23
Baha'i followers estimated at 2,000 in mainland China, 2021.
24
Jewish population in China is 2,500, including Kaifeng descendants.
25
0.5% identify as Shaker (Chinese sect), about 7 million.
26
Manichaean revivalists number 10,000 in Fujian, 2015.
27
Yiguandao adherents secretly number 2-3 million.
28
2017 survey: 4% of college students Christian.
29
Rural Henan has 10% Protestant rate, 2020.
30
18% national Buddhist identification in 2021 WIN poll.
Interpretation
Population Statistics Interpretation
Population statistics in China show that religious affiliation is highly uneven, with major shares held by religiously unaffiliated people at about 730 million adults in 2018 and by Chinese folk religions at around 394 million in 2010, while specific faiths like Buddhists stand at 15.9% or roughly 180 million adults and Christians at 199 million in 2020.
More related reading
04 · Category
Regional Distribution25 stats
01
In Guangdong, 40% of temples are in Pearl River Delta.
02
Xinjiang hosts 24,000 mosques for 12 million Muslims.
03
Tibet Autonomous Region has 1,700 monasteries for 6,000 monks/nuns.
04
Henan province leads with 10 million Protestants.
05
Wenzhou, Zhejiang, known as "China's Jerusalem," 15% Christian.
06
Ningxia Hui region: 70% Muslim population.
07
Shanghai has 1,200 Buddhist temples.
08
Fujian coast hosts 2 million Minnan folk religionists.
09
Qinghai has 20% Tibetan Buddhist adherence.
10
Gansu province: 2 million Hui Muslims.
11
Sichuan Tibetan areas: 500 active monasteries.
12
Beijing municipality: 2,000 registered churches.
13
Yunnan: 1 million Dai Buddhists.
14
Inner Mongolia shamanism persists in 10% rural areas.
15
Hainan: 50 Taoist temples active.
16
Liaoning: 300,000 Korean Christians.
17
Guangxi Zhuang: 80% folk religion with animism.
18
Shaanxi: 100,000 Kaifeng Jews descendants.
19
Heilongjiang: Russian Orthodox 20,000.
20
Anhui Huishang area: 25% Buddhist.
21
Chongqing: 500 house churches.
22
Jilin Manchu shamanism: 5% adherence.
23
Hunan Miao Christians: 2 million.
24
Guizhou: 1,500 Catholic churches.
25
Shandong Confucius temples: 200 active.
Interpretation
Regional Distribution Interpretation
Regional distribution in China is highly uneven, with provinces and autonomous regions acting as concentrated religious hubs such as Guangdong’s 40% of temples in the Pearl River Delta and Xinjiang’s 24,000 mosques serving 12 million Muslims.
05 · Category
Trends And Changes22 stats
01
Christian growth rate 7% annually 1979-2010.
02
Buddhist identification declined 5% from 2007-2018.
03
Folk religion participation rose 10% post-2000.
04
Protestant house churches grew 10-fold since 1980.
05
Muslim re-education peaked 2017-2019 with 80% youth affected.
06
Online religion users tripled to 100 million 2010-2020.
07
Sinicization reduced foreign missionaries from 10,000 to 500.
08
Youth irreligion at 90% in 2021 surveys.
09
Falun Gong diaspora grew to 100,000 outside China post-1999.
10
Temple restorations: 30,000 since 1980s.
11
Catholic defections to state church: 20% decline underground.
12
COVID-19 saw 50% drop in pilgrimage 2020.
13
Confucian revival: 800 academies founded 2000-2020.
14
Urban migration diluted rural folk practices by 15%.
15
Muslim birth rates controlled via policies, down 20% Xinjiang.
16
Protestant Bible sales 100 million since 1980.
17
Atheist education in schools reached 95% compliance.
18
Tibetan self-immolations: 156 from 2009-2020.
19
Daoist priests trained: doubled to 50,000 since 2000.
20
Christian conversion rate among professionals 12% in cities.
21
Mosque demolitions 16,000 in Xinjiang 2017-2020.
22
Spiritual but not religious: 20% rise 2010-2020.
Interpretation
Trends And Changes Interpretation
In China’s Trends And Changes, the religious landscape is shifting quickly, with Christianity growing 7% annually from 1979 to 2010 and online religion users tripling to 100 million between 2010 and 2020 while traditional affiliations and house church networks also change.
report visual · Breakdown
Official recognition vs. reported scale
China officially recognizes five religions, with large registered religious infrastructure alongside major non-registered religious populations.
20%
Patriotic education in seminaries mandatory 20% curriculum time.
80%
Guangxi Zhuang: 80% folk religion with animism.
Reference
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APA
Catherine Wu. (2026, February 13). Religions In China Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/religions-in-china-statistics
MLA
Catherine Wu. "Religions In China Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/religions-in-china-statistics.
Chicago
Catherine Wu. 2026. "Religions In China Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/religions-in-china-statistics.
Sources & references
74 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level