Religion in Contemporary China

Along with China’s astonishing economic growth in recent years, Chinese religions have enjoyed a remarkable renaissance. Buddhist, Daoist, and popular religious temples have flourished. Last year, official ceremonies commemorating Confucius’s 2565^th birthday were held nationwide, mostly in the newly revived Confucius temples. China is home to more than 20 million Muslims, and the number of mosques, including women-only mosques, has been rapidly growing. China is also predicted to become the world’s largest Christian nation within ten years. Tibetan Buddhism, once a minor religion, nowadays attracts a large number of followers among the wealthy and educated Chinese middle class.

What is the meaning of this religious renaissance? And what are its implications? This panel features presentations by five professors of religious studies from the US and China. The panel will shed light on different aspects of China’s current religious resurgence and the role of religion in contemporary Chinese society.