Are chinese people religious ?

[spock]

When I've been in Taiwan i used to spend a lot of time in temples, my favorites ones are small and quiet ones i really like to soak in the atmosphere, stay away from crowd just sit and relax .

I have noticed that people in Taiwan are really into religions, I mean in Daoism/Taoism and Buddhism (because of my interest I want to focus only on these two)

there is a lot of celebrations, it is easy to noticed in everyday conversations with locals how important religion is in their society.

One day I've met guy from Beijing he told me that " people in China doesn't have time for a religion' and they don't have many temples as they used to.

I know that many temples were destroyed during Cultural Revolution but some of them were rebuild.

Is China really that different from Taiwan different when it comes to religion? I'm not judging here, I just want to know your opinion on this one.

[count_zero]

Christianity is growing at a huge rate in China.

Buddhism is now considered very fashionable.

If you go to major tourist spots in Beijing such as the Lama Temple and Baiyun Guan you have to queue up to burn incense in front of the effigies. Whether this is genuine Buddhism, superstition or just people going through the motions is another matter.

[WestTexas]

I'm from the Bible belt, so for me, I'd say religion is not big in China. I've been to towns in Texas with more churches than stores. In contrast, I know of one church, one mosque, and zero temples in the town where I work. I have met a couple Chinese Christians and plenty of Chinese Muslims (mostly working in food-service), but I think most Chinese are not very religious. Some of them have various superstitious beliefs, and I'll see people around the town burning paper money on various old holidays, but they are not 'go to church every Sunday' type of people.

So I guess it depends on what your idea of 'very religious' is... but compared to Texas, at least, and I think compared to most of the US, Chinese are not especially religious.

[Lu]

From what I've seen, Taiwan is a lot more religious than China. In Taipei, every neighbourhood has its small temple and there are churches everywhere. Beijing has a few large temples which function for a large part as tourist attractions and a few churches for people who are interested, but it's something you need to look for. Of course religion has been outlawed in China for decennia, it's now making a comeback but it appears to me that people who find religion an important part of their life are still a minority.

[frankwall]

Christianity is growing at a huge rate in China.

I also heard that Taiwan is very religious indeed, its a place I'd love to visit at some stage. And the number of christians in China has soared drastically over the past few years. If you look at statistics, China now has the second largest number of christians in Asia, after the Philippines with 67 million. And that's an old statistic, its probably grown even more since then.

[roddy]

I don't know if Taiwan is very religious compared to other countries, but compared to the mainland it certainly seemed so. It's only anecdotal (you know what the scientific name for anecdotal evidence is, don't you: an anecdote..) but sitting in Longshan Temple in Taipei I was amazed at how what, in Beijing, would have been at least a 30Y entrance ticket place populated mostly by tourists of one nationality or another, was a living, vibrant part of the city. People were just dropping in for a quick prayer on their way home. I don't think I've ever been in a temple on the mainland and felt like it was an active place of worship first and a tourist destination second.

I'm sceptical about figures on numbers of Christians in China. One because most of them don't want to be counted, two because there's an awful lot of people who say they're Christian, but would struggle to tell you the difference between Jesus and Santa Claus.

[li3wei1]

Chinese people are also much more able to be multi-religious, i.e. to be a bit of this and a bit of that, pray to Jesus at bedtime and skip meat at breakfast for Buddhist reasons. Even some of the temples can house gods of different faiths simultaneously.

[Outofin]

Once again, roddy nailed it.

Also to state the obvious, Tibetans and Chinese Muslims are very religious people, so much more than Taiwanese.

[Lu]

Taiwan seems to take this one further as well: I was once at a temple that housed Confucius, Guan Gong and Guanyin. When I questioned my Taiwanese friend about this, she said Sure, Confucius is also part of Daoism. I once read a story about a temple that decided to just include all possible gods and saint, including both Jesus and Mohammed.

Today in the taxi in Taipei the driver told me about his daughter who is Catholic. When he prays to the ancestors she stands beside him but she won't/can't burn incense for them.

[Scandinavian]

I'm sceptical about figures on numbers of Christians in China. One because most of them don't want to be counted, two because there's an awful lot of people who say they're Christian, but would struggle to tell you the difference between Jesus and Santa Claus.

also, how many Chinese who chose to become christian can really honor that choice. for example, Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, in their original meaning, are based on the existence of other gods than the christian god, which is high on the list of no-nos in Christianity etc. etc.

I've met some new Christians here that was talking about how great it was that they can pray for important stuff like getting a new iPhone. Usually Santa is my go to guy for that sort of stuff.

[gougou]

for example, Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, in their original meaning, are based on the existence of other gods than the christian god, which is high on the list of no-nos in Christianity etc. etc.

Really? Isn't that the case with christmas as well?

[spock]

I believe that in Taiwan all gods are welcome, Friend of mine once told me that a lot of people consider Confucius as a god

be honest, one of biggest surprises in Tawanese temples was a Chiang Kai- Shek statue at Cijin

[Scandinavian]

Really? Isn't that the case with Christmas as well?

Yup. But a Chinese christian also celebrates Spring Festival because this is such an integral part of culture. But in my mind that compares to Muslims dancing around the xmas tree after a dinner with lots of pork.

Maybe my argument is; if they are not going to follow through, why do it at all?

[skylee]

Spring Festival, Mid-Autumn Festival, in their original meaning, are based on the existence of other gods than the christian god,

I don't understand. What are the other gods related to the Spring Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival?

But in my mind that compares to Muslims dancing around the xmas tree

I think I saw something similar on TV news last night. Something like this and this.

"The presence of a representative of President Mahmoud Abbas Minister Adnan Husseini, and national political figures and a large gathering of Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem, where Jerusalem celebrates Christmas tree lighting, for the first time in the history of the city"

Do you mean you think they are wrong? Or not religious enough?

[Koxinga]

if they are not going to follow through, why do it at all?

A lot of people selectively choose parts of religions to follow (or not to follow).

Most christians only follow the Bible to a certain extent, filtering out the things they don't like. Saying that, there are many atheists who have a Christmas tree, just for the Christmas spirit.

I think in the end it's just about tradition.

[liuzhou]

I once visited a Chairman Mao temple in Jishou (吉首), Hunan.

[Scandinavian]

I don't understand. What are the other gods related to the Spring Festival and the Mid-Autumn Festival?

My memory only serves me medium well today Chang'e the Goddess of the moon. There are several gods associated with both events. The objective behind worshipping these gods is to promote the good and get away the bad. But if you are Christian you would pray to God (the one and only Christian god) for these kinds or purposes I believe the 2nd commandment stipulates that one cannot believe in the existence of other gods.

[skylee]

the Goddess of the moon? Do you mean 嫦娥? I suppose you know that she is not really a goddess, right? The Mid-Autumn festival is about family union. It is not about religion.

But if you are Christian you would pray to God (the one and only Christian god) for these kinds or purposes I believe the 2nd commandment stipulates that one cannot believe in the existence of other gods.

So those people who pray to Virgin Mary have all violated the rule? I think the second commandment is about not worshiping idols? So how about all those images/idols in various churches?

[liuzhou]

I believe the 2nd commandment stipulates that one cannot believe in the existence of other gods.

Nope. That is the first commandment.

I think the second commandment is about not worshiping idols?

Correct.

[renzhe]

"The presence of a representative of President Mahmoud Abbas Minister Adnan Husseini, and national political figures and a large gathering of Muslims and Christians in Jerusalem, where Jerusalem celebrates Christmas tree lighting, for the first time in the history of the city"

Do you mean you think they are wrong? Or not religious enough?

Don't forget that Jerusalem is a holy city for all three Abrahamic religions and thus has a special importance for Christians. Also, there are Christians living in Palestine and Israel who celebrate Christmas (though they are a tiny minority).

I think that this celebration commemorates this fact, and is not meant as a Christmas celebration for Muslims.