09/17/2008

Religion in China

Law guarantees freedom of religious belief in China. Normal activities of different religions can be carried out in China according to their rights prescribed by the Constitution and Law. Buddhism and Taoism (Daoism) are comparatively widespread in China.

There are more than 100 million religious followers in China, more than 85,000 places of worship, and 3,000 religious communities with 30,000 clergy to serve the spiritual needs of their followers.

Of the top five religions, Buddhism, the most influential, has a history of more than 2,000 years in China. There are now over 9,500 Buddhist temples and monasteries with 200,000 monks and nuns registered at temples throughout China. Taoism, native to the country, has a history of more than 1,700 years. There are over 6,000 Taoist priests and nuns who live in the temples, with more than 600 temples and monasteries open to the public. Islam was introduced to China in the seventh century. There are about 20 million Muslims and more than 35,000 mosques. Catholicism and Protestantism boomed in China with the Opium War in the 1840s. There are about 4 million Catholics, including 2,700 clergymen, and 4,000 Catholic churches, about 10 million Christians or Protestants, including 18,000 missionaries, 8,000 churches and 20,000 simply equipped meeting places in China. China now has 2,000 religious social organizations and 48 religious schools and colleges. All religious organizations operate their own affairs independently, run seminaries to suit their own needs, publish their classical works and other publications and have service organs to serve public interest. Religious scriptures, books and magazines are published by various religions. China's Constitution stipulates that the state protects normal religious activities. No one may make use of religion to engage in activities that disrupt public order, impair the health of citizens or interfere with the educational system of the state. In order to ensure that Chinese citizens really enjoy the freedom of religious belief, religious bodies and religious affairs are not subject to any foreign domination.

President Jiang Zeming said at a three-day national work conference on the subject, which ended on December 12, 2001. China will effectively implement the policy of "freedom for religious belief" and conduct religious work according to law. Religious work enjoys an important status in the country's affairs. Under the new situation, the Party's leadership over religion should be strengthened The work on religion is closely linked with the comity between different ethnic groups, social stability, national security and reunification, as well as China's relations with foreign countries. The influence of religion on political and social lives in today's world should never be underestimated. Communist Party members do not believe in any religion but treat religion with a scientific point of view. Freedom for religious belief is a basic right enjoyed by all citizens according to the Chinese Constitution, and to respect and protect such a right embodies the Party's commitment to protect human rights. On the one hand, each person enjoys the freedom of believing or not believing in religion, while on the other; religious work should be conducted within the scope of the Constitution and Laws. Religious works should not obstruct social work, working order and living order. Any religion is not allowed to interfere in the country's administrative, judicial and educational works. Religion should never be allowed to be used for opposing the Party leadership and socialist system, destroying national reunification and ethnic unity, as well as harming national interests. Religious people should love their country, support the socialist system and Party leadership, and obey the country's laws. China adopts the principle of separating politics from religions, stressing no religion has the right to override the Constitution and laws. The principle of independence must be followed and foreign interference in China's religious work should be absolutely prohibited.

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