<p>I've seen quite a few news reports that focus on the <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10776023/China-on-course-to-become-worlds-most-Christian-nation-within-15-years.html" rel="noreferrer">huge growth of Christianity in China</a> so naively I would have expected that this would now have overtaken Buddhism. However <a href="https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2010/100726T-YangChina.html" rel="noreferrer">this report</a> states that </p>

<blockquote>
  <p>The growth of Christianity is impressive, but Buddhist growth is
  extraordinary, especially with the country's history of official
  ideology of atheism</p>
</blockquote>

<p>The figures are</p>

<ul>
<li>18% identify as Buddhist</li>
<li>15% identify as Atheist</li>
<li>3.2% identify as Christian</li>
</ul>

<p>Considering the vigorous supression during the cultural revolution (all monasteries closed, lands confiscated) it's notable that Buddhism has remained a substantial religion within China. However the attitudes of the Chinese authorities does appear to have softened and <a href="http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/193520.htm" rel="noreferrer">Buddhist are seen as a source of societal good</a>. The Chinese government is clearly still very capable of suppressing religious movements (e.g. <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Falun_Gong" rel="noreferrer">Falun Gong</a>) and cultures (Tibetan) it finds threatening. Fortunately Buddhism doesn't appear to currently be a focus for this suppression.</p>

<p>As a reference note: This is a summary of the section on Buddhism in China from An <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/418423.An_Introduction_to_Buddhism" rel="noreferrer">Introduction to Buddhism</a> by Peter Harvey (pp 409 - 410 in my copy).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2014-09-06T16:21:27.177Z
2014-09-06T16:21:27.177Z
Crab Bucket
<p><strong>State Administration for Religious Affairs</strong> (SARA) and the <strong>Buddhist Association of China</strong> are in charge of regulating religion in China.</p>
<p>So far, what effect have they had on doctrine for Chinese (non-vajrayana) Buddhism?</p>
<p>It's already well known that the Chinese government is hostile to the Dalai Lama.</p>
<p>(Also, as a side note, for those skeptical of any government's ability to regulate belief and practice- some percent of American Zen's doctrine and practice can be traced to Meiji era government initiated reforms)</p>

<chinese-buddhism>
What impact has the Chinese Government had on Chinese Buddhism so far?
# What impact has the Chinese Government had on Chinese Buddhism so far?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2014-09-05)

**State Administration for Religious Affairs** (SARA) and the **Buddhist Association of China** are in charge of regulating religion in China.

So far, what effect have they had on doctrine for Chinese (non-vajrayana) Buddhism?

It's already well known that the Chinese government is hostile to the Dalai Lama.

(Also, as a side note, for those skeptical of any government's ability to regulate belief and practice- some percent of American Zen's doctrine and practice can be traced to Meiji era government initiated reforms)

**Tags:** chinese-buddhism


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2014-09-06. Score: 6

I've seen quite a few news reports that focus on the [huge growth of Christianity in China](http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/china/10776023/China-on-course-to-become-worlds-most-Christian-nation-within-15-years.html) so naively I would have expected that this would now have overtaken Buddhism. However [this report](https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/research/2010/100726T-YangChina.html) states that

> The growth of Christianity is impressive, but Buddhist growth is
> extraordinary, especially with the country's history of official
> ideology of atheism

The figures are

* 18% identify as Buddhist
* 15% identify as Atheist
* 3.2% identify as Christian

Considering the vigorous supression during the cultural revolution (all monasteries closed, lands confiscated) it's notable that Buddhism has remained a substantial religion within China. However the attitudes of the Chinese authorities does appear to have softened and [Buddhist are seen as a source of societal good](http://www.china.org.cn/english/China/193520.htm). The Chinese government is clearly still very capable of suppressing religious movements (e.g. [Falun Gong](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Persecution_of_Falun_Gong)) and cultures (Tibetan) it finds threatening. Fortunately Buddhism doesn't appear to currently be a focus for this suppression.

As a reference note: This is a summary of the section on Buddhism in China from An [Introduction to Buddhism](http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/418423.An_Introduction_to_Buddhism) by Peter Harvey (pp 409 - 410 in my copy).


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