Religion in China - Demographics

Demographics

Chinese Buddhists are evenly distributed across the whole country. Southern provinces (Guangdong, Fujian, etcetera) have experienced the most vibrant revival of ethnic Han Shenism thickly mingled with Zhengyi "Southern" Taoist practices. The Chinese folk religion can also be found in central and north-eastern provinces although these last are largely secularized. Buddhists and Quanzhen "Northern" Taoist practices are also present in the north.

Sichuan is a stronghold of Taoism, covering the area where Tianshi Taoism developed and the Celestial Masters had their main seat. Christians are mostly concentrated in easternmost provinces and coastal areas, particularly in Zhejiang, Anhui, and generally in the Wu-speaking zone, the areas which were most affected by the Taiping, but also in Henan and Hebei. Tibetan Buddhism is the dominant religion in Tibet, other westernmost provinces where ethnic Tibetans constitute a significant amount of the population, and Inner Mongolia in the north; it is also having a growing influence among ethnic Hans. Islam is the majority religion in the ethnic Hui areas, particularly Ningxia, and in the Uyghur province of Xinjiang. Many non-Han minority ethnic groups follow their own traditional ethnic religions (for example, Dongbaism). Confucianism as a religion is popular among intellectuals.