Tourists flock to the Tian Tan Buddha in Hong Kong's Lantau Island. (Photo : www.topsten.com)
Does age matter?
According to the China Religion Survey 2015 conducted by Renmin University of China’s (RUC) National Survey Research Center (NSRC), more Buddhists and Taoists are aged 61 years old and above and more Muslims and Catholics are 29 years old and below.
NSRC conducted the survey from 2013 to 2015, covering 31 regions with interviews held in more than 4,000 religious sites.
China recognizes five of the major religions in the world: Buddhism, Catholicism, Islam, Protestantism and Taoism.
Survey results tell that 54.6 percent of the respondents practice Buddhism and 53.8 percent are followers of Taoism. These respondents are all senior members of society 61 and up.
Other results state that 22.4 percent of the respondents are Muslims and 22 percent are Catholics. The respondents all belong to a younger set aged 29 and below.
The survey also reveals that among the five religions, more people in China are sending their prayers to Buddha. In terms of the number of places of worship in the country, Protestants have the most.
Professor Wei Dedong of RUC’s School of Philosophy told the Global Times that most young Muslims belong to ethnic minorities. He is a professor of Buddhist studies who took part in the survey.
Many Muslims live in the far western part of Xinjiang Province.
The Administration for Religious Affairs visited places of worship 3.8 times a year for different reasons, including meeting religious leaders to discuss pressing matters and attending events, such as festivals. The United Front Work Department, on the other hand, visited 1.8 times a year.
Wei said that the government is ready to put an end to any conflict rooted from religion.
Perhaps everyone can pray that all religious conflicts be finally put to rest, and Buddhists, Catholics, Muslims, Protestants and Taoists may together live in harmony.
