6 facts about Buddhism in China
While only 4% of Chinese adults formally identify as Buddhists, formal affiliation doesn’t reflect the full extent of Buddhist belief and practice.
While only 4% of Chinese adults formally identify as Buddhists, formal affiliation doesn’t reflect the full extent of Buddhist belief and practice.
Majorities of Buddhists in these countries also say it is appropriate for non-Buddhist tourists to participate in Buddhist practices.
Most people in all six South and Southeast Asian countries surveyed say they believe in God or unseen beings.
In Thailand, Cambodia and Sri Lanka, more than 90% of Buddhists see strong links between their religion and country. In the neighboring countries of Malaysia and Indonesia, nearly all Muslims say being Muslim is important to being truly part of their nation.
Only one-in-ten Chinese adults formally identify with a religion, but surveys indicate that religion plays a much bigger role in China when the definition is widened to include questions on spirituality, customs and traditional beliefs.
Indians nearly universally say it is important for women to have the same rights as men, including eight-in-ten who say this is very important.
Indians accept women as political leaders, but many favor traditional gender roles in family life.
Indians see religious tolerance as a central part of who they are as a nation. Across the major religious groups, most people say it is very important to respect all religions to be “truly Indian.”
In 2018, the global median level of government restrictions on religion – that is, laws, policies and actions by officials that impinge on religious beliefs and practices – continued to climb, reaching an all-time high since Pew Research Center began tracking these trends in 2007.
Over the centuries, the relationship between science and religion has ranged from conflict and hostility to harmony and collaboration, while various thinkers have argued that the two concepts are inherently at odds and entirely separate.