When Will China Become More Religious?

Previous studies have shown that economic reforms and the concurrent relaxation of religious policies in China have led to the revitalisation of a wide array of religious practices, including divination, ancestor worship and temple festivals. ¹ Such revitalisation, however, has created a great puzzle: given that China has been a secular state, what is the nature of the revitalisation? ² Will revitalisation make China more religious, or will the country become even more secular? Though scholars express different views, they all observe and agree that local religious rituals are significant arenas for the negotiation of modernity in contemporary China.i Given that China ³ secularism has its roots with Confucius, who addressed the idea of Shisu (世俗 being in this world), the attitude of the masses towards popular religion and their participation in it play a significant role in the direction of revitalised Chinese local religion; therefore,. it is important to reevaluate and recognise the significant involvement of local people in the ritual process of contemporary funerals.