ABSTRACT
In 2015, more than half of all respondents involved in a survey concerning the state of religion in China were classified as non-believers. It is such survey results that made China to be considered the largest atheist state in the world, followed by countries such as Japan, the Czech Republic, and Spain. As early as the 19th century, European researchers considered China to be a non-religious entity. Similar views were also held by some Chinese intellectuals who described Chinese society as being essentially philosophical. Is this really the case? What role does religion play in China? What do the Chinese believe in, and how does the Communist Party restrict freedom of religion? Do traditional Confucian values still have a place in today's Chinese society? How does the Communist Party approach them?
