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Buddhism in China
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Buddhism in China refers to Buddhism that has been developed and practiced in China, based on the geographical location and administrative region instead of a particular Buddhist branch. Buddhism is the largest officially recognized and the most prevalent religion in China. Estimates from 2023 suggest that of the entire Chinese population (1.4 billion) about 33.4% is Buddhist (470 million).[1] There are three main branches of Buddhism in China: Han or Chinese Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, and Theravada Buddhism.[2] There is no definitive answer to the time when Buddhism was first introduced to China, but it is generally believed that this occurred around the time of the Han dynasty.
This article is about all Buddhist branches practiced in China. For the Chinese form of Mahayana Buddhism, see Chinese Buddhism.
Quick Facts Total population, Regions with significant populations ...
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Total population | |
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c. 470 million or 33.4% (studies in 2023)[1] | |
Regions with significant populations | |
Throughout China | |
Religions | |
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Languages | |
Chinese and other languages |
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