Survey finds 300 M China believers

BBC reported today that China may have three times higher number of religious believer than official reports claim. China has been criticized for regulating and controlling unauthorized worship, because the believers are only allowed to visit and pray at government approved religious institutions. The survey was conducted by Shanghai University professors who found that 31.4 % of people in the poll considered themselves religious. A poll consisted of 4500 people. Official figures claimed 100 million but this poll will change the public opinion.
The survey also found that country’s five major religions are Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity and Islam. The significant rise was noted in Christianity, counting for around 40 million.
Conductors of research attributed the rise in numbers to growing freedom in the country and rapid social and economic changes. The majority, about 200 million, believers are “Buddhist, Taoists or worshippers of legendary figures such as the Dragon King and God of Fortune.”