China has three prominent religions. These are Confucianism, Daoism (Taoism), & Buddhism. They are considered to be both philosophies and religions. Even though they are all inherently different, they share similar rituals and philosophies that have enabled them to co-exist in Chinese culture and influence government, social structure, arts, education standards, & sciences (National Geographic Society).

Confucianism was the first of the big three. It focuses on humanism and treating others with respect and dignity. Both religious and non-religious rituals are very important in the Confucian philosophy, but because of its human focal point, there is not a lot of focus on the more mystical aspects of religion, such as gods or the afterlife. Important rituals include ancestor worship, weddings, funerals, & coming of age ceremonies. The coming-of-age ceremonies: guan li for men and ji li for women, are important for the cultivation of filial piety. In the past, there were also state rituals practiced by emperors and high-ranking state members as acts of governance and worship towards Confucius, such as the Emperor's Temple of Heaven sacrifices (“Confucian Rituals | Religions of Asia Class Notes | Fiveable”). As education is also an important part of this philosophy, there were previously educational rituals which included post-exam celebrations and the merit-based ritual system of the imperial examination.

Daoism is the second biggest Chinese religion. While Confucianism focuses on the human aspects of life, Daoism focuses on the spiritual and is more concerned about connecting oneself with nature. Because of its spiritual focus, it has a much heavier influence on the arts, science, & traditional Chinese medicine. There are three main practices in Daoism: purification, meditation, & offerings. These main practices were achieved daily through temple worship, family rituals, & ceremonies. The most important ceremony in Daoism is the Jiao. Jiao is the offering to a village's specific god and is meant to act as a negotiation between humans and said god (“Rituals and Ceremonies in Taoism: A Path to Harmony”). Every village practices Jiao differently as they all worship different gods.

The final large religion in China is Buddhism. Buddhism is more focused on personal development and reaching enlightenment through nirvana. Daoism and Buddhism share many customs and viewpoints, both focusing on one's relation to the spiritual. They are also similar in their influences. Buddhism holds significant influence in the arts, architecture, & traditional literature. There are four types of Buddhism in China: Chan Buddhism, Pure Land Buddhism, Tiantai Buddhism, & Huayan Buddhism. Among these four types, there are two very important festivals. These festivals are Vesak, Buddha’s birth, where worshipers give ritual offerings of flowers, meditation, & prayer chanting, and Qingming, the honouring of one’s deceased ancestors (Miller).

Due to its large population, there are many other religions practised by smaller Chinese ethnic groups, such as Islam, Christianity, Catholicism, & regional folk religions. Even though China has many religions present, a very large percentage of the population is atheist and only practices Confucian, Dao, and Buddhist rituals as a way to maintain their culture, family traditions, & to honour those who came before them.