Religion and religious life in China
1. China is a country of diverse religions, predominantly Buddhist, Taoist, Islamic, Catholic, and Protestant as well as the Eastern Orthodox Church and various regional beliefs.
2. The introduction of China’s reform and opening policies has been accompanied by comprehensive implementation of the policy of freedom of religious belief. In 1994, the State Council announced the provisions on the Administration of the Religious Activities of Foreign Teachers of the People’s Republic of China, in which stipulates:
a. “The People’s Republic of China respects the freedom of religious belief of foreign teachers within the territory of China, and protects the rights of foreign teachers and Chinese religious circles to maintain friendly contacts and engage in cultural and academic exchanges”.
3. The customs office allows foreigners to bring in a certain amount of religious material for personal use. Foreigners in China are not allowed to use the Bible and other religious scriptures as teaching materials for students, but can incite some religious background knowledge or stories from The Bible for necessary needs.
4. Religious services are held in churches in China and foreigners are welcome to attend. Chinese churches are independent and not subject to the control of external religious organizations. Foreigners in China are not permitted to distribute religious books or articles, to proselytize, or to organize underground religious groups.
a. Note that you may need to bring your passport to religious services. Hangzhou has an international, non-denominational church with regular services in English