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Chinese popular religion plays a very significant role in Chinese culture. The author explores recent developments in popular religion since the economic reforms in the People's Republic of China. It focuses on the factors underlying the on-going popularity of temple cults, local deities, temple festivals, and the privatization of popular beliefs—which are all deeply rooted in Chinese rural life. In addition, it tries to offer some new perspectives on the study of urban religion in contemporary China.

This article deals with an example of local community religion in north China, the activities of a woman spirit-medium in a small village in Hebei province. This woman is believed to represent an ancient goddess, the Silkworm Mother (Cangu nainai), to whom people turn for healing illnesses not cured by Western or Chinese medicine. This study shows that local popular religion is very much alive in contemporary China.

AbstractThe English term "Confucianism" may refer to three different concepts in the Chinese language: the school of Confucianism, scholastic tradition of Confucianism, and the religious tradition of Confucianism. From a sociological perspective, Confucianism as an official political orthodoxy no longer exists. However, Confucianism as a cultural tradition remains, and it is expressed in various aspects of the Chinese social life, which echoes the diffused characteristics of a typical Chinese religion. In this research, we try to demonstrate that the religiousness of Confucianism fulfills the cultural and ethical needs of the on-going new religious movement in China. Also, it helps modern people in their search for a life of meaning in times of cultural crisis and socialanomie.

Engaged religions and the social life of goodness -- Legacies and discontinuities in China, Taiwan and Malaysia -- Political merit-making: religious philanthropy and the state -- A (Chinese) good person -- Gifts, groups, and goodness -- Innovating the good -- Alternative goodness