How survey-based estimates of zongjiao religious affiliation in China vary from our earlier, broader approach

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August 26, 2023

Methodology

How survey-based estimates of zongjiao religious affiliation in China vary from our earlier, broader approach

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How survey-based estimates of zongjiao religious affiliation in China vary from our earlier, broader approach

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Methodology
Sudden decline in China’s folk religion estimate is likely due to the 2021 CGSS’s omission of some provinces
Religious (zongjiao) attendance in 2018 and 2021
After adjusting for ethnic composition, fewer than 2% of adults in China are Muslim
With the new weight, the ethnic composition in the survey aligns with the census
Surveys with ‘folk religion’ option tend to produce lower estimates of Buddhist affiliation
Listing ‘no zongjiao’ as the first response option seems to have little impact on Christian or Buddhist estimates
Surveys that ask about religion (zongjiao) produce similar Christian estimates, despite wording differences
Multiple faiths
Excluding respondents with multiple faiths produces similar results as those presented in this report

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