In the 21st century, many changes occurred in the Chinese religion. These changes challenge our understanding of religion and also deepen our research on it. Prof. Wei Dedong will discuss the significant growth of institutional religions such as Buddhism and Protestant Christianity and the slowing down of the rise of Catholicism. Also, the Chinese people as providers of spirituality rather than membership recruitment broadly understand the values of religious institutions. This confirms the Chinese characteristic of practicing religion, which is the emphasis on spirituality rather than membership affiliation. In addition, religious spirituality has entered public sphere in today's China. In the field of religious studies, empirical studies based on fieldwork emerge as a popular trend.

Co-sponsored by the Department of East Asian Studies and Religious Studies.