Religious Music in China

Abstract

This paper examines China's topology and the close relationships between its government and different religions, encompassing Taoism, Buddhism, and Confucianism, manifested by music. Under the government's authority and guidance, these religions' music does not express political views or social transformations and instead seeks inner peacefulness and facilitates the fulfilment of religious or ritual purposes. The rise of Chinese Christian praise music in the recent two decades reflects a transformation that Christianity will likely continue to grow with more praise songs covered and created in China and enrich the diversity of Chinese religious music.