religion

The Shanghai Temple Offering Noodles for the Soul 

Visual stories that get up close and personal with contemporary China. A mix of short videos, documentaries, photography, and data visualization.

MULTIMEDIA

Lü Xiao

How China Found New Value in Its Oldest Gods

Contributions from individuals with unique perspectives to share. Hear from everyone, from experts and commentators to those whose voices are often marginalized.

VOICES & OPINION

Salt gods are at the center of some of China’s oldest — and most flexible— folk traditions.

Xu Shengnan

The Many Faces of China’s Most Popular Deity

Good fortune comes in many forms. It only makes sense that the God of Wealth would, too.

Wu Shishu

Chinese Buddhists Don’t Eat Meat. Can They Convince Others to Do the Same?

A monastery in southwest China is trying to return Buddhism to its rightful place at the vegetarian table.

Liu Shuman

Ex-Soldier Sleeps in Cave for 22 Years to Protect Song Treasures

Translations, cross-publications, and collaborative projects from Sixth Tone’s external partners. 

SIXTH TONE ×

Night watchman Tang Pingchang returned to his childhood home to guard ancient relics from thieves and vandals.

Yuan Rongsun

Checking in on Taoism Abroad

Where do Taoists around the world look for leadership?

Zhu Yiwen

How a Tibetan Village Became a Giant Factory for Buddhist Art

Articles that cut to the core of contemporary China. In-depth, informed, and carefully crafted, every piece is carried by the voices of the story’s participants.

FEATURES

China’s growing obsession with Buddhist paintings has transformed life in the historically Tibetan village of Wutun — and sparked local soul-searching about the trade-offs between economic progress and religious faith.

Wu Peiyue

Chinese Seniors Find Peace — and a New Home — in Temples

As the country ages, new forms of elder care are needed.

Qi Tengfei

Young Chinese Embrace Temple Visits to Evade Life’s Pressures

Timely reports on issues and events from across China. Drawing on a vast range of sources, these succinct articles provide insights into the significance of each issue in a wider context.

NEWS

Online travel platforms are seeing a surge in bookings to religious sites from young people seeking a “heart-cleansing experience.”

Ye Zhanhang

Post-COVID, China’s Taoist Temples Are Still Finding Their Way

Taoist Temples spent the past three years moving services online. Can they bring devotees back?

Pray to Pay: Buddhism’s Questionable Virtual Future

Working, shopping, and romance have all gone virtual. Why not Buddhism?

The Paper

China to Rectify Religious Sites After Temple Honors War Criminals 

Reports of a woman worshiping World War II criminals have sparked a backlash over the past week.

Southwest China’s Migrant Monks Face an Uncertain Future

Monks from Myanmar and Laos helped keep Xishuangbanna’s Buddhist tradition alive, but tighter border controls could force them out.

Ma Zhen

China’s Taoist Temples Try a Little Marketing 101

Are temples’ trendy new talisman lines good business — or mass-produced sacrilege?

How a Forgotten Religion Shaped China

In a small temple in the southeastern city of Quanzhou, half a world away from his birthplace, visitors can find one of the last still-standing representations of the Persian prophet Mani.

Mao Ming

Chinese Social Sites Ban Online Influencers Capitalizing on Buddhism 

Several state media outlets have criticized the trend dubbed “foyuan” for turning religion into a profit-making tool.

Luo Meihan

The Divine Legacy of a Dutch Taoist

Kristofer Schipper’s decision to approach Taoism as a living, breathing religion was revolutionary.

The Men Who Lost Their Wives to ‘Eastern Lightning’

Also known as “Church of Almighty God,” the forbidden religious group keeps attracting members, despite prosecution.

Du Xinyu

Fishers Among Men: Lake Tai’s Catholics Bid Farewell to the Waters

For centuries, the lake’s has been home to a unique population of Catholic converts. A new fishing ban means the end of an era — but not their faith.

How Old Beliefs Are Adapting to China’s ‘New Normal’

After months of being closed, Shanghai’s places of worship are cautiously reopening to the public.