Chinese folk religion is a dynamic, living system where gods and spirits known as shen actively participate in the daily lives of the people. These deities manifest as spirits of nature, ancestors, or former human beings who have achieved immortality and are judged by their ability to reveal their power or ling to the public.
A massive revival of folk religion has taken place since the 1980s with millions of temples being rebuilt or constructed from scratch across China. This resurgence has been driven by economic prosperity, the relaxation of government policies, and a growing interest in preserving traditional culture.
Tian serves as the transcendent source of moral meaning and is also immanent within the physical world as the home to the sun, moon, and stars. It is the force that grants the Mandate of Heaven to rulers who possess virtue and withdraws it from those who fail.
Southern China focuses on lineages and their churches where ancestral gods are worshipped in family altars or private temples within patrilineal kinship societies. In contrast, central-northern China hinges on the communal worship of tutelary deities of creation and nature as identity symbols by villages populated by families of different surnames.
The Chinese government officially recognizes five religions but considers Chinese folk religion to be part of China's cultural heritage rather than a religion. This classification has allowed for a unique form of benign neglect where local governments take a positive and supportive attitude towards indigenous religion in the name of promoting cultural heritage.