China is a unified multinational and multireligion country. In the endless flow of history, the traditional religious culture of its minority nationalities occupies a position that cannot be neglected inany study of the nation's religious history, with itsethnic characteristics and pluralist pattern.
Since the ethnic minority groups of China have differing development histories and socialbackgrounds, their religious beliefs have extremelyrich cultural meaning. It is not only an integral part of the growth of national culture but also a mirror reflecting changes in social history. As carriers of national culture, religious beliefs of the ethnic minority groups provide a picture of the national spirit,character, mentality, morality and value system. They play an important role in the livelihood and production modes of various ethic minority groups,
In contrast to the general religious beliefs of the Han ethnic group, those of the minority groups are generally characterized with the following features:
1. They are varied and complicated with each ethnicminority group possessing their own traditional beliefs created and developed from various origins.

 

 

Preface
Chapter Ⅰ
Original Religions and Folk Religions of Chinese Minorities
Ⅰ. Origin of Primitive Religious Beliefs
Ⅱ. Original Religions of Chinese Ethnic Minorities
Ⅲ. Folk Religion of Chinese Minorities
Chapter Ⅱ
Theist Belief among Chinese Minorities
Ⅰ. Taoism of the Yao Ethnic Group
Ⅱ. The Influence of Taoism on Other Ethnic Minorities
Chapter Ⅲ
Buddhist Belief Among Chinese Minorities
Ⅰ. Ethnic Minorities and Tibetan Buddhism
Ⅱ. Ethnic Minorities and Southern Buddhism
Ⅲ. Ethnic Minorities and Inland Buddhism
Chapter Ⅳ
Chinese Minorities and Islamic Belief
Ⅰ. Hui Ethnic Group and Islam
Ⅱ. Uygur Ethnic Group and Islam
III. Other Ethnic Groups Belief in Islam
Chapter Ⅴ
Christian Belief of Chinese Minorities
Ⅰ. Ethnic Minorities and Catholicism
Ⅱ. Ethnic Minorities and Orthodox Church
Ⅲ. Ethnic Minorities and Protestantism　
Chapter Ⅵ
"Historical Religions" of Chinese Minorities/
Ⅰ. Nestorianism
Ⅱ. Magianism
Ⅲ. Manichaeism