Faitheists arise

Even though China is officially atheist, freedom of religious belief is guaranteed by the Constitution. Buddhism has long been acknowledged as the major religious faith in China. Buddhism, Taoism, Catholicism, Protestantism and Islam are the five major religions.

It is officially estimated there are 100 million religious believers in China. However, occasionally Buddhist monks and nuns performing rites have been regarded as superstitious and local governments have wanted to downplay religious activities.

The country did not have survey on religious beliefs until 2007 when professors Tong Shijun and Liu Zhongyu of the Shanghai-based East China Normal University released their research results.

A poll of 4,500 Chinese aged above 16 found that 31.4 percent described themselves as religious, which suggests 300 million people nationwide could be religious, three times higher than the official figure.

The survey also found growing numbers of young people are developing an interest in religion. About two-thirds of those in the poll who considered themselves religious were aged between 16 and 39.

When it comes to the reasons, about 24 percent of the responses said religion "shows the true path of life." Another 20 percent said they find themselves at ease with religion.

"Many young people are very stressed and uptight in their daily lives, and they are more likely to turn to religion to find a balance," Li said.

Tashi Dondrup, a professor at Southwest University for Nationalities, said he has noticed more and more Han students wearing prayer beads in class.

"The younger generation is more open-minded towards religion, they seem curious about something that is different than their own culture," Dondrup told the Global Times.

Other reasons include disappointment in Han Chinese Buddhism.

"If I have to choose a religion, I would choose Tibetan Buddhism rather than others," 30-year-old Luo Hongbo from Hunan Province told the Global Times.

His first impression of Tibetan Buddhism came from poem picked by famous Chinese director Feng Xiaogang in his film If You Are the One 2 in 2010.

The poem, written by the Sixth Dalai Lama Tsangyang Gyatso, reads "Best not to meet you. Then I won't fall in love; Best not to know you. Then I won't miss you."

"I was surprised that a lama could have written such a beautiful poem," he said. "Since then I could not take my eyes off Tibetan Buddhism."

There is a Han Chinese Buddhist temple near his workplace. He said he never visits there and he is not going to.

"Even the current abbot of the Shaolin temple, Shi Yongxin, is a CEO now; I don't think he is too busy making money to care about life," Tu said.

Money worship is considered a new "religion" in China and many people have materialistic desires, Tu said.

"Many people make a lot of money and spend a lot of money, they don't feel happy and they don't know why," he said. "It is hard to find happiness without faith."

Tu said he does not make as much money as he used to, but he is a happier person now.

Fashion icon

Celebrity appeal is another attraction of Tibetan Buddhism. A number of celebrities, such as Faye Wong, a highly successful and influential Hong Kong singer, have expressed support for the religion. It was also reported that she became even more religious after she started having problems with her ex-husband.

On her 44th birthday, Wong posted a photo of her pilgrimage trip to Tibet on her Sina Weibo, which showed her red forehead from performing the kowtow ritual. When the couple divorced last year, there were even rumors she intended to become a nun.

Chen Kun, a top Chinese actor, published a book called Suddenly, I walk to Tibet in 2012, in which he described his amazing journey walking to Tibet to discover himself.

Spiritual books that help people to seek comfort have hit people's shelves. The new book Everything is the Best Arrangement written by Living Buddha Gyatso, in which he shares his understanding of happiness, sold 50,000 volumes in two weeks.

Even inspirational teachers such as Khenpo So Dargye, who has half a million followers on Weibo use social media, to give Buddhist advice.

But Tu said he thinks Tibetan Buddhism is more than just a fashion statement. "Fashion will fade one day, but the things that Tibetan Buddhism teach will spread."