Chinese are not deeply religious and show a comparative indifference to metaphysical speculation. Chinese culture was perhaps the first to develop an intellectual skepticism concerning the gods. “All land under heaven belongs to the emperor; all people on the land are subjects of the emperor”. This used to be the conception of the imperial power in traditional Chinese culture. As everything depends on and serves the imperial power, so does every religion. Religion as an ideological system must gain the recognition of the monarch. This has been the first criterion of religions. The more an ideological system was recognize, supported and praised by the monarch, the more this ideological system became a religion.

Attempts to manipulate the forces which shape the human and natural worlds have been a key element in all Chinese religious traditions. This is manifested in a complex mix of religious, superstitious and magical beliefs and practices. The religious outlook of most Chinese people consists of some combination of beliefs and practices from different religions. It is very rare for only one to be practiced to the exclusion of the others.
Chinese people have shown themselves to be concerned primarily with the human person and society. They are also more ancestors worshiping than god veneration. In a predominantly rural country, this has manifested itself in a concern for the land and its prosperity. Thus religious practice has been closely linked with the question of the ownership of the land. The various folk traditions in the religion of the rural masses have a comparable preoccupation with these worldly concerns, expressed in earthbound beliefs in the gods of the family and the soil.

The first documented translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese occurs in 148 AD with the arrival of the Parthian prince-turned-monk An Shigao. He worked to establish Buddhist temples in Loyang and organized the translation of Buddhist scriptures into Chinese. Also, testifying to the beginning of a wave of Central Asian Buddhist proselytism that was to last several centuries. An Shigao translated Buddhist texts on basic doctrines, meditation, and abhidharma. An Xuan, a Parthian layman who worked alongside An Shigao, also translated an early Mahāyāna Buddhist text on the bodhisattva path.

Mahāyāna Buddhism was first widely propagated in China by the Kushan monk Lokak?ema, who came from the ancient Buddhist kingdom of Gandhāra. Lokak?ema translated important Mahāyāna sūtras such as the A??asāhasrikā Praj?āpāramitā Sūtra, as well as rare, early Mahāyāna sūtras on topics such as samādhi, and meditation on the buddha Ak?obhya. These translations from Lokak?ema continue to give insight into the early period of Mahāyāna Buddhism.

The influence of Buddhism on Chinese culture is profound, not only in terms of religion, but also literature, art, traditional customs, etc.
The introduction of Buddhism also exerted subtle influence on China's traditional customs and social mores. It helped improve people's view on life and the further spreading of filial piety. The principle of "Bad deeds, as well as good, may rebound upon the doer" is deeply rooted in the society, causing people to do good deeds in order to pursue a better afterlife.

The advocacy of filial piety in Buddhism makes people go after virtues and pay respect to other people, forming a society of amicability.Chinese literature, such as novels, lyrics and even artistic creation have close interrelationship with translated Buddhist sutra. Many Chinese literati loved reading sutra to get inspired in their imagination and writing skills, which imposed direct influence on the development of Chinese literature. Masterpieces such as A Dream of Red Mansions (Hong Lou Meng) and Journey to the West (Xi You Ji), which based on Xuanzang’s journey to India for learning Buddhism, are influenced by sutra in terms of structure and writing technique, and are of great literal value.
Ancient Chinese architecture, bei ng exquisite and magnificent, especially Buddhist temples, had its configuration originated and imitated from primitive Buddhism of India. The development of sculpture, painting and murals accelerated due to the prosperity of Buddhism in China. Yungang Grottoes located in Datong City of Shanxi province, for example, represents outstanding Chinese Buddhist Grottoes Art during the 5th and 6th century with 51,000 Buddhist statues in 252 grottoes.