Green　innovation　has　been　attracting　much　attention　from　academia　and　practice,　but　the　influence　of　religion　as　an　important　informal　institutional　factor　has　not　been　fully　investigated　in　existing　studies.　Taking　Chinese　listed　companies　from　2008　to　2019　as　a　sample,　this　study　attempts　to　examine　the　relationship　between　religious　atmosphere　and　corporate　green　innovation　performance.　The　empirical　results　indicate　that　a　religious　atmosphere　(Buddhism　and　Taoism　as　a　whole)　can　significantly　improve　corporate　green　innovation　performance,　particularly　high-quality　green　innovation.　The　positive　association　between　religion　and　green　innovation　performance　is　attenuated　by　pervasive　formal　institutions　(i.e.,　environmental　regulation),　indicating　that　there　is　a　substitutive　effect　between　religion　and　formal　institutions.　We　also　find　that　Taoism　mainly　supports　these　results,　while　Buddhism　has　a　limited　impact,　showing　that　there　is　a　heterogeneous　effect　between　different　religions.　We　further　find　that　the　positive　impact　of　religious　atmosphere　on　green　innovation　performance　is　more　pronounced　in　low-governance　enterprises　and　low-polluting　industries.　This　study　contributes　to　research　on　the　antecedents　of　corporate　green　innovation　and　the　consequence　of　religion,　which　is　of　great　significance　to　the　value　of　religion　in　business　practice.