In Xi Jinping’s China, even Buddhism, a religion that has been traditionally practiced in the country, is not safe.
In August alone, two temples were either shut down or forcibly seized by the CCP authorities.
On August 6, officials from Henan’s Fengqiao town broke into the local Taishan Temple and declared that demolishing temples was the Party’s policy, and no one could stop it.
They then ordered the temple’s leader to remove the Buddha statues and all equipment from inside the temple. Later, the officials sent in personnel to repaint the temple, and hung up a sign that read, “Farmers’ Book House.”
A week before, officials in Hubei’s Huangshi city showed up at the local Shengxian Palace Temple. They ordered for it to be shut down on the grounds that the temple was not licensed. When the temple’s leader tried to intervene, the officials said, “We’re now retreading the path of Mao Zedong. All religious belief must be eliminated!”
Last year in December, in Zhejiang’s Yueqing city, authorities forcibly demolished an under-construction temple in the Ximen village. More than 100 workers were mobilized for the task, and the temple authorities suffered losses worth 2 million RMB or 300,000 USD.
As per reports, the local authorities have issued orders for all temples with over 50 believers to be shut down, especially if they can be observed via satellites. Several temples have been demolished in the city as a result.
Reported by Shen Xiang
