A new book helps understanding why the atheist Chinese Communist Party claims it has the right to decide which Buddhist lamas are authorized to reincarnate.
Buddhism
China Destroying Cultural Heritage – One Piece at a Time
In the most severe crackdown on Buddhism and Taoism since the Cultural Revolution, ancient temples and statues are being demolished across the country.
Thousand-Year-Old Temple Destroyed to Build Highway
Monks who lived at old Buddhist Gaoshan Temple in Jiujiang city were forced to move as Chinese government demolishes the holy place.
Ancient Town Suffers Destruction of Buddhist Temples
Since the rise of Xi Jinping, the Chinese government longs to return to the past of the Cultural Revolution, replacing religion with personality politics.
Bronze Guanyin Statue Destroyed in Shandong
The Religious Affairs Bureau took ownership of the 34-meter-tall statue of the Buddhist Goddess of Mercy in June and ordered its demolition a few months later.
Sinicization of Religion Accelerates
China’s efforts to sinicize – or “make Chinese” – all official religions in the country have gained momentum in recent months. Evidence of this acceleration is, literally, blowing in the wind.
13-Year-Old Temple in Huangshi City Destroyed
Xishan Temple, which cost $1 million RMB to be built in 2005 by a Buddhist woman from Huangshi city, in the central province of Hubei, is now a pile of ruins — thanks to a government demolition crew.
Monks in Crisis After Temples Are Closed Down
Numerous Buddhist and Taoist temples throughout China have been sealed off or demolished, leaving the elderly monks and believers who lived there with nowhere to go.
Authorities Target Billboards Containing Word “Buddha”
China’s latest round of crackdown against Buddhist venues continues to intensify. Even shop signboards containing the Chinese character Fó (佛meaning “Buddha” or “Buddhism”) have been forcibly removed or painted over. The Buddhist supplies store was replaced by “arts...
Saving Buddhist Statues in Hebei
After the central government ordered to demolish all religious statues in Wu’an city, local people decided to conceal 500 Buddhist statues in an attempt to save them. An almost 30-meter-tall statue of Buddha did not survive.