Since the rise of Xi Jinping, the Chinese government longs to return to the past of the Cultural Revolution, replacing religion with personality politics.
Buddhism
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.
A Temple Forcibly Demolished Despite Residents’ Protests
A Buddhist Temple in Fujian Province was razed to the ground because of the local authorities’ plans to use its land for a real estate development with private companies.
Authorities Crack Down on Buddhists at Mount Jiuhua
A memorial archway at one of the four sacred mountains of Chinese Buddhism has been forcibly demolished, and the president of the Mount Jiuhua Buddhist Association has been placed under house arrest.
Religious Policies as a Means of Extortion
A local Religious Affairs Bureau in Hubei Province summoned local Buddhists to a meeting about the newly revised Regulations on Religious Affairs. Not only were they required to pay a participation fee, but also had to purchase national flags and fire extinguishers.