After the CCP ordered a crackdown on religious statues, many were modified in bizarre ways as this was the only alternative to destruction. Bitter Winter here collects several typical cases for our readers.
Taoism
Portraits, Statues of Mao and Xi Replace Deities in Temples
To save Buddhist and Taoist temples from demolition, believers hide or remove religious statues, replace them with images of China’s past and current leaders.
1,800 Religious Statues “Disappeared” in a Scenic Area
The Arhat Mountain scenic area, built with private funds to pay tribute to Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism, came under the government’s attack.
Temples Stifled, Believers Arrested for Defending Their Rights
Over the past few months, multiple Buddhist and Taoist temples were forcibly dismantled or shut down in Hubei Province.
A Sichuan Scenic Area Loses All Buddhist and Taoist Statues
The CCP is spending exorbitant sums of money and workforce to eliminate all outdoor religious symbols by demolishing or concealing them.
A Taoist God Sculpture Turned Into a Billboard
The government of Chongqing municipality is demolishing Taoist and Buddhist symbols, as part of the nationwide crackdown on outdoor religious statues.
Lao-Tzu Sculpture Concealed for “Violating Religious Policy”
Even symbols of traditional Chinese spiritual teachings are not spared in the campaign to eliminate all religions, as Taoist symbols and temples face demolition.
Zhejiang Authorities Demolish Temples as “Illegal Buildings”
Buddhist and Taoist places of worship fall victim to the government’s religion suppression crackdowns, which they execute on trumped-up pretexts.
Chinese Mythological Goddesses Replace Buddhist Deities
The CCP intensifies crackdowns against Buddhists and Taoist outdoor statues by removing or modifying them. Even the smallest religious symbols must go.
Buddhist, Taoist Temples Destroyed Secretly at Night
Authorities across China are demolishing places of worship at odd hours to avoid protests from believers, who are left with no chance to voice their grievances.