Religion in China: Survival and Revival under Communist Rule

Religion in China survived the most radical suppression in human history--a total ban of any religion during and after the Cultural Revolution (1966-1979).All churches, temples, and mosques were closed down, converted for secular uses, or turned to museums for the purpose of atheist education.China remains under Communist rule. But in the last three decades, religion has revived and thrived.Christianity has been the fastest growing religion for decades.Many Buddhist and Daoist temples have been restored.The state even sponsors large Buddhist gatherings and ceremonies to venerate Confucius and the legendary ancestors of the Chinese people.Traditional Chinese temples have sprung up in some areas.On the other hand, quasi-religious qigong practices, once ubiquitous in public parks throughout the country, are now rare.All the while, the authorities have carried out waves of atheist propaganda, anti-superstition campaigns, severe crackdowns on the underground Christian churches and various '