General Information » Culture & Lifestyle » Religion

The relaxation of controls over religion at the end of the 70s resulted in a surge of spiritual activity. But, there are still far fewer places of worship than before the Cultural Revolution.

There still isn’t total freedom of worship. For a congregation to be held, places of worship must register with the government’s department for religious affairs and not be seen as a threat to society.

Roman Catholic churches come under the jurisdiction of the state-controlled Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA), rather than the Vatican, as the Communist Party does not accept any organisation owing allegiance to a foreign influence. Bishops are chosen by the CPCA and not Rome. This caused a divide and forced some bishops to go ‘underground’. However, the government is becoming more conciliatory, and the Vatican has endorsed some CPCA-appointed bishops. There are active Catholic and Protestant churches. Special services are held to mark Christmas and Easter, in addition to weekly services.

Temples representing all three traditional beliefs in China – Taoism, Buddhism and Confucianism – are dotted around, while Muslim and Jewish congregations also have places to worship. Kehillat Beijing was the first congregation to be established following Deng Xiaoping’s open door policy almost 30 years ago. There are now about 800 Jews in the city, and weekly services are held at the Capital Club Athletic Centre in Chaoyang (www.sinogogue.org, 010 6467 2225) as well as at a Jewish centre in the same district.

Three mosques cater to the Muslim population. Islam came to China via the Silk Road 1,500 years ago and today there are an estimated 20 million Chinese Muslims. They are primarily the Uyghurs and Hui in the north-west of the country, notably in the autonomous region of Xinjiang and neighbouring areas.



Places Of Worship

Listings

Bai Ta Si (White Dagoba Temple)

Baiyun Guan (Taoist Temple)

Beijing Gangwashi Church

Cathedral Of The Immaculate Conception (Nan Tang)

Chabad Lubavitch Of Beijing (Jewish)

Chongwenmen Protestant Church

Congregation Of The Good Shepherd

Dong Yue Miao (Taoist Temple)

Dongsi Mosque

Fahai Temple

Haidian Protestant Church

Jietai Temple

Kong Miao Confucian Temple

Kuanjie Protestant Church

Lidai Diwang Miao (Temple Of Past Emperors)

Niu Jie Mosque

Source Of Law Temple (Fayuan Si)

St.Michael’s (Dongjiaominxiang Cathedral)

Temple Of Azure Clouds

The River Of Grace Church

Wangfujing Catholic Church (East Church)

Wanshou Temple

West Church

Xiapo Mosque

Xishiku Catholic Church

Yonghe Temple (Lama Temple)

Zhushikou Protestant Church