Chinese government has always been famous for its monopoly over religion. China is a country with rich religious prophesy. Chinese culture is a unique phenomenon which is famous for combining different kinds of religion, such as mysticism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism and others. Chinese culture has its own philosophical system and world overview. From ancient times in China there was created a common background for the development of different religions. Chinese people choose the religion that coincides with their inner feeling and approach to life. It is interesting to note that Buddhism, Hinduism, Christian religion, etc were brought to China from other countries, while the only religion that was developed in China on the basis of ancient mystical practices is Taoism. However, in China does not exist a notion of the “national religion”. No religion is dominating; Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism exist separately but at the same time they all influence Chinese culture and way of thinking. In order to understand how all these religious practices can peacefully co-exist in one country it would be of great use to get general notions about mysticism, Buddhism, Confucianism and Taoism. The historical circumstances allowed China to develop different religious practices on its territory which do not only oppress each other but even contribute to the formation and development of the common Chinese philosophical system and culture.


The communist regime has changed many things in the country and religion did not become an exception. New regime made an attempt to control all spheres of life, including religion. “Religious organizations and the Communist Party share a reliance on ideology and organization to operate and survive, making them potential rivals. As a shrewd monopolist of organizational and ideological instruments, the state seeks to reduce the threat posed by religion, adopting differentiated strategies toward them as they revive” (Lai, 57). For the Chinese government the question of religion is very important because it deals with the influence on people and the government of China does not want to share its power and influence with anyone.
Chinese state developed intelligent technology of dealing with different religious groupings. It can tolerate, cooperate with some religious organizations while it also may restrict and suppress others. State policy towards religion is usually determined by the strength, structure and doctrine of the religions organization. The government chooses cooperation with those religious groups which act in accordance with state authority and oppresses all the rest. The main aim of the state is to limit the growth of religious influence in the country. It strictly traces the growth of strong and independent religious groups and makes everything possible to stop the growth of their popularity.
This history of religious oppression in China is longer than the history of the Communist regime in this country. Crackdown on Tibetan Buddhist monasteries is a famous fact of the Chinese history which attracted attention of the entire world. Aggression against religious community of other countries soon became directed against the citizens of China itself. Communist regime and Mao showed very intolerant attitude to all kind of religions but there are those which experienced greater pressure than others. After communists came to power religions rights and freedoms of the Chinese citizens became limited. This became exactly noticeable on the example of Falun Gong religious group and Christian community in China.
During the post-Mao era attitude to religion became more pluralistic. All kinds of religions got more freedom and those ones which experience the biggest pressure also got an opportunity for development. “In the post-Mao decades China has experienced widespread revival of religious faith and practice. This is evident in growing number of new religious sites and an increasing attendance at religious services, as well as the rise of numerous unofficial and unorthodox religions, including Falun Gong” ( Lai 55). Official data states that big part of Chinese population belongs to one of five major world religions. “According to official reports followers of the five religious, namely, Buddhism, Daoism, Islam, Catholicism, and Protestantism totaled 136 millions in 1999, or 11% of the population: (Lai, 55). Despite Chinese authorities were very reluctant to recognize this, but big part of China population belongs to non-orthodox religions.
Originally when Falun Gong was introduced in 1992 by its founder Li Hongzhi, it was accepted by the government. Since this practice was based on the qigong practice, which was treated like a set of breathing and physical exercises in China, it was accepted by the government of the country. During the next several years Li Hongzhi visited almost all Chinese big cities introducing his new teaching. Quick growth of popularity of new practice and teaching can be explained as a counter-movement to rapid economical development of the country. Falun Gong presented the set of beliefs which agitated people to become close with nature and turn to their true origin. These ideas did not coincide with governmental plans of rapid economic and financial development. The conflict of ideologies and growing popularity of Falun Gong resulted in quick reaction of the government officials. The government did not share peaceful attitude of many followers of Falun Gong, who reviewed it as “an apolitical response to their individual and social concerns. By focusing on self-cultivation and individual moral salvation, and by urging its members to take lightly or give up ‘attachments’ to the desires, ambitions, and sentimentality that ordinarily rule modern human life, Falun Gong is reactive, defensive, and politically conservative” (Zhao, Yuezhi, 220). Many followers became attracted to Falun Gong because it promised quick healing without expensive drugs and without using expansive medical services which were too expansive for many citizens. Other specialists believe that philosophical basis and regulation became the main source of attraction for the wide publicity: “For beginners, health benefits seem to be a primary concern. Over time, as good health comes to be a given and as their study of Master Li’s books deepens, the metaphysical system of Falun Gong seems to take precedence as cultivators work to shed their attachments and move to higher levels…” (Lowe, 69). The reaction of the government followed in 1999. Silent demonstration near Zhongnanhai became beginning of prosecution of Falun Gong. For the next several years its followers had to expiernece phsysical threat, arrests, restrictions and humilitaitons. On July 20, 1999 Falun Gong was oficially banned : “China today banned the Research Society of Falun Dafa and the Falun Gong organization under its control after deeming them to be illegal” (Xinhua, China Bans Falun Gong ). After this ban the state initiated a real haunt on the Falun Gong. All means of the state power, such as economic restrictions, Mass Media, police, and education insitututions were used as a mean to prosecute Falun Gong. The memebers of Falun Gong were illegally arrested, forsed to labors and tortured. “Falun Gong related cases comprise 66% of all reported torture cases in China, and at least half of the labour camp population” (International Religious Freedom Report 2007). Finally inhuman attitude and abuses against the members of this religious group attracted attention of the world publicity. Many countries expressed concern and blamed China for breaking human rules and religious freedoms. Only in the 2000s the situation with Falun Gong prosecution began to change for better. Falun Gong got more religious freedom. Adherents of this religion, who went through severe prosecution at the end of the last century got finally an opportunity to express their religious belonging without a fear. Despite some improvement of the situation there is still limitations of religions liberties of adherents of these religious group. “Scholars note that state has introduced a series of laws and regulations regarding religion, that the state cracks down on sects such as Falun Gong, and that the states tries to maintain political control while showcasing its tolerance” (Lai, 55). The question with Falun Gong is not resolved yet. State authorities still regard it as “evil cult”. They do not believe that this issue goes under the category of human right issues. Despite the government officials do not have enough proof of “evil” nature of this religious organization they still refuse to treat it as a religious group which has a right to exist.
Falun Gong is not the only religious group which expierences supporession and prosecution from the state. Christian religion also has difficult relations with the state in China. Christian Church is a minority church in China. There are about 12 million of Catholics in China. Adherents of Christianity have to experience different kind of pressure and prosecution. Long struggle between the China government and Vatican resulted in development of different branches of Christian church in China. “This struggle has resulted in three different Churches: the open, state-controlled patriotic Church (hereafter called the open Church); the illegal, underground Church, which regards the Pope as the ultimate authority (hereafter called the underground Church); and Chinese Catholics whose loyalties are divided between the state and the Pope” (Simons 16). During the periods of moderate control Vatican gained certain control over the Catholic movement in China. Starting from the 1980s the situation changed and state leaders put effort in order to prevent the rejoining of the Chinese Catholic movement. Chinese authorities refused Vatican the formal diplomatic recognition. Sino-Vatican relations have always been a complicated issue. Starting from 2007 Vatican addressed China with the initiative to reestablish diplomatic relations with this country. There was not reached any agreement on this initiative yet. The main obstacle became the question of bishops’ appointment. According to the rules of the Catholic Church bishops are appointed by the pope, but in China they are appointed by the government. Vatican and Chinese governments could not find any agreement on this issue and it is still the factor which became the main obstacle for normal Sino-Vatican relations. Some specialists believe that renewal of relations between Vietnam and Vatican can become an example for Vatican and China and can give an idea about the way to reestablish relations between these two countries. Despite Vatican shows an initiative in the attempts to renew the relationship Chinese government creates different obstacles which do not let to resolve this issue completely yet. Till the present moment the rights of Chinese Catholics are neglected. They are allowed to worship only in groups in special places and any connection to Vatican is rejected. These restrictions limit the rights of all Chinese Catholics, who count around 60 millions.
Social changes and economical development became also reflected in the religious legislation of the country. State control became not so strong during the last several years. New laws and regulations also imply that “religious bodies, activities and believers should abide by the constitution, laws and regulations to safeguard national unity, racial harmony and social stability”( Simons 16). Latest changes in the state laws guarantee the freedom of religions to the citizens of the country: “No organization or individual may force citizens to believe or not to believe in religions. They are not allowed to discriminate against citizens who are believers or non-believers” (Simons 18). Theoretically this kind of legislation assumes that officials who illegally prosecute religious groups or their members can face prosecution themselves. Despite new regulations sound very nice they do not act yet. Some western critics believe these new regulations to be only a way to disguise abuses from external observers. “The US government has accused the Chinese authorities of harassing believers who do not belong to state-sanctioned organizations” (Simons 19).So, there are still big problems with the freedom of religion of the country. Despite the laws adopted during the last years, independent observers still monitor repressions of certain religious organizations. In many cases authorities neglect new laws and turn to illegal repressions and prosecution of religious organizations.

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