Religion

Confucianism

• The communists called the Confucian ethical code and ideas 'old culture' with no place in the New China
• In 1949 all ceremonies honouring him were stopped
• During the Cultural Revolution the attacks on Confucianism became violent
• The temple at Confucius's birthplace was attacked
• At this point being associated with confucianism was politically dangerous
• For example part of the justification for purging Liu Shaoqi was that he preached Confucian ideas

Ancestor Worship

• Mao believed that traditional beliefs such as ancestor worship represented old fashioned thought and didn't fit into his vision of a New China
• Traditions, such as traditions practiced as part of what we call in the West Chinese New Year was at first discouraged and then condemned by the communists
• Workers going home to pay their respects to their ancestors were urged not to take joss sticks or red paper envelops as they were termed as 'superstitious articles'
• They were also told to no longer honour the kitchen god because in a traditional ceremony commoners always made their sacrifices last - a symbol of feudalist oppression

Christianity

• Christianity was targeted as it was believed to represent Western, imperialist ideas
• In January 1951 a Religious Affairs Department (RAD) was set up
• In 1954 the RAD grew to become the Religious Affairs Bureau
• Some of it's first main tasks was
• • To force out foreign missionaries
  • To persuade or force Christians to cut ties with foreign countries
  • Take over Christian run schools that got funding from western churches

Islam

• Mosques were seized and used for struggle meetings
• Muslim schools were turned into barns for livestock

Buddhism

• Buddhism was less organised than Christianity and Islam and so was easier to attack
• Monks were denounced as 'parasites' by the regime and as soon as the communists took power monks were -
• - Sent back to their homes and work and ordered to work
• - Some were forced to in list in military academies
• - Others were denounced as counter-revolutionaries and killed at struggle meetings
• During the 'Resist America, Aid Korea' campaign the Buddhist Association urged members to undergo 'thought reform' and abandon their 'feudal ideology'
• Ancient temples were converted into barrack, prisons, schools and hospitals for the soldiers wounded in Korea
• Although the Yonghegong Temple in Beijing remained and was even restored at great expense in case foreigners came - the regime still wanted the pretence of religious tolerance
• In the 1950 Agrarian Reform Law Buddhist landholdings were redistributed
• In 1953 the regime organised a Chinese Buddhism Association which was officially to speak up for Buddhism but in reality it was a form of government control
• The objective was to 'unite Buddhists of China so that they might participate under the leadership of the People's Government'

Successful?

• Buddhism in Tibet was repressed
• Public Christian worship was banned but was still practiced in private