China, most of them in Xinjiang Province. The biggest and most important mosque in China is located in the city of Xi’an and is called the Great Mosque of Xi’an. It has a distinctive Chinese feel to it, with elements of Chinese and Buddhist architecture mixed with Muslim features.
GOD IS RED: ATHEISM AND THE CULT OF MAO
With the establishment of the Communist People’s Republic of China in 1949, religions were outlawed. Superstition, traditional beliefs and customs and religious practices were viewed as backward and not contributing to forward progress, not to mention their incompatibility with Communist ideology. As such, all religious practices, including Taoism, Confucianism, Buddhism, Christianity and ancestral worship, were suppressed. Mao Zedong established himself as the Great Helmsman and unquestioned leader and authority in China. His many sayings were compiled into a book, which became known as the ‘little red book’. These sayings were committed to memory by many and quoted with religious fervor. The little red books were carried around by nearly everyone and considered as sacred as scripture. Those speaking out against Mao or his sayings were punished. Mao was considered by many to have reached godlike status among the Chinese. This Cult of Mao subsided after his death in 1976 and has faded since then.
CHRISTIANITY IN CHINA
Nestorian Christianity first came to China in the 8th century during the Tang Dynasty but did not meet with much success. By the Mongol period in the 13th century, some Mongol tribes were primarily Nestorian Christian, an early branch of Christianity from Persia. Franciscan friars from Europe also began proselytizing in China during this period. Through the years, various Christian missionaries traveled to China preaching their faith, the most famous being Matteo Ricci who arrived in 1582 and introduced Western science, mathematics and astronomy. Other Christian missionaries continued to go to China in search of converts through the 17th and 18th centuries. Often these missionaries were met with strong resistance from the ruling emperors. Qing Dynasty emperors in the early 19th century outlawed Christianity and attempted to expel or kill all foreign and domestic Christians. Nevertheless, Christian proselytizing continued up into the 20th century.
Today, the Catholic and Protestant churches are officially recognized by the Chinese government and Christian chapels are located in large cities, some dating back to the late 19th and early 20th centuries. There is increasing interest in Christianity, with many informal ‘house churches’ throughout the countryside. Although not officially recognized by the government, they have become quite popular. Believers meet in private homes and traveling ministers often preach at these gatherings.
An old Christian church beside a canal in the city of Huangzhou.
FAMOUS HISTORICAL AND CULTURAL SITES IN CHINA
China’s long history and its vast and varied geography have given rise to numerous tourist attractions, including 48 UNESCO World Heritage sites that are both cultural and natural.
THE FORBIDDEN CITY
The 90 palaces and courtyards of the Forbidden City, situated in the very heart of Beijing, were home to 14 emperors of the Ming (1368–1644) and Qing (1644–1912) dynasties. Covering an area of 178 acres (72 ha) and entered through Tiananmen, the Gate of Heavenly Peace, this largest ancient palatial structure in the world and the former ceremonial and political center of China is well worth a visit to see its traditional palace architecture and the many treasures housed in the Palace Museum.
THE GREAT WALL
The Great Wall of China stretches approximately 5,500 miles (8,850 km) across northern China from east to west. It begins at the sea in eastern China and winds up and down mountains and across deserts before it comes to an end in northwestern China. Construction began on the Great Wall during the Warring States Period (476–221 BCE) and was added to and rebuilt over the next 2,000 years. Much of what you see today was built during the Ming Dynasty and restored in the modern era. The wall was originally built by independent kingdoms to prevent invasion by nomadic tribes on the steppes of Asia. During the Qin Dynasty (221 BCE–206 CE), the various walls were connected to make a more complete structure to protect the country. It was built primarily by conscripted laborers using stone, brick, wood and tamped earth. The Ming Dynasty sections of the wall are 18–26 feet (6–8 m) tall and 15–30 feet (4–9 m) wide at the base, sloping to about 12 feet (4 m) wide at the top. Of the estimated 25,000 watchtowers built along the wall, some of which were large enough to house dozens of soldiers, many still remain. The Great Wall is a popular tourist attraction for both foreigners and Chinese. Many parts of the Wall are easily accessed from Beijing.
The Great Wall of China outside Beijing stretches for about 5,500 miles (8,850 km) from the sea in the east to the far deserts of northwestern China.
THE TERRACOTTA WARRIORS OF XI’AN
In 1974, on the outskirts of Xi’an, a farmer was digging a well and discovered a life-sized clay soldier. He had inadvertently discovered a huge tomb complex for the first emperor of the Qin Dynasty (221–206 BCE). The complex contained thousands of these life-sized warriors, many holding bronze weapons. The pit also contained life-sized chariots and terracotta horses. Most of the figures were broken into pieces but have since been painstakingly pieced back together. Although the figures appeared gray, there were remnants of vivid paint clinging to some of them. The actual tomb of the Qin emperor is just over a mile (2 km) away. These soldiers, lined up in formation in underground corridors, were built to protect the emperor’s tomb from invaders. A large structure has been built directly over the excavation site and is now one of the most important, interesting and popular museums in China.
YELLOW MOUNTAIN
HUANG SHAN
Huang Shan or Yellow Mountain is a mountain range, 6,115 feet (1,864 m) high, located in southern Anhui Province. The area is known for its stunning granite peaks, spectacular sunsets and sunrises, misty clouds, evocative pine trees, hot springs and high-quality green teas. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a popular tourist destination. Like Guilin in south-central China, Yellow Mountain has been the subject of countless landscape paintings and poems. A number of guesthouses and small restaurants are dotted among the peaks. Travelers can either take trams to the top of these or go the old-fashioned way, walking up some of the 60,000 stairs carved into the rock in the Yellow Mountain area.
SUN YAT-SEN MAUSOLEUM
THE SUN YAT-SEN MAUSOLEUM
The mausoleum of the father of modern China, Sun Yat-sen (1866–1925), is located on the outskirts of the city of Nanjing in Jiangsu Province, in an area called Purple Mountain. The mausoleum complex covers 20 acres (8 ha) and was completed in 1929. The complex consists of arched gateways, characters carved on stone tablets and an impressive series of stairways and platforms that lead to the actual tomb, which is a combination of Chinese and Western architecture. Inside the tomb building is a large marble statue of Sun Yat-sen dressed in traditional long robes. There are several other ceremonial buildings in the area, all located in a beautiful forested area to the east of Nanjing. The tomb of the first emperor of the Ming Dynasty is located nearby. This makes a pleasant excursion outside the
