Much has been said about religious oppression in China, but
observers say the Chinese authorities have become more tolerant of the
different religious practices.
Only religious groups which fail to register with the government are regarded
as threats to social stability.
The Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Beijing, more commonly known as
Nantang, or the Southern Cathedral is the oldest of all churches in the Chinese
capital -- it survived two earthquakes, a fire, and the Cultural Revolution.
Beijing has 17 official Catholic churches and eight Protestant churches, many
of which are packed with worshippers.
According to official estimates, China's official religions -- Christianity,
Islam, Buddhism and Taoism -- have attracted more than 140 million followers.
But observers say the figure is actually much higher.
In the early days of the Republic, religion was described as feudal and
superstitious, but now, the right to religion is enshrined under the country's
constitution.
Authorities take a neutral stand on religion, which means neither suppression
nor encouragement.
And increasingly, many Chinese are turning to religion, in particular Christianity,
said to be the fastest growing religion in the country.
"In the past my family had no religion. But I was curious and wanted to
know what the church was all about. And after coming to church, I decided to be
baptized," said a worshipper, Zhi Qianhong.
Many say they turn to religion for inner peace, and something to believe in.
"I faced a lot of pressure at work and didn't like what I saw in society.
So I come to church with my father and now I know that God's love for me is
broad and immense," said another worshipper, Chen Xuemei.
While the Catholic church in Beijing makes little effort to evangelize, it
still manages to draw in the crowds.
"On Christmas Eve, we attract 40 to 50 thousand young people who want to
find out more about the faith, the church, and Christmas. Some are plain
curious while others are westernized," said Father Francis Xavier Zhang of
the Church of the Immaculate Conception.
The baptism of new converts may have swelled the ranks of worshippers, but the
number of illegal underground churches are also on the rise.
This has prompted the authorities to make it clear that religion must embrace
the leadership of the Communist Party, obey the laws, and contribute to ethnic
and national unity.
Beijing also called for a clearer distinction to be made between religious and
cult organisations such as Falungong, a spiritual group which is banned.
Even though illegal religious groups are cracked down from time to time,
observers say the amount of religious freedom that many Chinese now enjoy is
very much greater than just ten years ago.
A trend that is expected to grow as the country increasingly opens up to the
outside world.