Longfu Temple in Hezhou, legally rebuilt in 2024, was destroyed despite local villagers’ protests and resistance. by Liang Changpu The police demolish Longfu Temple. Screenshot. On December 23, in Xinglongzhai Village, Zhongshan County, Hezhou City, Guangxi, the Chinese Communist Party once again demonstrated its unique interpretation of “religious management”: if it exists, demolish it; if villagers resist, gas them; if anyone films it, arrest them. This time, the target was Longfu Temple, a modest folk‑religion shrine rebuilt by villagers with their own savings after decades of neglect. The temple had stood in the area for generations, long enough that locals cannot even remember when it first appeared. But in today’s China, longevity may be a liability. As villagers reported, the local government dispatched more than 100 personnel, including police, firefighters, and medical staff, to carry out a “forced demolition operation.” One might think such a large team was preparing to …
Not a church - but read to learn about China: On December 23, 2025, police in Xinglongzhai Village, Hezhou, Guangxi forcibly demolished Longfu Temple, a folk-religion shrine rebuilt by villagers in 2024–2025 with private donations. Despite no prior objections during reconstruction, authorities suddenly labeled the temple an illegal structure and deployed over 100 personnel to carry out the demolition. Villagers protested, forming human barricades; clashes followed, resulting in arrests and injuries. Police ultimately fired irritant gas into the temple to force out women sheltering inside before razing the building. The incident reflects a broader campaign by the Chinese Communist Party to suppress religious and community spaces viewed as ideologically uncontrollable, highlighting growing tensions between state power, local communities, and cultural memory.
Not a church - but read to learn about China: On December 23, 2025, police in Xinglongzhai Village, Hezhou, Guangxi forcibly demolished Longfu Temple, a folk-religion shrine rebuilt by villagers in 2024–2025 with private donations. Despite no prior objections during reconstruction, authorities suddenly labeled the temple an illegal structure and deployed over 100 personnel to carry out the demolition. Villagers protested, forming human barricades; clashes followed, resulting in arrests and injuries. Police ultimately fired irritant gas into the temple to force out women sheltering inside before razing the building. The incident reflects a broader campaign by the Chinese Communist Party to suppress religious and community spaces viewed as ideologically uncontrollable, highlighting growing tensions between state power, local communities, and cultural memory.
I'd wager dollars to doughnuts that this had a lot more to do with land development and someone's palms getting greased than it did with any religious or political suppression.
This the same CCP that the Vatican has handed the Catholic Church to govern with their everything goes agreement with China. It’s a sad lesson for the rest of the world. Shame.