Religion, once derided as the “opium of the people,” was marginalized in China’s political and social arenas after 1949. During the chaos of the Cultural Revolution (1966-76), many houses of worship were turned into animal stables or destroyed, and clergymen were forced to work in the fields. China’s treatment of religious followers has been a constant irritant in its relations with other countries. However, China’s stance toward religion is pivoting as it seeks to increase its influence in the region.

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