Religious persecution and issues – Bimonthly Digest March 16–31
General
31.03.2026 – China hails Japan’s dissolution of the unification Church
Bitter Winter – China reacted to the Tokyo High Court’s dissolution of the Unification Church with the enthusiasm of someone discovering that a neighbor, long suspected of moral laxity, has finally begun to behave “properly.”
On March 24, 2026, the China Anti Xie Jiao Association issued a statement that looks like a congratulatory telegram mixed with a recruitment brochure. “Xie jiao” is an expression that many, including the Chinese government itself, translate as “evil cults.”
30.03.2026 – Despite growing crackdown, independent religious groups defy China’s Communist party
The Diplomat – Over the past six months, Beijing has arrested hundreds of leaders and practitioners of Protestant “underground churches,” including Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu, Yayang Church in Wenzhou, and Beijing Zion Church, with arrests across several cities.
Zion Church pastors have since been charged with “illegally using information networks” and the lawyers representing them are facing threats in a mounting pressure campaign.
26.03.2026 – China, police block “Parade of the Gods” in Guangdong
Bitter Winter – On March 22, in Nalu Village, Tanba Town, Wuchuan City, Guangdong Province, a small rural community faced a growing national trend. Police officers sealed the gates of the local temple to stop the annual “Parade of the Gods” (You Shen), a ritual that marks the arrival of spring and seeks protection for the village.
Villagers were shouting “Bless the Gods” and “We want to worship the Gods,” while officers responded with a firm “No worship.”
With the temple blocked and the procession canceled, residents had to bow and offer incense from outside, in front of the uniformed police.
20.03.2026 – Children barred from church doors. A mother speaks up
Bitter Winter – We often say that children represent the future of both the country and the Church. In Matthew 19:14, Jesus said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of heaven belongs to such as these.”
Deuteronomy 6:7 instructs parents: “Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.”
Many believers hope their children will grow up knowing the Lord’s truth from an early age and learn to follow the right path.
Catholics
18.03.2026 – Chinese priests, nuns study Xi Jinping’s vision for religion
UCA NEWS – The state-aligned Catholic Church organized retreats and study sessions for Catholic clergy and nuns in the coastal province of Shandong in eastern China, which, among other things, discussed President Xi Jinping’s vision for religion, says a report.
The Shandong Provincial Catholic Patriotic Association and the Shandong Provincial Catholic Bishops’ Conference organized retreats and study sessions for priests from March 16-20 and for nuns on March 23-26, says a March 27 report published by the Bishops’ Conference of the Catholic Church in China (BCCCC).
Buddhists
30.03.2026 – The new law on ethnic unity: A threat to Tibetan Buddhism
Bitter Winter – On March 12, 2026, the People’s Republic of China introduced a new ethnic policy officially framed as promoting “ethnic unity” and a consolidated national identity. Despite this framing, the policy carries profound implications for Tibetan Buddhism.
In Tibetan society, religion, language, and culture are not separate domains but form a deeply integrated whole. Any state intervention targeting a single element, particularly language or cultural expression, inevitably extends to the religious sphere as well.
The policy, therefore, functions not merely as a political framework but as a direct mechanism shaping the transmission, practice, and long-term continuity of Tibetan Buddhist traditions.
27.03.2026 – China’s New Year gift to Mount Kailash pilgrims: more checkpoints, less pilgrimage
Bitter Winter – Each year, as the Tibetan New Year arrives and spring draws near, thousands of Tibetans traditionally embark on a journey to Mount Kailash, a sacred peak respected in Buddhism, Hinduism, Jainism, and Bon.
It stands out as one of the few places on earth where these four religions find common ground. Unfortunately, the Chinese authorities share a different viewpoint: they believe Tibetans should not be allowed to visit freely.
25.03.2026 – Tibet’s new medical mystery: Healthy young monk dies after arrest
Bitter Winter – The death of a young Tibetan monk named Samten has once again revealed the violent forces that control religious life in Tibet.
His body was returned to his monastery in early December, with a familiar narrative: he had “fallen suddenly ill,” according to the authorities, and despite emergency treatment, he could not be saved.
No details about the illness, the hospital, or the circumstances of his detention were shared. What was given instead was a warning. The monks were told not to talk about what had happened.
18.03.2025 – China got Nepal to ban a Tibetan Rinpoche last month, complains about burning of Xi’s books
Tibetan review – China has been complaining about Tibetan lamas (religious masters) visiting Nepal and got one banned last month.
It has now complained about the burning of copies of a book by President Xi Jinping at a communist-party-run college on Mar 14 night, reported the kathmandupost.com Mar 17.
The report cited officials at Nepal’s Foreign Ministry and Home Ministry as saying China had been expressing concerns over several recent developments in the country, including visits by Rinpoches [Tibetan spiritual leaders] to Kathmandu.
At China’s request, the government did not allow one Rinpoche to visit Nepal last month.
Protestants
24.03.2026 – China’s new “illegal activity”: Providing legal defense to Christians
Bitter Winter – The campaign by Chinese authorities against independent Christianity has reached a new level. The state now targets not just pastors and congregations but also those who defend them.
Lawyers representing persecuted Christians, especially those linked to Beijing’s Zion Church, are facing the same intimidation, surveillance, and coercion their clients have long endured. In cases involving religion, even defending the law is seen as a subversive act.
18.03.2026 – Pastor Du Liangming released after 5-year term; health condition draws concern
China Aid – On March 15, 2026, Pastor Du Liangming (杜亮明), a house church leader in Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province, completed his five-year prison term. Sources confirmed that his sentence was finished on March 14.
Born in 1948, Du Liangming was a senior clergyman who had long led house church activities in the Xinzhou region, where Christianity has deep roots.
Owing to his strong spiritual devotion and humble service, he enjoyed a high reputation among local Christians. However, as religious policies tightened, Pastor Du was regarded as a “sensitive figure” by authorities for persisting in preaching and leading groups abroad to attend international Christian conferences.
Falun Gong
30.03.2026 – Beijing man dies in the persecution of Falun Gong
Minghui – A man in Huairou District, Beijing, passed away in the spring of 2023, after enduring years of harassment for his faith in Falun Gong, Minghui.org recently learned. He was 83.
Mr. He Xingnong worked at a coal mine in his younger years and later started his own business. The years of hazardous work left him in poor health, and he frequented local hospitals.
During the 1990s, a senior introduced Falun Gong to Mr. He while visiting him in the hospital. He didn’t pay much attention to it at first. One day, however, he noticed a large area of red light shielding the Falun Gong exercise site near his home. Having grown up as an atheist, this was a big shock to him.
26.03.2026 – Once jailed for 3 years, Heilongjiang woman gets another 3.5 years for practicing Falun Gong
Minghui – A woman in Zhaoyuan County, Heilongjiang Province, was sentenced to three and a half years in January 2026 for her faith in Falun Gong. Due to health issues, she is serving time outside of prison.
Ms. Zhang Lihua was arrested at home on January 7, 2025, by about 20 officers from the Zhaoyuan Farm Police Department.
They suspected her of having distributed Falun Gong informational materials and raided her home. Her Falun Gong books, laptop, and other valuables were confiscated.
19.03.2026 – Jinan, 90-year-old Falun Gong practitioner sentenced to jail
Bitter Winter – A 90-year-old man in Jinan, Shandong, has been sentenced to two years in prison for practicing Falun Gong. The man, Wang Chuanwen, has practiced Falun Gong since 1996.
According to local sources, the situation began in August 2025 when he spoke to passengers on a bus about his beliefs. Someone reported him, which led to a series of police actions that lasted for months.
