RELIGION IN CHINA (Dequin)

AS YOU will know - the Chinese government has strong views on separation of church and state. What you may not have known is that the government has held these views for nearly a millenia.

In roughly 1850AD Muslims living in the Yunnan Province, China staged a little revolution. They deposed the provisional governor and declared themselves an Islamic State. The Central Chinese Government seemed almost amused by this.

Over 11 years the Chinese Government patiently maintained diplomatic relations, explaining that the whole thing was a silly game that should end now. In the 11th year their diplomatic patience wore thin - they executed the battle plan they have been quietly and duplicitously concocting and in a swift blow, sent the Muslims packing. Nothing like it has been tried since.

Even in Dequin - 15km away from the Tibetan border, the map on the wall of our Inn shows the way to the local "Cathelic" church, there are Muslims wearing square Turkish hats and of course orange-garbed Buddhist monks.

As were were eating dinner, a Buddhist monk entered to heckle us. He murmured an endless chant whilst waving a fist with a few notes in our faces.

How did I explain to him that I had reason not to fear the evil spirits painted on the walls of his temple, that I knew his karma-like prosperity gospel was a false hope? That I was given grace and unconditional love? I pulled out my phrasebook and managed "Wo shi jee-doo jyao-too" [I'm a Christian]

The monk paused for a minute - as if processing this. Then he continued chanting and waving his fist in our faces. Our host apologetically started to shoo him away, to no avail. Jo and Kathryn looked irritated.

The table at which we were sitting was a foot off the ground - I had been eating with my knees against my chest. I gave the monk the full benefit of my six feet, showed him the whites of my eyes and pointed to the door,
"BU YO!" [BUGGER OFF!]

Still mumbling his chant - he shuffled out.