Religious Surge in Once-Atheist China Surprises Leaders
By HOWARD W. FRENCH
Published: March 4, 2007

SHANGHAI, March 3 — Qin Fangyi’s religious moment came after a walk in the pouring rain two years ago to a nunnery for a ceremony that her mother had urged her to attend.

Ms. Qin’s mother converted to Buddhism two years earlier despite her husband’s open hostility to religion, and quietly nudged her daughter into having a look for herself.

“I got there at about 8 a.m. and was told the ceremony was delayed by an hour,” said Ms. Qin, a 21-year-old design student. “At about 8:55, all of the sudden the sky grew clear and the sun came out and people began cheering and screaming that the real Buddha was about to appear in the sky. Although I didn’t see the Buddha myself, I was amazed, and I began to feel the power of God.” the rest