Emily Martin, China
庆祝圣诞节在中国
虽然中国是一个历史上有宗教迫害，名义上无神论的国家，圣诞节现在 很流行。在每个购物中心里你看见圣诞节树， 每个商店 充满趁圣诞节折的顾客。不过，圣诞节的庆典一定有阴暗面。
中国政府强制各种各样的限制，从在北京城市里禁止基督教颂歌到禁止某种的圣诞节饰。我们看不见传统基督教饰装饰圣诞节树 – 红心和可爱的动物代替金星和牧羊人。最惊爆的例子是’SantaCon’ – 每年大学学生（大部分是西方人）穿着圣诞老人服装在北京旅行以让人分享圣诞节的喜悦。我们看见穿着制服以及穿着便衣警察从早到晚围观他们。
限制庆祝圣诞节可能是政府试着牵制基督教不停地兴起的方法。基督教正在以空前的速率方兴未艾。因为许多基督会众暗中聚集，估计现在的中国基督者数目不等从六百万到一千万。有的人认为在中国，基督者数目比共产党员的多。政府围观政府管理的教堂，可是当局不干涉这些教堂的事情，以及当局视而不见非法的教堂。中国政府和基督教的矛盾一定让政府忧虑。的确，亘古通今宗教是专制国家的罩门。
虽然当局镇压圣诞节的宗教方面，当局一定不镇压圣诞节的经济方面。挥霍无度的西式联欢以及给礼物一定繁荣经济。圣诞节的 经济价值一定对当局重要得不能完全禁止庆祝圣诞节。但是很严重，奇异的圣诞节限制表示宗教的权力受到中国政府的崇敬。
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Christmas in China
Despite being a nominally atheist state with a dark history of religious persecution, particularly of Christians, Christmas is booming in China. Christmas trees appeared in every shopping mall and shops were filled with customers taking advantage of Christmas promotions. However, there is a darker side to the festivities.
A multitude of prohibitions and restrictions on celebrations are enforced, from a ban on carol singing within the city of Beijing to restrictions on the type of decorations allowed. Traditional religious decorations were noticeably absent from public trees, with stars and shepherds replaced by hearts and cute animals. Perhaps the most striking example is that of SantaCon – when (mostly Western) students dress up in Santa costumes and travel round Beijing spreading Christmas cheer. Both uniformed and suspected plain-clothed police were watching them closely throughout the day.
This careful control of Christmas is seemingly an attempt by the state to curb the seemingly unstoppable rise of Christianity. The religion is growing at an unprecedented rate in China. Due to the underground nature of many churches, estimates of the current number of Christians in China vary widely from 60 million to 100 million, with some claiming that there are now more practicing Christians in China than there are members of the Communist party. While the government carefully watches, but does not interfere too much with the state approved churches, and turns a blind eye to the underground ones for now, it is undoubtedly concerned by the rise of a potential rival ideology. Indeed, religion has been the Achilles heel of authoritarian states throughout history.
While the religious aspect of Christmas may be discouraged by the state, the materialistic aspect is certainly not. Extravagant Western-style celebrations and gift giving give the Chinese people a chance to spend some of their growing wealth, undoubtedly giving the economy a boost.
While the economic value of Christmas is undoubtedly valued by the state too much to completely ban celebrations, the strict, seemingly bizarre restrictions are perhaps testament to the healthy respect of the government for the power of religion.