Officials: A matter of faith

There's growing disquiet that some CPC members are embracing religion and superstition, as Ji Zhebu reports from Beijing

A growing trend of belief in superstition and religion among some members of the Communist Party of China is a dangerous phenomenon and a "betrayal of the public interest", Chinese political experts have warned. The media has exposed several officials - some of whom have been found guilty of massive corruption - who frequently visited fortune-tellers or based their decisions on horoscopes.

The former railways minister Liu Zhijun, who was given a suspended death sentence in July for accepting bribes and abusing his power, admitted to holding a deep belief in feng shui, the practice of promoting harmony between humans and the natural environment. Although his position as a member of the CPC required him to be an atheist, he regularly invited feng shui masters to help him choose auspicious dates to commence and complete major projects.