China breaks

China breaks longstanding taboo

BEIJING (Reuter): A powerful member of China's politburo was shown on state television on Tuesday breaking a longstanding ideological taboo -- a Communist Party ban on ancestor worship and other religion.

Politburo standing committee member Li Ruihuan was seen saluting and laying flowers at the mausoleum of China's Yellow Emperor, or Huangdi, on the unofficial spring holiday called Qingming or "grave-sweeping day".

Huangdi is regarded as the common ancestor of China's dominant Han nationality, which comprises more than 90 percent of the country's 1.18 billion people.

The depiction of a senior party leader in what most Chinese would consider a religious rite was highly unusual for state television, which generally promotes the official line that party members must not harbor religious beliefs.

The official Xinhua news agency, also departing from the routine, said Li also planted a commemorative pine beside the mausoleum after what it called the "sacrificial rites".