Chinese driving test centre told to delay opening until it ‘improves’ after monks bless its fleet of cars
Video clip appears to show traffic police attending religious ceremony but authorities deny they took part in ‘superstitious activity’
Traffic police in central China told a private driving test centre that was about to open it could not do so until it “improved”, after a video clip of monks holding a religious ceremony on the premises was posted online, state media reports.
The footage, which has been widely circulated on the internet, shows five Buddhist monks blessing a new fleet of cars at the centre in Hengyang, Hunan province. One of them can be heard saying, “We begin the prayer ceremony to bless these driving test cars for the road.”
It generated interest online because security guards seen in the video looked like they were wearing the blue uniforms of traffic police, China Youth Daily reported on Sunday.
While the ruling Communist Party officially recognises five religions, including Buddhism, its members are supposed to be atheists and cannot take part in “superstitious activities”. So it would be considered inappropriate for traffic police, who oversee driving test centres, to attend a religious ceremony.