A century-old Buddhist temple in Changhua that was turned into a pro-Beijing shrine is back in the news, a reminder of how far Chinese influence reached inside Taiwan before the law caught up.

• Biyun Temple in Changhua was bought over a decade ago by a developer who flew Chinese flags, played Communist anthems and plastered the grounds with Beijing propaganda.
• Four nuns refused to leave, living in a metal shack without water or electricity, collecting rainwater and facing threats and beatings.
• Photos surfaced showing President Lai Ching-te quietly visiting the nuns in 2019, before he took office, to back their resistance.
• The case only drew national attention after foreign press coverage of Chinese infiltration in Taiwan; Changhua authorities tore the structures down in 2018 using building-code violations.
• At the time Taiwan had no anti-infiltration law, so unarmed political propaganda for Beijing carried no penalty.

Outlook: The story resurfaces as one of the nuns is laid to rest, and it will keep fueling Taiwan's debate over how tightly to police Chinese influence at home.