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I. The Present Conditions of Religion
in China
China is a country with a great diversity of
religious beliefs. The main religions are Buddhism, Taoism, Islam,
Catholicism and Protestantism. Citizens of China may freely choose and
express their religious beliefs, and make clear their religious
affiliations. According to incomplete statistics, there are over 100
million followers of various religious faiths, more than 85,000 sites for
religious activities, some 300,000 clergy and over 3,000 religious
organizations throughout China. In addition, there are 74 religious
schools and colleges run by religious organizations for training clerical
personnel.
-Buddhism has a history of 2,000 years in China.
Currently China has 13,000-some Buddhist temples and about 200,000
Buddhist monks and nuns. Among them are 120,000 lamas and nuns, more than
1,700 Living Buddhas, and 3,000-some temples of Tibetan Buddhism and
nearly 10,000 Bhiksu and senior monks and more than 1,600 temples of Pali
Buddhism.
-Taoism, native to China, has a history of more
than 1,700 years. China now has over 1,500 Taoist temples and more than
25,000 Taoist priests and nuns.
-Islam was introduced into China in the seventh
century. Nowadays in China there are ten national minorities, including
the Hui and Uygur, with a total population of 18 million, whose faith is
Islam. Their 30,000-odd mosques are served by 40,000 Imams and
Akhunds.
-Catholicism was introduced into China
intermittently in the seventh century, but it had not spread widely until
after the Opium War in 1840. At present, China has four million Catholics,
4,000 clergy and more than 4,600 churches and meeting houses.
-Protestantism was first brought to China in the
early 19th century and spread widely after the Opium War. There are about
10 million Protestants, more than 18,000 clergy, more than 12,000 churches
and 25,000-some meeting places throughout China.
China has the following national religious
organizations: Buddhist Association of China, Taoist Association of China,
Islamic Association of China, Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association,
Chinese Catholic Bishops' College, Three-Self Patriotic Movement Committee
of the Protestant Churches of China, and China Christian Council.
Religious leaders and leading organs of the various
religious bodies are selected and ordained in accordance with their own
regulations.
Religious organizations in China run their own
affairs independently and set up religious schools, publish religious
classics and periodicals, and run social services according to their own
needs. As in many other countries, China practices the principle of
separating religion from education; religion is not a subject taught in
schools of the popular education in China, although some institutions of
higher learning and research institutes do teach or conduct research into
religion. The various religious schools and institutes set up by the
different religious organizations teach religious knowledge in line with
their own needs. All normal clerical activities conducted by the clergy
and all normal religious activities held either at sites for religious
activities or in believers' own homes in accordance with usual religious
practices, such as worshipping Buddha, reciting scriptures, going to
church, praying, preaching, observing Mass, baptising, monkhood
initiation, fasting, celebrating religious festivals, observing extreme
unction, and holding memorial ceremonies, are protected by law as the
affairs of religious bodies and believers themselves and may not be
interfered with.
The "cultural revolution" (1966 to 1976) had a
disastrous effect on all aspects of the society in China, including
religion. But in the course of correcting the errors of the "cultural
revolution" governments at all levels made great efforts to revive and
implement the policy of freedom of religious belief, redressed the unjust,
false or wrong cases imposed on religious personages, and reopened sites
for religious activities. Since the 1980s, approximately 600 Protestant
churches have been reopened or rebuilt each year in China. By the end of
1996 more than 18 million copies of the Bible had been printed, with
special tax exemption treatment speeding their publication. In addition,
more than eight million copies of a hymn book published by the China
Christian Council in 1983 have been distributed. From 1958 to 1995, a
total of 126 Catholic bishops were selected and ordained by the Chinese
Catholic church itself. In the past dozen years more than 900 young
Catholic priests have been trained or consecrated by Chinese Catholicism.
More than 3,000 Protestants attend the Sunday service at Chongwenmen
church in Beijing each week. The Beijing Nantang Catholic Cathedral
observes Mass four times each week with an attendance of more than 2,000.
Of these, one Mass is held in English specially for foreigners in
Beijing.
In the course of the country's long history, the
various religions in China have become part of the traditional Chinese
thinking and culture. It is traditional for Chinese religious believers to
love their country and religions. The Chinese government supports and
encourages the religious circles to unite the religious believers to
actively participate in the construction of the country. The various
religions all advocate serving the society and promoting people's
well-being, such as the Buddhists' "honoring the country and benefiting
the people," the Catholics and Protestants' "glorifying God and benefiting
the people," the Taoists' "being benevolent, peaceful and harmonious,
saving the world and benefiting the people," and the Islam's "praying to
allah to give great reward in this world and hereafter."
In China all religions have equal status and
coexist in tranquillity. Religious disputes are unknown in China.
Religious believers and non-believers respect each other, are united and
have a harmonious relationship. This shows, on the one hand, the influence
of traditional Chinese compatibility and tolerance, and, on the other, the
fact that since the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949 the
Chinese government has formulated and carried out the policy of freedom of
religious belief and established a politico-religious relationship that
conforms to China's national conditions.
II. Legal Protection of the Freedom of Religious Belief
Chinese citizens' right to the freedom of religious belief is protected
by the Constitution and laws.
In the Constitution of the People's Republic of China freedom of
religious belief is a basic right enjoyed by all citizens. Article 36 of
the Constitution stipulates, "Citizens of the People's Republic of China
enjoy freedom of religious belief." It also goes on to say, "No State
organ, public organization or individual may compel citizens to believe
in, or not to believe in, any religion; nor may they discriminate against
citizens who believe in, or do not believe in, any religion." Again, "the
State protects normal religious activities," and "No one may make use of
religion to engage in activities that disrupt public order, impair the
health of citizens or interfere with the educational system of the State."
In addition, "Religious bodies and religious affairs are not subject to
any foreign domination."
China's Law on National Regional Autonomy, General Principles of the
Civil Law, Education Law, Labor Law, Compulsory Education Law, Electoral
Law of the People's Congresses, Organic Law of the Villagers' Committees,
Advertisement Law, and other laws stipulate that all citizens, regardless
of their religious beliefs, have the right to vote and stand for election;
the legitimate property of religious bodies is subject to legal
protection; education is separate from religion, and all citizens,
regardless of their religious beliefs, enjoy equal educational
opportunities in accordance with the law; the people of all ethnic groups
should respect each other's languages, customs and habits, and religious
beliefs; citizens shall not be discriminated against in terms of
employment because of different religious beliefs; and no advertisements
or trade marks shall include discriminatory contents against any ethnic
group or religion.
The Chinese government has promulgated the Regulations on the
Administration of Sites for Religious Activities so as to protect the
lawful rights and interests of such sites. The Regulations specify: Sites
for religious activities shall be run independently by the administrative
organizations thereof, whose lawful rights and interests and normal
religious activities at the sites shall be protected by law. No
organization or individual may violate or interfere with such rights,
interests or activities. Anyone who encroaches on the lawful rights and
interests of the sites for religious activities shall bear legal
responsibilities. Religious activities conducted at the sites, however,
must conform to laws and regulations.
The Chinese government has promulgated the Provisions on the
Administration of Religious Activities of Aliens Within the Territory of
the People's Republic of China. China respects the freedom of religious
belief of aliens within Chinese territory and protects their friendly
contacts and cultural and academic exchanges with Chinese religious
circles with respect to religion. Aliens may participate in religious
activities at recognized sites for religious activities within Chinese
territory. They may also preach at the invitation of Chinese religious
bodies at or above the provincial level. Aliens may hold religious
activities attended by aliens at sites approved by people's governments at
or above the county level. They may invite Chinese clerical personnel to
conduct such religious rituals as baptisms, weddings, funerals and prayer
meetings, and may bring with them printed religious matter, audio-visual
religious material and other religious articles for personal use while
entering Chinese territory. Aliens who conduct religious activities within
Chinese territory shall abide by Chinese laws and regulations.
The legal protection of citizens' right to the freedom of religious
belief in China is basically in accordance with the main contents of the
concerned international documents and conventions in this respect. The
following stipulations in the United Nations Charter, the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covenant on Economic,
Social and Cultural Rights, the International Convenient on Civil and
Political Rights, the United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of All
Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on Religion or Belief,
and the Vienna Declaration and Action Program are all included in China's
laws and legislation in explicit terms and are being put into practice:
that freedom of religion or belief is a basic human right; people should
enjoy freedom of religion or belief; no one should be discriminated
against because of religious affiliation or belief; people should enjoy
freedom of religious service and assembly, and the freedom to set up and
maintain places of worship; they should have the freedom to compile and
distribute printed materials pertaining to religion or belief; they should
have the freedom to celebrate religious festivals and hold religious rites
based on their faiths and morals; and they should have the right to
promote and protect the rights pertaining to only a small number of people
ethnically, racially, religiously and linguistically. According to Chinese
law, while all citizens enjoy the right to freedom of religious belief
they must also carry out duties prescribed by law. In China, all
individuals and organizations, including all religions, must safeguard the
people's interests, the sanctity of the law, ethnic unity and unification
of the nation. This is in conformity with the relevant clauses of the UN
documents and conventions on human rights. The Declaration on the
Elimination of All Forms of Intolerance and of Discrimination Based on
Religion or Belief states: "Freedom to manifest one's religion or belief
may be subject only to such limitations as are prescribed by law and are
necessary to protect public safety, order, health or morals or the
fundamental rights and freedom of others." The International Convenant on
Civil and Political Rights notes: "Any advocacy of national, racial or
religious hatred that constitutes incitement to discrimination, hostility
or violence shall be prohibited by law." Citizens who believe in religion
and those who do not believe in religion are equal before the law. This is
a basic requirement for modern civilization and nations subject to the
rule of law.
Each country has its own history, culture and national conditions,
which decide that each country's protection of freedom of religious belief
has its own characteristics. While stressing the protection of freedom of
religious belief China pays equal attention to the protection of the
freedom not to believe in religion, thus ensuring freedom of religious
belief in a complete sense. This is a more complete and more comprehensive
protection of citizens' basic rights.
The Chinese government maintains that religious belief is a citizen's
personal affair. However, the construction of a prosperous, powerful,
democratic modern socialist country with advanced culture, and the
safeguarding of the country's sovereignty and national dignity are the
common goals and in the fundamental interest of Chinese people of all
ethnic groups, including those who believe in a religion and those who do
not. Therefore the people who believe in a religion and those who do not
can unite and cooperate politically, and respect each other's beliefs.
Religion should be adapted to the society in which it is prevalent.
This is a universal law for the existence and development of religion. Now
the Chinese people are building China into a modern socialist country with
Chinese characteristics. The Chinese government advocates that religion
should adapt to this reality. However, such adaptation does not require
citizens to give up religious belief, nor does it require any religion to
change its basic doctrines. Instead, it requires religions to conduct
their activities within the sphere prescribed by law and adapt to social
and cultural progress. This conforms to the fundamental interests of
religious believers as well as to those of the various religions
themselves.
Nevertheless, since the 1980s some pernicious organizations have sprung
up in certain areas of China, which engage in illegal and even criminal
activities under the signboard of religion. Some of the heads of these
pseudo-religions distort religious doctrines, create heresies, deceive the
masses, refuse to obey the State's laws and decrees, and incite people to
overthrow the government. Some pretend to be supernatural beings, and have
killed or injured people; others organize promiscuity, or defraud people
of money or property. They are a serious danger to the normal life and
productive activities of the people. The broad masses of the people and
personages of the religious circles detest this phenomenon, and so, in
order to safeguard the public interest and the sanctity of the law, and to
better protect the people's right to freedom of religious belief and
normal religious activities, China's judicial organs punish law-breakers
and criminals who severely endanger the society and the public interest in
accordance with the law. The punishment of criminals by China's judicial
organs in accordance with the law has nothing to do with religious belief.
No one in China is punished because of his or her religious belief. But no
country that practices the rule of law in the world today would tolerate
illegal and criminal activities being carried out under the banner of
religion.
III. Judicial
and Administrative Guarantees and Supervision of the Freedom of Religious
Belief
With respect to judicial guarantee, China stipulates clearly the
penalties for the infringement of citizens' right to freedom of religious
belief. For instance, Article 251 of the Criminal Law states: "State
personnel who unlawfully deprive citizens of their freedom of religious
belief and infringe upon the customs and habits of minority ethnic groups,
when the circumstances are serious, are to be sentenced to not more than
two years of fixed-term imprisonment or criminal detention." In the
Decisions on the Standards for Filing Directly Received Cases of
Infringement Upon Citizens' Democratic and Personal Rights and Those of
Malfeasance, it is stipulated that a people's procuratorate shall place on
file a case in which a State functionary illegally deprives anyone of his
or her legitimate freedom of religious belief-such as by interfering in
normal religious activities, forcing a believer to give up his/her
membership of a religion or compelling a citizen to profess a certain
religion or adherence to a certain religious sect-and in which the offense
is of an abominable nature and has brought about serious consequences and
undesirable effects. A people's procuratorate shall also put on record
cases of illegally closing or destroying lawful religious sites and other
religious facilities. In recent years the Chinese judiciary, in accordance
with the law, has tried several cases of infringing upon relevant laws of
the State and seriously hurting the religious feelings of certain
believers, and has meted out punishments to persons responsible for the
offenses.
With respect to administrative guarantee, governments at different
levels have set up religious affairs departments to administer and
supervise the implementation of the laws and statutes pertaining to
religion and to put the policy ensuring the freedom of religious belief
into effect. These departments shall not interfere in the internal affairs
of religious organizations and sites.
In China religious organizations and sites for religious activities
must register with the government in accordance with the law, which is the
case in some other countries as well. Applications for such registration
must meet the following basic requirements: a permanent site and name;
regular attendance; a management organization composed of adherents to the
relevant religion; clerical personnel for officiating religious activities
or personnel with qualifications stipulated in regulations of various
religions; management regulations and lawful income. Government
departments shall defer the registration or only approve temporary
registration of religious sites which cannot completely satisfy these
basic requirements or have prominent management problems. Government
departments shall not permit the registration of, for example, sites for
religious activities which illegally occupy land or violate the statutes
of city planning, which have been set up without authorization or which
promote superstitious activities, such as exorcising evil spirits under
the pretext of religious activities. Once a site for religious activities
is registered according to law it has legal status and its lawful rights
and interests shall be protected. If its rights and interests are
infringed upon the organization in charge of the site is entitled to seek
administrative and legal protection by appealing to the relevant
government organ or taking the case to a people's court. There is no
registration requirement for, to quote from Chinese Christians, "house
services," which are mainly attended by relatives and friends for
religious activities such as praying and Bible reading.
People's congresses at different levels, which are organs through which
the people exercise their power, and the Chinese people's political
consultative conferences at different levels, which are playing an
important role in the political and social life of the State, shall
supervise the implementation of the policy and laws relating to the
freedom of religious belief. There are about 17,000 religious personages
who are deputies to people's congresses or members of political
consultative conferences at different levels. On behalf of religious
circles they participate in the discussions of important State and social
affairs at the people's congresses and political consultative conferences,
and offer comments, suggestions and criticisms, or submit proposals and
motions relating to the government's work on religion. During the three
years from 1993 to 1996 alone the Religious Affairs Bureau of the State
Council heard and responded to more than 50 motions proposed by deputies
to the National People's Congress and the National Committee of the
Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference.
IV. Support for Independence and
Initiative in Management of Religious Affairs
China's religious affairs are handled by the various religious bodies,
their clergy and followers themselves. China's religious affairs and
religious bodies are not subject to any foreign domination. The Chinese
government supports the management of religious affairs by the various
religions themselves according to the Constitution and laws.
The principle of independence and taking the initiative in their own
hands in the management of churches is a historical choice made by the
Chinese religious believers of their own accord as part of the Chinese
people's struggle against colonialist and imperialist aggression and
enslavement. Following the Opium War of 1840 China declined to a
semi-feudal and semi-colonial country. During this process Western
Protestantism and Catholicism were used by colonialism and imperialism as
a tool for aggression against China, and a number of Western missionaries
played an inglorious part in this.
-They participated in the opium trade and in plotting the Opium War
unleashed by Britain against China. In the 19th century Robert Morrison, a
British missionary, and Karl Friedrich August Gutz, a German missionary,
both working for the East India Company, participated in dumping opium in
China. Some missionaries strongly advocated resort to force by Western
powers to make the Qing government open its coastal ports, saying that it
was only war that could open China to Christianity, and directly
participated in the British mititary activities to invade China.
-They participated in the war of 1900 launched by the allied forces of
eight powers against China. A number of missionaries, serving as guides,
interpreters and information officers, took part in the slaughter of
Chinese civilians and the robbing of money and property. According to Mark
Twain, the renowned American writer, some of the missionaries imposed on
the poor Chinese peasants fines 13 times the amount they were supposed to
pay, driving their wives and innocent children to lingering death from
starvation, so that they were thus able to use the money gained through
such murder to propagate the Gospel.
-They directly took part in plotting and drafting unequal treaties,
such as the Sino-British Treaty of Nanking of 1842, the Sino-American
Treaty of Wanghea of 1844, the Sino-American and Sino-French treaties of
Tientsin of 1858 and the Sino-French Convention of Peking of 1860.
According to these unequal treaties, Western Catholic and Pretestant
missionaries could lease land for building their own places of worship in
trade ports and enjoyed the protection of local officials; missionaries
could also freely lease or buy land for construction and other purposes in
the provinces; local Chinese officials must treat kindly and protect those
missionaries who came to inland regions to preach their religions; Chinese
officials must not impose prohibitions on Chinese who professed a
religious faith; etc.
-They enjoyed extraterritoriality, and were not governed by China's
laws. The Western powers gave their missionaries in China protection on
the strength of the consular jurisdiction they enjoyed. Taking advantage
of extraterritoriality some Western missionaries, backed by the aggressive
imperialist forces, went to inland China to build churches and set up
parishes. They forcibly occupied land, and bullied and oppressed Chinese
officials and civilians. These missionaries even wilfully extended the
extraterritoriality to Chinese converts and interfered in Chinese judicial
authority.
-They strengthened the control of the Western powers over China on the
pretext of "religious cases," i.e., conflicts and disputes between Chinese
people and the Western missionaries who incurred popular indignation by
doing evil deeds under the protection of the unequal treaties. In the
period between 1840 and 1900, some 400 such cases occurred in China. On
the pretext of these religious cases the Western powers imposed military
and political pressure on the Chinese government. They put forward various
unreasonable demands, compelled the Chinese government to pay indemnities,
and arrested and executed innocent people. Moreover, they even launched
aggressive wars on such a pretext. In a case in Tianjin in 1870 alone, the
Western powers compelled the Qing government to execute 20 people and
exile 25.
-They obstructed and opposed China's struggle against fascism and the
Chinese people's revolution. After Japan invaded Northeast China the
Vatican took a stand which was, in fact, supporting the Japanese
aggression. It took the lead in recognizing the puppet Manchukuo regime
set up by the Japanese and sent a representative there. After the victory
in the War of Resistance Against Japan some Western missionaries stirred
up hostility against the people's revolution among the converts and even
organized armed forces to help the Kuomintang fight in the civil war.
-They adopted a hostile attitude toward New China and plotted sabotage.
After the founding of New China in 1949 the Vatican issued papal
encyclicals several times instigating hatred against the new people's
political power among the converts.
While playing an inglorious role in modern Chinese history, Western
Catholicism and Protestantism manipulated and controlled Chinese churches
turning them into the appendages to Western religious orders and mission
societies. Under these circumstances Chinese clergymen and the vast
majority of their followers had no rights. In the 1940s among the 20
archbishops in China there were 17 foreigners and only three Chinese; in
the 143 parishes there were some 110 foreign bishops but only about 20
Chinese bishops.
Some Chinese Christians early on expressed their wish to cast off such
control and began establishing their own independent Christian
organizations. However, in the semi-colonial and semi-feudal old China it
was absolutely impossible for Chinese churches to maintain real
independence and realize self-management.
The founding of the People's Republic of China put an end to the era of
semi-colonial and semi-feudal society in China, thus providing the
historical conditions for Chinese Catholicism and Protestantism to become
independent and self-managing. In July 1950, 40 leading figures from
various religious denominations headed by Wu Yaozong published the
"Three-Self Declaration," titled "The Way in Which the Chinese
Christianity Works for New China's Construction," expressing the attitude
of Chinese Christians who supported New China, and their determination to
cast off imperialist influence and achieve the "Three Selfs"
(self-administration, self-support and self-propagation) of Chinese
churches. In September 1950, 1,527 leading Christians signed the
declaration. Three or four years later the number of Christians who had
signed the document reached more than 400,000, about two-thirds of the
total number of Christians in the country. Christians have since then
adhered to the principles of the "Three Selfs."
In November 1950 more than 500 Catholics in Guangyuan County, Sichuan,
published the Declaration on the Catholic Reform Movement of Self-Support,
advocating cutting off the relationship with imperialism in all aspects
and setting up new churches on the basis of self-administration,
self-support and self-propagation. The declaration was welcomed by the
leading Catholic clergymen and other converts in all parts of China.
Though the Vatican took repeated political actions of hostility against
New China, the Chinese church reported the appointment of one acting
bishop and two full bishops, selected in 1957 and 1958, to the Vatican.
However, the Vatican refused to recognize them threatening to mete out
extraordinary punishments, greatly hurting the feelings of the Chinese
Catholics. Since then the Chinese Catholic church has firmly taken the way
of selecting and ordaining its own bishops and independently managing the
churches. In religious belief Chinese Catholicism is the same as
Catholicisms anywhere else in the world, while in church administration
all the internal affairs are handled according to decisions made by the
Chinese Catholic church independently.
In the past few decades the Chinese Protestantism and Catholicism have
stuck to the principle of independence and self-management, which has met
with assent and support from the vast majority of believers and enabled
the church and its religious activities to develop soundly. Now the total
number of Chinese Christians is 14 times as many as in 1949. Chinese
Catholicism has 115 parishes under the direction of Chinese bishops or
priests.
While adhering to the principle of independence and
self-administration, Chinese religions are active in making exchanges and
contacts with their counterparts all over the world on the basis of
equality and friendship. China is always open to foreign religious
organizations and individuals who are friendly to China, respect China's
sovereignty and Chinese religions' principle of independence and
self-administration. China's Protestantism and Catholicism have maintained
friendly contacts with churches in many countries. In February 1991 the
China Christian Council officially joined the World Council of Churches.
The Chinese Catholic Church has sent representatives to attend some
international religious conferences successively, such as the Fifth World
Conference on Religion and Peace and the World Catholic Youth Day. In
recent years Chinese churches have sent quite a number of students to
study abroad and invited foreign lecturers and scholars to teach in
China's theological seminaries. Friendly international exchanges are also
increasing in the areas of China's Buddhism, Taoism and Islam.
The Chinese government has consistently adhered to a peaceful foreign
policy of independence and taking initiative in its own hands, and is
willing to improve the relations with the Vatican. However, such
improvement requires two basic conditions: First, the Vatican must end its
so-called diplomatic relations with Taiwan and recognize that the
government of the People's Republic of China is the only legal government
in China and that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory.
Second, the Vatican must not interfere in China's internal affairs on the
pretext of religious affairs. In the first place, the relationship between
China and the Vatican is one between two countries. Therefore, only when
the relations between the two countries improve can religious issues be
discussed. Whether the relations between China and the Vatican change or
not, the Chinese government will, as always, support Chinese Catholicism
which holds aloft the banner of patriotism, sticks to the principle of
independence and self-management, and stands for selection and ordination
of bishops by itself.
V.
Protection of the Right to Freedom of Religious Belief for Ethnic
Minorities
China is a united country of many ethnic groups. The Chinese government
pursues a policy of equality, unity and mutual assistance among all the
ethnic groups, respects and protects the right to freedom of religious
belief and the folk customs of the ethnic minorities. The Law of the
People's Republic of China on National Regional Autonomy stipulates:
"Organs of self-government in ethnic regional autonomous areas protect the
right to freedom of religious belief of the citizens of all ethnic
groups."
While making great efforts to promote progress in economy, culture,
education and other undertakings in the areas where ethnic minorities live
in compact communities, so as to improve the material and cultural
well-being of the broad masses of the ethnic minorities (including
believers in various religions), the Chinese government pays special
attention to their religious beliefs and the protection of their cultural
heritages. Special programs have been carried out to survey, collect,
classify, study and publish the cultural heritages-including religious
cultures-and folk arts of all the ethnic groups. In addition, the State
has made huge investments in the maintenance and reconstruction of
temples, mosques and other religious facilities of important historical
and cultural value in ethnic-minority areas.
Tibet is one of China's ethnic autonomous regions, and the Tibetans
mostly believe in Tibetan Buddhism. Since the peaceful liberation of Tibet
in 1951, and particularly since the introduction of the reform and opening
policies in 1979, citizens' right to freedom of religious belief has been
thoroughly carried out in Tibet. Since the 1980s the central government
has allocated more than 200 million yuan in special funds for the
maintenance and reconstruction of the famous Potala Palace and the
Jokhang, Tashilhunpo and Samye monasteries. The State has also established
special funds to support the work of compiling and publishing the
Tripitaka in the Tibetan language and other major Tibetan Buddhist
classics as well as the work of establishing the Advanced Buddhism College
of Tibetan Language Family of China in Beijing and the Tibet College of
Buddhism in Lhasa.
At present, there are in Tibet over 1,700 places for Buddhist
activities and a total of 46,000 resident monks and nuns. Small prayer
halls or shrines are virtually universal in the homes of believers, and
pilgrims coming to Lhasa number well over one million each year. Believers
performing Buddhist rituals, and prayer umbrellas and Mani rocks carved
with Buddhist sutras can be found all over the Tibet Autonomous Region. In
addition, religious activities during the annual Sholton Festival and the
traditional practice of circling Mount Kangrinboqe in the Year of the
Horse and circling Lake Namco in the Year of the Sheep along pilgrim paths
have been carried on and respected by society at large.
The reincarnation of holy men, or "Living Buddhas," is a unique form of
succession in Tibetan Buddhism which has long been recognized and
respected by the State. In 1992 the Religious Affairs Bureau of the State
Council approved the succession of the 17th Karmapa Living Buddha. In 1995
China successfully concluded the search for and identification of the
reincarnation of the 10th Panchen Lama and the title-conferring and
enthronement of the 11th Panchen Lama after lot-drawing from a golden urn
according to the established religious rituals and historical conventions
of Tibetan Buddhism, and with the approval of the State Council. These
actions highlight the fact that the Tibetan people's right to religious
freedom is respected and protected, thus winning endorsement and support
from the converts of Tibet.
Considering the special place of the Grand Living Buddhas in Tibetan
Buddhism of past generations in Tibetan social life, the Ming (1368-1644)
and Qing (1644-1911) dynasties gradually put the identifying of the
reincarnation of the Living Buddhas within the jurisdiction of the central
government and into the framework of the State's laws and statutes. In
1792 the Qing government issued an order that the reincarnation of the
Grand Living Buddhas above the Hutuktu rank be determined through drawing
lots from the golden urn, which later developed into a historical
institution and was accepted as a permanent religious ritual in Tibetan
Buddhism. The "soul boy" confirmed through lot-drawing from the golden urn
as the reincarnation of a Grand Living Buddha must be reported to the
central government for approval prior to his official enthronement. The
lot-drawing may be dispensed with under special circumstances, but this
must also be reported to the central government in advance for approval.
The practice of lot-drawing from the golden urn not only upholds the
central government's supreme authority and the sovereignty of the State,
but religiously displays the "decision by Sakyamuni's Dharma" as well.
Since 1792, in the reincarnation system of the Grand Living Buddhas of
Tibetan Buddhism over 70 "soul boys" have been identified by confirmation
through lot-drawing from the golden urn and with the approval of the
central government. Therefore, the approval of the reincarnation of the
Grand Living Buddhas by the central government is a religious ritual and
historical convention of Tibetan Buddhism, and is the key to safeguarding
the normal order of Tibetan Buddhism.
The Chinese government also respects and protects the Moslems' freedom
of religious belief as well as their folk customs. The departments
concerned in the government have provided special pilgrimage-related
services for Moslem pilgrims, to the acclaim of the latter. Since the
1980s the number of Chinese Moslems going to Mecca on pilgrimages has
exceeded 40,000. In the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region alone, there are
now more than 23,000 mosques, with 29,000 clergymen, having thus met the
needs of believers' religious life. Out of full consideration for the
dietary habits and funeral rites of those ethnic-minority people who
believe in Islam, the Chinese government has enacted regulations on the
production of halal food and opened Moslems-only cemeteries. In recent
years Chinese judicial organs have provided legal protection for the
lawful rights of the Moslems. Some cases concerning publications badly
hurting the religious feelings of the Moslems have been handled according
to law.
The Chinese government resolutely opposes attempts to split the country
along ethnic lines, and any use of religious fanaticism to divide the
people, split the country or harm the unity among all ethnic groups or
engage in illegal activities and terrorist actions under the signboard of
religion. Meanwhile, the Chinese government firmly upholds national unity
and social stability in areas where ethnic minorities live in compact
communities, and safeguards the normal religious activities of the
ethnic-minority believers.
The Chinese government respects the generally accepted principles
regarding religious faiths in the international community, and holds that
these principles must be applied in accordance with the concrete
conditions and be carried out according to the domestic law of each
country. The Chinese government opposes creating confrontations in
religion or interfering in the internal affairs of another country under
the pretext of religion.
The facts make it fully clear that remarkable improvements have been
achieved in the situation of human rights of the Chinese people, and the
freedom of religious belief has enjoyed full respect and legal protection
since the founding of New China, particularly in the recent two decades
following the implementation of reform and opening policies. The Chinese
government will, as always, make ever-greater efforts to safeguard human
rights and specifically to protect the freedom of religious
belief.
Information Office of the State
Council
of the People's Republic of China
June
1996, Beijing
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