Guided by Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, Strengthening Cultural Confidence in the Practice of Sinicization of Religion

[Editor’s Note] On June 21, 2023, a symposium on General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on religious work was held in Beijing. Wang Huning, member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, attended and delivered a speech. He stated that General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on religious work profoundly answer major theoretical and practical questions such as how to understand religion in the New Era, how to handle religious issues, and how to do the Party’s religious work well; they are the ideological guide and work principles that must be mastered for doing the Party’s religious work well in the New Era. The study and implementation of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on religious work must be understood and grasped within the entire scientific system of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era, and one must consciously achieve the “Six Musts” [1]1 “Religion sets the stage, the economy performs” and “culture sets the stage, religion performs” are variations of the earlier slogan “culture sets the stage, the economy performs,” which criticized local governments in the 1980s and 1990s for using cultural festivals to attract investment. The author warns that the sinicization slogan could be similarly exploited to expand religious influence.. From October 7 to 8, the National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work was held in Beijing. The most important outcome of the conference was the first formal proposal of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture. In order to study and implement the spirit of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important discourses on religious work and Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, the editorial department of this journal invited three experts to write a written discussion and exchange their learning experiences.

【编者按】2023年6月21日,习近平总书记关于宗教工作的重要论述研讨会在京召开｡中共中央政治局常委､全国政协主席王沪宁出席并讲话｡他表示,习近平总书记关于宗教工作的重要论述,深刻回答了新时代怎样认识宗教､怎样处理宗教问题､怎样做好党的宗教工作等重大理论和实践问题,是做好新时代党的宗教工作必须掌握的思想指引和工作遵循｡要把学习贯彻习近平总书记关于宗教工作的重要论述,放到习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的整个科学体系中来认识和把握,自觉做到“六个必须坚持”｡10月7日至8日,全国宣传思想文化工作会议在北京召开｡会议最重要的成果就是首次提出了习近平文化思想｡为了学习贯彻习近平总书记关于宗教工作的重要论述精神和习近平文化思想,本刊编辑部邀请了三位专家笔谈,交流学习体会｡

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The National Conference on Propaganda, Ideology and Cultural Work held in October 2023 clearly proposed “Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture.” Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture is the “cultural chapter” of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and the latest achievement of Sinicized Marxist cultural theory in the twenty-first century.

2023年10月召开的全国宣传思想文化工作会议明确提出了“习近平文化思想”。习近平文化思想是习近平新时代中国特色社会主义思想的“文化篇”，是二十一世纪中国化马克思主义文化理论的最新成就。

General Secretary Xi Jinping’s speech at the Symposium on Cultural Heritage and Development on June 2, 2023, made highly pioneering and guiding incisive expositions on adhering to the “Two Integrations” — that is, integrating the basic tenets of Marxism with China’s specific realities and with the best of traditional Chinese culture — and especially on the status and role of the “Second Integration” in bearing and fulfilling the new cultural mission of the New Era. It fully reflects the profound thinking and precise grasp of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture regarding the creative transformation and innovative development of the best of traditional Chinese culture in the New Era, and has become a landmark symbol that epitomizes the strategic, systematic, and cutting-edge important theoretical character of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture. The thought of the “Second Integration” has thus become one of the core contents of the treasure trove of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, or, one might say, it has contributed the finishing touch to the majestic emergence of “Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture.”

习近平总书记2023年6月2日在文化传承发展座谈会上的讲话，对于坚持“两个结合”即马克思主义基本原理同中国具体实际相结合、同中华优秀传统文化相结合，特别是“第二个结合”在担负和完成新时代新的文化使命中的地位和作用，做出了极富开创性和引领性的精辟论述，充分反映了习近平文化思想对中华优秀传统文化在新时代实现创造性转化、创新性发展的深邃思考和精准把握，成为集中代表习近平文化思想战略性、系统性、前沿性重要理论品格的里程碑式标志。“第二个结合”的思想也由此成为习近平文化思想宝库的核心内容之一，或者说，是为“习近平文化思想”的磅礴而出贡献了点睛之笔。

The thought and theory of the “Second Integration” also has great guiding significance for doing a good job in the field of religion in our country. This point is fully demonstrated in the proposal and practice of the concept of “Sinicization of Religion” since the 18th National Congress of the CPC. Among these, how well the function of the best of traditional Chinese culture, after undergoing creative transformation and innovative development, is brought into play constitutes an irreplaceable yardstick for measuring the success or failure of the Sinicization of religion in our country. In other words, the continuous advancement of the Sinicization of religion in our country must rely on the “Second Integration” to open up the path for it; the ultimate realization of the Sinicization of religion in our country will inevitably be a historic achievement of the “Second Integration.” Therefore, from the height of the “Second Integration” as “another ideological emancipation” in the history of contemporary Chinese Marxist political thought and spiritual culture, and from the status of the thought of the “Second Integration” and the best of traditional Chinese culture within the theoretical framework and all connotations of “Sinicization of Religion” in the New Era, the innovative introduction of the concept of “Sinicization of Religion” is not only a breakthrough development in the theory of the Party’s religious work in the New Era, but also, by perfecting and elevating the new pattern of work in the religious field, it vividly manifests the broad coverage and profound constructive power of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture over all undertakings of the Party and the state. That is to say, Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture is by no means merely a program for propaganda, ideology and cultural work in the New Era; it can also be regarded as a guide for religious work in the New Era. The process of “Sinicization of Religion” under the correct guidance of the CPC and the guidance of the ideological policy of the “Second Integration” is a process in which the religions of our country, following the scholarly, prescriptive, and open logic of Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture, begin to take on the share of “continuing to promote cultural prosperity, build a strong cultural country, and build the modern civilization of the Chinese nation at the new historical starting point — this new cultural mission.” Thus, the “Second Integration” endows today’s “Sinicization of Religion” with a deep and stable value of cultural subjectivity, and the epochal proposition of “Sinicization of Religion” finds in Xi Jinping’s Thought on Culture a solution plan that connects with the modern civilization of the Chinese nation, that is, the new form of human civilization.

“第二个结合”的思想理论对于做好我国宗教领域的工作同样具有重大指导意义。这一点，完整显示在党的十八大以来关于“宗教中国化”理念的提出和践行上。其中，经过创造性转化、创新性发展的中华优秀传统文化的功用发挥得如何，对于我国宗教中国化的得失成败，是一个无可替代的度量标准。换言之，我国宗教中国化的不断推进，必须依靠“第二个结合”为之开辟道路;我国宗教中国化的最终实现，必然属于“第二个结合”的历史性成果。因此，从“第二个结合”作为“又一次思想解放”在当代中国马克思主义政治思想史和精神文化史上的高度而言，从“第二个结合”的思想和中华优秀传统文化之于新时代“宗教中国化”理论架构及全部内涵的地位而言，“宗教中国化”理念的创新推出，不但是新时代党的宗教工作理论带有突破性的发展，而且通过完善提升宗教领域工作的新格局，鲜明地体现出习近平文化思想对党和国家各项事业的广阔覆盖力和深厚建构力。也就是说，习近平文化思想绝不仅仅是新时代宣传思想文化工作的纲领，也堪称新时代宗教工作的指南。在中国共产党的正确引导和“第二个结合”思想方针指引下的“宗教中国化”进程，乃是我国宗教遵循习近平文化思想的学理性、规定性和开放性逻辑，开始着力分担“在新的历史起点上继续推动文化繁荣、建设文化强国、建设中华民族现代文明这一新的文化使命”的过程。由是，“第二个结合”赋予今天的“宗教中国化”深沉而稳固的文化主体性价值，“宗教中国化”的时代命题在习近平文化思想之中找到了连接中华民族现代文明亦即人类文明新形态的解答方案。

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The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core has determined the direction of effort for deeply advancing the Sinicization of religion in our country: “to guide and support our country’s religions in taking the core socialist values as the guide, and to enhance the identification of religious figures and believers with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, Chinese culture, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics.” The author believes that the “Five Identifications,” from the dimension of the behavioral attributes of real social persons, are all political identifications, and even more so, cultural identifications. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: “Cultural identification is the deepest form of identification.” If, among the “Five Identifications,” “identification with Chinese culture” most directly belongs to the deepest level of cultural identification, then, under the historical conditions of contemporary China, identification with Chinese culture inherently includes identification with the great motherland, the Chinese nation, the CPC, and socialism with Chinese characteristics. These identifications and identification with Chinese culture are not a fixed hierarchical progressive relationship, but a synchronous chemical reaction of mutual stimulation, mutual promotion, and mutual integration. The result of the reaction will be unified in the shaping of the grand material and spiritual forms of the modern civilization of the Chinese nation. This is precisely the fundamental starting point and ultimate goal of General Secretary Xi Jinping’s emphasis that cultural identification is the deepest form of identification. To this end, General Secretary Xi Jinping has made a series of insightful, thorough, and comprehensive arrangements for leveraging the pivotal role of the best of traditional Chinese culture in the process of Sinicization of religion in our country, opening up specific paths and specific methods for the “Second Integration” to guide and lead the practice of Sinicization of religion. Among these, the most crucial path is to use the best of traditional Chinese culture to permeate and nurture the various religions in our country, and the most important method is to do so subtly and gradually, advancing by category.

以习近平同志为核心的党中央为深入推进我国宗教中国化确定了“引导和支持我国宗教以社会主义核心价值观为引领，增进宗教界人士和信教群众对伟大祖国、中华民族、中华文化、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的认同”的努力方向。笔者以为，“五个认同”从现实的社会人的行为属性维度上，都是政治认同，更是文化认同。习近平总书记指出:“文化认同是最深层次的认同。”如果说“五个认同”中的“中华文化认同”最直接地属于最深层次的文化认同，那么身处当代中国的历史条件下，中华文化认同内在的包含对伟大祖国、中华民族、中国共产党、中国特色社会主义的认同。这些认同与中华文化认同不是固定的层次递进关系，而是相互激发、相互促进、相互交融的同步化合反应，反应的结果将统归于中华民族现代文明宏伟物质形态和精神形态的塑造。这正是习近平总书记强调文化认同是最深层次认同的根本出发点和落脚点。为此，习近平总书记对发挥中华优秀传统文化在我国宗教中国化进程中举足轻重的作用，做出一系列高屋建瓴、细致周全的安排部署，开拓了“第二个结合”指导引领宗教中国化实践的具体路径和具体方法。这里面，最关键的路径是用中华优秀传统文化浸润我国各宗教，最主要的方法是潜移默化、分类推进。

The well-known “five major religions” all have a long history in China. Apart from Daoism, the other “four major religions” are foreign religions, but they have all undergone a prolonged process of “localization” and “contextualization.” Under the political and cultural conditions of China’s feudal society, they formed a “pre-modern posture of Sinicization of religions” relative to the current “Sinicization of religions.” However, it must be acknowledged that the degree of “Sinicization” of these foreign religions still varies greatly. Phenomena of “counter-Sinicization” and “de-Sinicization” have been common in their history of dissemination in China, and they continue to simmer beneath the surface in the current international and domestic environment, now with an even stronger political coloration. In contrast, taking the overall formation of Chinese Buddhism as representative, the historical achievements of Buddhism’s “Sinicization” are the most significant. It enriched and expanded the structure and scale of traditional Chinese philosophical thought with intellectual and methodological resources that accord with the beliefs and modes of thinking of the Chinese people, to the point that it eventually transformed itself into a component of traditional Chinese culture and a member of China’s traditional religions. Therefore, for Buddhism in China, especially Chinese Buddhism, the current task of “Sinicization” is, rather, a demand for “re-Sinicization” in the face of the new situation and new configuration in the religious sphere. If we simultaneously consider that Daoism, as an indigenous religion, is the traditional religion with the highest degree of mature “Sinicization” in ancient Chinese society, and that it too now faces the demand for “re-Sinicization” alongside Buddhism, then this means that both, while needing to further extract the essence of fine traditional Chinese culture to imbue themselves, must draw more heavily on historical experience and gain inspiration from the successful establishment of a principal-subordinate relationship with the state’s political system and orthodox ideology. This experience must be applied creatively to enrich their own belief systems with more contemporary connotations by leveraging the core socialist values and advanced socialist culture. For Tibetan Buddhism and Theravada Buddhism, adhering to the direction of Sinicization is more focused on continuously approaching and aligning with the mainstream Chinese cultural tradition, strengthening the “interpretation of religious doctrines and canons in a way that meets the requirements of contemporary China’s development and progress and conforms to fine traditional Chinese culture,” [1]1 “Religion sets the stage, the economy performs” and “culture sets the stage, religion performs” are variations of the earlier slogan “culture sets the stage, the economy performs,” which criticized local governments in the 1980s and 1990s for using cultural festivals to attract investment. The author warns that the sinicization slogan could be similarly exploited to expand religious influence. strengthening the promotion and application of the national common language, enhancing understanding of and resonance with the thought of “Humanistic Buddhism,” [2]2 “Forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation” is a key policy goal under Xi Jinping, aimed at strengthening national unity among all 56 ethnic groups, particularly in response to separatist tendencies in regions like Xinjiang and Tibet. promoting the improvement of the faith quality and level of religious circles and believers in resonance and mutual reinforcement with the forging of a sense of community for the Chinese nation, and firmly safeguarding national unity, national security, ethnic unity and progress, and the dignity of the constitution and laws.

人们耳熟能详的“五大宗教”在我国都有悠久的历史，除了道教，其他“四大宗教”是外来宗教，但都走过了长期的“本土化”“处境化”历程，在中国封建社会的政治文化条件下，形成了相对于当前的“宗教中国化”而言的“宗教中国化前现代态势”。但是应该承认，这些外来宗教的“中国化”程度还存在很大差异，“逆中国化”“去中国化”现象在它们的中国传播史上也屡见不鲜，在如今的国际国内环境中依然暗流涌动，而且更加带有强烈的政治色彩。相比之下，以汉传佛教的整体定型为代表，佛教“中国化”的历史成绩最为显著，并用契合华夏民族信仰心态和思维方式的智识论、方法论资粮，丰富、扩展了中华传统哲学思想的结构与规模，以至终于使自己嬗变为中华传统文化的组成部分和中华传统宗教的一员。因此，对我国佛教特别是汉传佛教来讲，现在的“中国化”任务，毋宁说是在宗教领域新形势新格局面前的一次“再中国化”要求。如果我们同时认为土生土长的道教是古代中国社会“中国化”成熟度最高的传统宗教，并且当前也和佛教一样面对“再中国化”要求，那么就意味着二者在同样要进一步萃取中华优秀传统文化的精华来浸润自己的时候，必须更多地从历史上成功建立与国家政治制度和正统意识形态的主辅关系中汲取经验、得到启迪，创造性地应用于借重社会主义核心价值观和社会主义先进文化为自身信仰体系充实更多时代内涵。对于藏传佛教和南传佛教，坚持中国化方向则更为聚焦在不断趋近、贴合中华主流文化传统，加强“对教规教义作出符合当代中国发展进步要求、符合中华优秀传统文化的阐释”,加强对国家通用语言文字的推广运用，增进对“人间佛教”思想的理解与共鸣，推动宗教界和信教群众信仰素质、信仰水平的提高与铸牢中华民族共同体意识同频谐振，相得益彰，坚定维护祖国统一、国家安全、民族团结进步和宪法法律尊严。

Catholicism, Protestantism, and Islam in China have each historically absorbed the influence of traditional Chinese thought and culture to a certain depth. However, measured by the characteristics of Chinese culture, it cannot yet be said that they have transitioned from being “religions in China” to fully becoming “religions of China.” Constrained by the artificial and inertial limitations of certain doctrines and dogmas, coupled with the use of Christianity by Western powers since modern times to promote political and cultural hegemony, up to the present-day strategies of “ideological infiltration” and “peaceful evolution,” [3]3 “Face project” (面子工程) is a Chinese term for a project undertaken primarily to create a good impression or enhance prestige, often at the expense of practical substance. as well as the tendencies toward “Arabization,” “Salafization,” [4]4 The “third contingent” of religious work refers to the role of academic researchers, alongside the two main forces of Party and government religious affairs officials (the first contingent) and religious groups and believers (the second contingent). and even extremism that have emerged in China’s Islamic sphere following the expansion of contemporary Islamic fundamentalism, these foreign religions on Chinese soil inevitably face unavoidable inward-looking self-challenges as the Chinese nation advances toward Chinese-path modernization today. To meet these existential challenges, the patriotic forces within China’s Protestant, Catholic, and Islamic circles need a sense of urgency for autonomous transformation, along with the determination and action to persist in reform. Determination stems from a sense of responsibility toward the nation and ethnic group and an emotional attachment to the healthy inheritance of one’s own religion. Action entails consciously entering the “embrace of Chinese culture,” actively seeking and continuously accepting the infusion of fine traditional Chinese culture, including traditional values, traditional virtues, and traditional wisdom, learning and enhancing the ability to coexist harmoniously and respond closely to mainstream Chinese politics and dominant ideology, achieving a certain degree of acculturation and co-construction with existing traditional Chinese religions in terms of belief concepts and belief forms, and ultimately evolving into fully Sinicized religions in terms of cultural characteristics, modes of expression, and social functions.

我国的天主教、基督教和伊斯兰教，在历史上接受中华传统思想文化的影响也分别达到了一定深度，但以中华文化的特质来衡量，还不能说已经从“在中国的宗教”成为了完全意义上的“中国的宗教”。囿于某些教义信条人为的、惯性的制约，再加上近代以来西方势力利用基督宗教推行政治文化强权直至现时的“思想渗透”“和平演变”攻略，以及伴随当代世界伊斯兰原教旨主义扩张而在我国伊斯兰教领域滋生的“阿化”“沙化”乃至极端化倾向，不能不使中国土地上的这些外来宗教在中华民族迈向中国式现代化的今天，面临无可回避的内卷型自我挑战。应对此等命运攸关的挑战，对我国基督教、天主教、伊斯兰教界爱国力量来说，需要有自主变革的紧迫感，有坚持变革的决心和行动。决心来自于对国家民族的责任意识和对本宗教健康传承的情感寄托，行动则是要自觉投入“中华文化大怀抱”，主动寻求并持续接受中华优秀传统文化包括传统价值、传统美德、传统智慧的浸润，学习和增长同中国社会主流政治、主导思想和谐相处、密切呼应的能力，在信仰观念、信仰形态方面与既有的中华传统宗教实现某种涵化、共构，最终从文化特征、表现方式、社会功能上演进为彻底中国化的宗教。

In light of this, if we observe the traditional Chinese polytheistic beliefs that carry the people’s aspirations for a fulfilling worldly life through the lens of “comparative religion,” it is not difficult to find that the so-called “utilitarian” polytheistic worship model, with its secular origins and secular functions, differs greatly from the illusory, alienated “theocentric” exclusivist spiritual sustenance of Western monotheism. This is, in fact, a manifestation of the “humanistic” and “humanist” characteristics of fine traditional Chinese culture within traditional Chinese beliefs. When linking the “Sinicization of religions” with the long-term design of consolidating cultural subjectivity, a comprehensive reassessment of the existential value of the polytheistic belief tradition as an important content of traditional Chinese culture in the process of modern civilization of the Chinese nation—including its unique significance in neutralizing the cultural tension of monotheism—should help to strengthen our cultural confidence from the perspective of traditional Chinese religious culture, while simultaneously providing strong academic support for the Sinicization of religions.

有鉴于此，如果用“宗教比较”的眼光对承载民众圆满现实诉求的中华传统多神信仰加以观察，不难发现，来源俗世化、功能世俗化的所谓“功利主义”的多神崇拜模式，与西方一神教虚幻的、异化的“神本主义”排他性精神寄托大相径庭。这实际上是中华优秀传统文化的“人本主义”“人文主义”特质在中华传统信仰中的显现。在把“宗教中国化”与巩固文化主体性的长远设计联系起来的时候，重新对多神信仰传统作为中华传统文化重要内容在中华民族现代文明进程中的存在价值———包括中和一神教文化张力的独特意义———进行全面评估，应该有助于从中华传统宗教文化的角度增强我们的文化自信，同时从学理上为宗教中国化提供有力支撑。

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A history of Chinese religions is, to a large extent, a history of foreign religions adhering to their “original teachings” and, under the influence and intervention of traditional Chinese political culture and ideology, being compelled to gradually “Sinicize” or withdraw from the social stage. People of insight in various religions should deeply review and learn from the historical processes and lessons of the contradictions and struggles between “fundamentalism” and “heterogeneous cultural conservatism” on the one hand, and “Sinicization” on the other. This includes taking a matter-of-fact view of the gap between the intra-religious status of certain religious figures and their historical positioning in the “Sinicization of religions.” They should not indulge in self-congratulatory “historical memories,” overly emphasizing the achievements of “Sinicization” of a particular religion in ancient feudal society to the point of obscuring the understanding of its limitations and reversals. They should avoid evading the historical distinction between “non-Sinicization” and “counter-Sinicization” on the one hand, and the true “direction of Sinicization” on the other, or even portraying historical phenomena that were not originally part of “Sinicization” as a picture of “Sinicization.” Doing so would only divert and dilute the exploration and cognition of focal issues such as what kind of “Sinicization” should be realized under the conditions of socialism with Chinese characteristics for a New Era and how to realize such “Sinicization.”

一部中国宗教史，在很大篇幅上是一部外来宗教坚持“原教旨”及其在中华传统政治文化、意识形态影响干预之下不得不逐步“中国化”或不得不退出社会舞台的历史。各宗教的有识之士应该深刻回顾并吸取历史上“原教旨主义”“异质文化保守主义”同“中国化”之间矛盾斗争的过程和教训，包括实事求是看待某些宗教人物的教内地位同其在“宗教中国化”历史定位之间的落差，而不应沉浸在自我欣赏式的“历史记忆”当中，过于偏重彰显某个宗教在古代封建社会的“中国化”成果，以至遮蔽对其中局限性、反复性的认识;回避其历史上也曾经存在的“非中国化”“逆中国化”与真正“中国化方向”的分野，甚至把本来不属于“中国化”的历史现象也说成是“中国化”的图景，反而转移、冲淡了对新时代中国特色社会主义条件下应该实现什么样的“中国化”、如何实现这样的“中国化”等问题焦点的探讨和认知。

The Sinicization of religions in the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics is a “Sinicization” aimed at building a great modern socialist country and the great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation. It possesses a political orientation, value guidance, and cultural standards incomparable to any previous era, and it also faces an unprecedentedly complex international and domestic social and political situation and ideological and cultural environment. On this path, even fine traditional Chinese culture, if not combined with the basic tenets of Marxism and with Marxism adapted to the Chinese context for the 21st century, and if not subjected to creative transformation and innovative development, cannot automatically grow into the cultural form of Chinese-path modernization. How much more so for existing religions, including traditional Chinese religions? If they cannot further immerse themselves in fine traditional Chinese culture and gain fresh vitality to integrate into the “Second Integration,” [5]5 The “Second Integration” (第二个结合) refers to the combination of the basic tenets of Marxism with fine traditional Chinese culture, as articulated by Xi Jinping. they will be unable to fulfill the mission of “Sinicization” or “re-Sinicization” entrusted to them by the New Era. Therefore, the “Sinicization of religions” to be carried out in today’s great era is also part of the “great struggle with many new historical features.” [6]6 This phrase, “great struggle with many new historical features” (具有许多新的历史特点的伟大斗争), originates from the report of the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012 and is frequently used in official discourse to describe the challenges of the current era. It is a feat that connects with the past yet is unprecedented. All religions on Chinese soil, including China’s native religions and foreign religions that have written chapters of “localization” and “contextualization” in history, need to set comprehensive innovation goals for “Sinicization,” gradually promote endogenous changes that meet the requirements of Chinese-path modernization, and produce a direct impact on the broad masses of religious believers, so that the “Sinicization of religions” increasingly becomes a conscious action of the faithful.

中国特色社会主义新时代的宗教中国化，是以建设社会主义现代化强国和中华民族伟大复兴为旨归的“中国化”，有着以往任何时代都不能比拟的政治取向、价值引领、文化标准，也面对前所未有的国际国内复杂社会政治局势和思想文化环境。在这条道路上，即使是中华优秀传统文化，如果不和马克思主义基本原理、不和二十一世纪中国化马克思主义相结合，不实行创造性转化、创新性发展，也不可能自动成长为中国式现代化的文化形态;更何况包括中华传统宗教在内的现存各宗教，如果不能进一步浸润于中华优秀传统文化之中，获得融入“第二个结合”的新鲜活力，就无法完成新时代所赋予的“中国化”或“再中国化”使命。因此，今天的伟大时代所要进行的“宗教中国化”，同样属于“具有许多新的历史特点的伟大斗争”的一部分，是一项前接古人又前无古人的壮举。中华大地上的各种宗教，包括中国原生宗教和曾经写下“本土化”“处境化”历史篇章的外来宗教，都需要全方位设定“中国化”的创新目标，逐步推进适应中国式现代化要求的内生性变革，并且要在广大信教群众中产生直接影响，使“宗教中国化”日益成为信教群众的自觉行动。

At a time when we are welcoming an upsurge in the sinicization of religion in the New Era, it is also necessary to clearly recognize that, just as “freedom of religious belief” does not mean encouraging people to blindly believe in religion, adhering to the direction of sinicization of religion is not intended to attract more Chinese citizens to pursue religious belief. The practical subject and the receiving subject of the sinicization of religion are basically the same; they are primarily the existing members of China’s various religions at any given time. It is necessary to prevent people from taking up the slogan of “sinicization of religion” and, under the guise of traditional Chinese culture, covertly expanding the channels and scale of proselytization in society, or attempting to implement a new round of joint actions such as “religion sets the stage, the economy performs” and “culture sets the stage, religion performs.” [1]1 “Religion sets the stage, the economy performs” and “culture sets the stage, religion performs” are variations of the earlier slogan “culture sets the stage, the economy performs,” which criticized local governments in the 1980s and 1990s for using cultural festivals to attract investment. The author warns that the sinicization slogan could be similarly exploited to expand religious influence. Furthermore, some foreign religions are embraced by the majority of the population of several of China’s ethnic minorities and have exhibited certain ethnic characteristics in the course of history, but this does not mean that “sinicization” has been naturally achieved. It is necessary to prevent the emergence of a tendency to regard the forms of religious belief among some ethnic minorities as ready-made “historical models of the sinicization of religion,” which would hinder them from integrating their spiritual home into the mainstream of fine traditional Chinese culture and contemporary outstanding Chinese culture. This is also an important link in forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. [2]2 “Forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation” is a key policy goal under Xi Jinping, aimed at strengthening national unity among all 56 ethnic groups, particularly in response to separatist tendencies in regions like Xinjiang and Tibet.

在迎来新时代宗教中国化热潮的时候，也有必要清醒认识到，如同“宗教信仰自由”不是鼓励人们盲目信仰宗教一样，坚持宗教中国化方向也不是为了吸引更多国人追求宗教信仰。宗教中国化的实践主体和接受主体是基本一致的，主要就是我国各宗教的实时既有成员。要防止有人接过“宗教中国化”的口号，利用中华传统文化的名义，在社会上变相扩大宣教途径和传教规模，或试图实施新一轮“宗教搭台，经济唱戏”“文化搭台，宗教唱戏”的联合行动。还有，有的外来宗教为我国若干少数民族的多数人口所信奉，并在历史过程中表现出一定的民族特色，但这并不等于已经自然实现了“中国化”。要防止将一些少数民族中的宗教信仰形态原封不动地视为“宗教中国化历史典范”的苗头出现，阻碍他们把精神家园汇入中华优秀传统文化主流和当代中华优秀文化的脚步。这也是铸牢中华民族共同体意识的重要环节之一。

Finally, we must always remember: adhering to the direction of sinicization of religion is a gradual process; it is more a matter of doing than a matter of saying. It should be promoted by adapting to local conditions, to the times, and to specific circumstances, rather than shouting slogans everywhere or turning it into a “face project.” [3]3 “Face project” (面子工程) is a Chinese term for a project undertaken primarily to create a good impression or enhance prestige, often at the expense of practical substance. The academic community, as the “third contingent” of religious work, [4]4 The “third contingent” of religious work refers to the role of academic researchers, alongside the two main forces of Party and government religious affairs officials (the first contingent) and religious groups and believers (the second contingent). should constantly remind itself to reject impetuous scholarship, vigorously promote practical investigation, gather innovative thinking, and coordinate research on issues such as the historical process, typical experiences, theoretical basis, objectives and tasks, and realization paths of the sinicization of religion in China. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture and the Party’s theory on religious work in the New Era, it should continuously provide solid intellectual support for advancing the sinicization of religion in the face of difficulties.

最后，我们应当切记:坚持宗教中国化方向是一个渐进的过程，更多的是一个做的事情，而不是一个说的事情。要因地制宜、因时制宜、因事制宜加以推进，而不是到处喊口号，或者搞成“面子工程”。学术界作为宗教工作“第三支队伍”，应该时时自我提示，力戒浮躁学风，大兴实际调查，荟聚创新思维，统筹开展对于我国宗教中国化的历史过程、典型经验、学理依据、目标任务、实现路径等问题的攻关研究，在习近平文化思想和新时代党的宗教工作理论指引下，不断为宗教中国化的迎难而进增添实实在在的智力支持。

(Author’s bio: Zhang Xinying, President of the Journal of Science and Atheism)

（作者简介：张新鹰，《科学与无神论》杂志社社长）

Online editor: Tongxin

网络编辑：同心