Editing Sinicization (section)

===Religion===
{{See also|Antireligious campaigns of the Chinese Communist Party}}
In April 2016, CCP general secretary Xi Jinping declared that to "actively guide the adaptation of religions to socialist society, an important task is supporting China's religions' persistence in the direction of sinicization."<ref name="diplomat-2018">{{cite news |last1=Bowie |first1=Julia |last2=Gitter |first2=David |title=The CCP's Plan to 'Sinicize' Religions |url=https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/the-ccps-plan-to-sinicize-religions/ |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=The Diplomat |date=14 June 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418105410/https://thediplomat.com/2018/06/the-ccps-plan-to-sinicize-religions/ |archive-date=18 April 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=习近平：全面提高新形势下宗教工作水平-新华网 |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2016-04/23/c_1118716540.htm |website=www.xinhuanet.com |access-date=9 February 2020 |language=zh |date=23 April 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200129162636/http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/2016-04/23/c_1118716540.htm |archive-date=29 January 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> He later reiterated this plan to the [[19th National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party|19th Communist Party Congress]] saying "We will fully implement the Party's basic policy on religious affairs, insist on the sinicization of Chinese religions, and provide active guidance for religion and socialism to coexist."<ref name="diplomat-2018"/><ref>{{cite news |title=习近平：决胜全面建成小康社会 夺取新时代中国特色社会主义伟大胜利——在中国共产党第十九次全国代表大会上的报告-新华网 |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/19cpcnc/2017-10/27/c_1121867529.htm |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=www.xinhuanet.com |date=27 October 2017 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180420173945/http://www.xinhuanet.com/politics/19cpcnc/2017-10/27/c_1121867529.htm |archive-date=20 April 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

====Protestantism====
The [[Three-Self Patriotic Movement]] (TSPM) of [[Protestantism|Protestant]] churches in China has described the [[Boxer Rebellion]] and the anti-Christian movement of 1922–1927 as early efforts to sinicize Christianity.<ref name="scmp-may-2019">{{cite news |last1=Gan |first1=Nectar |title=Chinese Protestant church head wants purge of Western influences |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3001240/official-head-chinas-protestant-churches-says-religions-must-be |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=South China Morning Post |date=12 March 2019 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219091314/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3001240/official-head-chinas-protestant-churches-says-religions-must-be |archive-date=19 February 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref>

The TSPM and [[China Christian Council]] arranged a conference in Shanghai on August 4–6, 2014, commemorating the anniversary of the TSPM. This conference included a seminar on the sinicizaton of Christianity, with Fu Xianwei, chairman of the TSPM, saying "churches in China will continue to explore the sinicization of Christianity [and] ensure Christianity takes root in the soil of Chinese culture, ethnicity, and society... To advance the sinicization of Christianity, churches will need guidance and support from government agencies in charge of religious affairs."<ref>{{cite web |date=April 2015 |title=2014 Annual Report: Religious and Human Rights Persecution in China |url=https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B024UfutRtHodGVzbWhyLUtCdjg/view |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200414174149/https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B024UfutRtHodGVzbWhyLUtCdjg/view |archive-date=14 April 2020 |access-date=9 February 2020 |publisher=ChinaAid |location=Texas, USA |quote=The National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of Protestant Churches in China marked its 60th anniversary in 2014. Subsequently, China's government-sponsored China Christian Council (CCC) and the TSPM orchestrated a conference in Shanghai on August 4–6 to commemorate the anniversary of the TSPM, which included a seminar on the so-called "sinicization" of Christianity. Fu Xianwei, chairman of the TSPM, was quoted as saying that "churches in China will continue to explore the sinicization of Christianity [and] ensure Christianity takes root in the soil of Chinese culture, ethnicity, and society... To advance the sinicization of Christianity, churches will need guidance and support from government agencies in charge of religious affairs." Gao Feng, chairman of the CCC, stated that the TSPM would "take on a new mission in this age, adhere to the path of sinicization, and deepen and advance the process of sinicizing Christianity." Wang Zuo'an, director of the State Administration for Religious Affairs (SARA), also reinforced the need for the sinicization of Christianity.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Sinicization' of Christianity China's aim |url=http://bpnews.net/44702/sinicization-of-christianity-chinas-aim |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=Baptist Press |date=6 May 2015 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127142159/http://www.bpnews.net/44702/sinicization-of-christianity-chinas-aim |archive-date=27 November 2018 |url-status=live }}</ref>

In 2019, TSPM chairman Xu Xiaohong made a pledge to eliminate any Western "imprint" from Chinese faith saying "[We] must recognise that Chinese churches are surnamed 'China', not 'the West'" and "No matter how much effort or time it takes, our resolution in upholding the Sinicisation of Protestantism will never change, and our determination to walk a path that is adapted to a socialist society will never waver."<ref name="scmp-may-2019"/>

In December 2023, [[Wang Huning]] stated that Christian groups must "adhere to the direction of the sinicisation of Christianity."<ref>{{Cite news |last=Woo |first=Ryan |date=December 25, 2023 |title=Christmas in China brings glittering decor and foreign influence concerns |work=[[Reuters]] |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/china/christmas-china-brings-glittering-decor-foreign-influence-concerns-2023-12-25/ |access-date=December 25, 2023}}</ref>

====Catholicism====
{{Further|Catholic Church in China}}
In December 2016, the Ninth National Congress of the Chinese Catholic Representatives reaffirmed their plan for the [[United Front Work Department]]'s [[Catholic Patriotic Association]] to uphold the principle of independence and self-governance, along with the promotion of sinicization.<ref>{{cite news |author1=Shan Ren Shen Fu |title=The Ninth Assembly of Chinese Catholic Representatives: More smog and pollution in 2017 |work=[[Asianews.it]] |url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-Ninth-Assembly-of-Chinese-Catholic-Representatives:-More-smog-and-pollution-in-2017-39552.html |url-status=live |access-date=9 February 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170602162518/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/The-Ninth-Assembly-of-Chinese-Catholic-Representatives:-More-smog-and-pollution-in-2017-39552.html |archive-date=2 June 2017}}</ref>

In March 2018, Archbishop [[Paul Gallagher (bishop)|Paul Gallagher]], [[Section for Relations with States (Roman Curia)|Secretary for Relations with States]] within the [[Holy See]]'s [[Secretariat of State (Holy See)|Secretariat of State]], said that "two expressions or, more precisely, two principles stand out, which should interact with each other, namely "sinicization" and "[[inculturation]]." I am convinced that an important intellectual and pastoral challenge arises in an almost natural way from the bringing together of these two terms, which indicate two real visions of the world."<ref>{{cite web |author1=H.E. Msgr. Paul Richard Gallagher |title=Intervention of the Secretary for Relations with States at the International Conference on "Christianity in the Chinese Society: Impact, Interaction and Inculturation" |url=http://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/03/26/180326c.html |website=Summary of Bulletin |publisher=Holy See Press Office |access-date=9 February 2020 |date=26 March 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191203172928/https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/en/bollettino/pubblico/2018/03/26/180326c.html |archive-date=3 December 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Valente |first1=Gianni |title=Gallagher: we are not afraid of China's new global leadership – La Stampa |url=https://www.lastampa.it/vatican-insider/en/2018/03/22/news/gallagher-we-are-not-afraid-of-china-s-new-global-leadership-1.33995315?refresh_ce |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=Vatican Insider |date=22 March 2018 |language=it-IT |archive-date=27 January 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210127172150/https://www.lastampa.it/vatican-insider/en/2018/03/22/news/gallagher-we-are-not-afraid-of-china-s-new-global-leadership-1.33995315?refresh_ce |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2018, the Bishops' Conference of the Catholic Church in China and the Catholic Patriotic Association issued a "Five-Year Plan on Carrying Forward the Catholic Church's Adherence to the Direction of Sinicization in Our Country".<ref>{{cite news |title=Sinicization of China Church: the plan in full – UCA News |url=https://www.ucanews.com/news/sinicization-of-china-church-the-plan-in-full/82931 |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=Union of Catholic Asian News Limited |date=31 July 2018 |location=Hong Kong, China |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181216070823/https://www.ucanews.com/news/sinicization-of-china-church-the-plan-in-full/82931 |archive-date=16 December 2018 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Zhicheng |first1=Wang |title=Ahead of China-Vatican dialogue, a five-year plan to Sinicize the Church under the Party |url=http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Ahead-of-China-Vatican-dialogue,-a-five-year-plan-to-Sinicize-the-Church-under-the-Party-44038.html |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=AsiaNews |date=31 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225064026/http://www.asianews.it/news-en/Ahead-of-China-Vatican-dialogue,-a-five-year-plan-to-Sinicize-the-Church-under-the-Party-44038.html |archive-date=25 February 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref> This document calls for Catholics to accept Communist party leadership, love the motherland and obey the state, as well as to embrace the state's directive to implement Chinese cultural integration within Catholicism. [[Christianity in Hebei|Churches in Hebei province]] and the [[Roman Catholic Diocese of Suifu|Yibin Diocese]] of [[Catholic Church in Sichuan|Sichuan province]] began holding training seminars immediately.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Jones |first1=Kevin |title=In China, government-aligned bishops release 'Sinicization' plan |url=https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/38959/in-china-government-aligned-bishops-release-sinicization-plan |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=Catholic News Agency |date=25 July 2018 |language=en |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200517041624/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/in-china-government-aligned-bishops-release-sinicization-plan-52052 |archive-date=17 May 2020 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=China's Catholics told to create five-year plan to Sinicise Church |url=https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/coe/chinas-catholics-told-to-formulate-five-year-plan-to-sinicise-church/ |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=World Watch Monitor |date=26 July 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190616154201/https://www.worldwatchmonitor.org/coe/chinas-catholics-told-to-formulate-five-year-plan-to-sinicise-church/ |archive-date=16 June 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Pietro Parolin|Cardinal Parolin]], the Vatican secretary of state, in a 2019 interview with the CCP-owned ''[[Global Times]]'' newspaper, claimed that sinicization was a form of 'inculturation', which is a Catholic missionary term that refers to adopting local culture to proclaim the gospel. He cited Matteo Ricci as an example and pointed out that the Chinese leadership had promised not to undermine the doctrine and nature of each religion. He stated in the interview: "These two terms, "inculturation" and "sinicization," refer to each other without confusion and without opposition: in some ways, they can be complementary and can open avenues for dialogue on the religious and cultural level."<ref>https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/41269/beijing-and-rome-can-work-together-parolin-tells-chinese-media {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602194803/https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/news/41269/beijing-and-rome-can-work-together-parolin-tells-chinese-media |date=2023-06-02 }}, Beijing and Rome can work together, Parolin tells Chinese media, Catholic News Agency, retrieved June 2nd 2023</ref><ref>https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2019/05/13/no-opposition-between-sinicization-and-inculturation-parolin-tells-china-media/ {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230602201809/https://www.catholicworldreport.com/2019/05/13/no-opposition-between-sinicization-and-inculturation-parolin-tells-china-media/ |date=2023-06-02 }}, 'No opposition between sinicization and inculturation' Parolin tells China media, Catholic World Report, retrieved June 2nd 2023</ref><ref>https://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/beijing-and-rome-can-work-together-parolin-tells-chinese-media/47797/1 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603162429/https://www.heraldmalaysia.com/news/beijing-and-rome-can-work-together-parolin-tells-chinese-media/47797/1 |date=2023-06-03 }}, Beijing and Rome can work together, Parolin tells Chinese media, Herald Malaysia Online, retrieved June 3rd 2023</ref><ref>https://www.vaticannews.va/zh/vatican-city/news/2019-05/cardinal-parolin-interview-chinese-newspaper-china-holy-see.html {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603162429/https://www.vaticannews.va/zh/vatican-city/news/2019-05/cardinal-parolin-interview-chinese-newspaper-china-holy-see.html |date=2023-06-03 }}, 帕罗林枢机："我们与中国正在开创一种积极的方法", Vatican News</ref>

====Islam====
{{See also|Xinjiang internment camps|}}
[[File:Front_gate_of_Ximen_Mosque,_Dali.jpg|thumb|Mosque with dome removed due to sinicization policy]]
In 2015, CCP general secretary [[Xi Jinping]] first raised the issue of "sinicization of Islam". In 2018, a confidential directive was issued ordering local officials to "prevent Islam from interfering with secular life and the state's functions".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Myers |first1=Steven Lee |title=A Crackdown on Islam Is Spreading Across China |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/21/world/asia/china-islam-crackdown.html |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=The New York Times |date=21 September 2019 |quote=The restrictions they now face can be traced to 2015, when Mr. Xi first raised the issue of what he called the "Sinicization of Islam," saying all faiths should be subordinate to Chinese culture and the Communist Party. Last year, Mr. Xi's government issued a confidential directive that ordered local officials to prevent Islam from interfering with secular life and the state's functions. |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190924010442/https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/21/world/asia/china-islam-crackdown.html |archive-date=24 September 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>

Yang Faming, leader of the [[Islamic Association of China]], said in a 2018 speech that "We must allow traditional Chinese culture to permeate Islam and jointly guard the spiritual homeland of the Chinese people."<ref>{{cite news |title=杨发明委员：坚持我国伊斯兰教中国化方向-新华网 |url=http://www.xinhuanet.com/2018-03/10/c_1122518319.htm |access-date=9 February 2020 |work=www.xinhuanet.com |date=10 March 2018 |language=zh |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200424145056/http://www.xinhuanet.com/2018-03/10/c_1122518319.htm |archive-date=24 April 2020 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He encouraged Chinese characteristics to be present in religious ceremony, culture, and architecture.<ref name="diplomat-2018"/>

In 2018, over one million Chinese government workers began forcibly living in the homes of Uyghur Muslim families to monitor and assess resistance to assimilation, and to watch for frowned-upon religious or cultural practices.<ref name=":23">{{Cite news|last=Byler|first=Darren|date=9 November 2018|title=Why Chinese civil servants are happy to occupy Uyghur homes in Xinjiang|work=CNN|url=https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/09/opinions/uyghur-home-visit-opinion-intl/index.html|access-date=|archive-date=19 October 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211019154249/https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/09/opinions/uyghur-home-visit-opinion-intl/index.html|url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":8">{{Cite web|last1=Westcott|first1=Ben|last2=Xiong|first2=Yong|title=Xinjiang's Uyghurs didn't choose to be Muslim, new Chinese report says|date=22 July 2019|url=https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/22/asia/china-xinjiang-uyghur-muslim-intl-hnk/index.html|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191219115041/https://www.cnn.com/2019/07/22/asia/china-xinjiang-uyghur-muslim-intl-hnk/index.html|archive-date=2019-12-19|access-date=2019-12-02|publisher=CNN}}</ref> These government workers were trained to call themselves "relatives" and have been described in Chinese state media as being a key part of enhancing "ethnic unity".<ref name=":23" />

{{As of|2019}}, it was estimated that Chinese authorities may have detained one and a half million people in secretive internment camps. The vast majority of those forcibly interned are Muslim Uyghurs but [[Kazakhs in China|Kazakhs]] and other minority groups have also been included.<ref>{{Cite news|date=14 March 2019|title=1.5 million Muslims could be detained in China's Xinjiang: academic|newspaper=Reuters|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-rights/15-million-muslims-could-be-detained-in-chinas-xinjiang-academic-idUSKCN1QU2MQ|access-date=11 January 2021|archive-date=9 January 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210109115341/https://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-xinjiang-rights/15-million-muslims-could-be-detained-in-chinas-xinjiang-academic-idUSKCN1QU2MQ|url-status=live}}</ref>

In September 2020, sinicization policies targeted Muslim [[Utsul]]s in [[Hainan]] province. Restrictions included limiting the size of mosques, requiring a Communist Party member on mosque management committees, forbidding the use of Arabic words on food stalls (such as "[[halal]]"), and banning the [[hijab]] in schools and government offices.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Baptista |first1=Eduardo |title=Tiny Muslim community becomes latest target for China's religious crackdown |url=https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3103253/tiny-muslim-community-chinas-far-south-becomes-latest-target |access-date=5 April 2021 |work=South China Morning Post |date=28 September 2020 |language=en |archive-date=16 October 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201016015718/https://www.scmp.com/news/china/politics/article/3103253/tiny-muslim-community-chinas-far-south-becomes-latest-target |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Seibt |first1=Sébastian |date=30 September 2020 |title=Beijing's crackdown on religious minorities takes aim at 10,000 Muslim Utsuls |language=en |work=[[France 24]] |url=https://www.france24.com/en/20200930-beijing-s-crackdown-on-religious-minorities-takes-aim-at-10-000-muslim-utsuls |access-date=5 April 2021 |archive-date=31 March 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331072438/https://www.france24.com/en/20200930-beijing-s-crackdown-on-religious-minorities-takes-aim-at-10-000-muslim-utsuls |url-status=live }}</ref>

In June 2023, [[CNN]] reported that Chinese authorities had forcibly rebuilt a number of mosques to eliminate traditional Islamic architecture (e.g. minarets, domes) and replace them with Chinese architecture.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Thousands of ethnic minority Muslims defy Chinese authorities in defense of mosque |url=https://www.cnnphilippines.com/world/2023/6/2/china-mosque-protest.html |access-date=2023-06-03 |website=[[CNN Philippines]] |language=en |archive-date=2023-06-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230603104435/https://www.cnnphilippines.com/world/2023/6/2/china-mosque-protest.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> In July 2023, the United Front Work Department's [[Central Institute of Socialism]] developed a plan to "meld Islam with Confucianism" using the [[Han Kitab]] texts as a guide.<ref>{{Cite web |date=September 14, 2023 |title=Among Uyghurs, China aims to 'meld Islam with Confucianism' |url=https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/uyghur-sinicizing-islam-09142023171912.html |access-date=2023-09-16 |website=[[Radio Free Asia]] |language=en |archive-date=2023-09-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230915205443/https://www.rfa.org/english/news/uyghur/uyghur-sinicizing-islam-09142023171912.html |url-status=live }}</ref>