Property of Religious Organizations in the People’s Republic of China

Abstract

This study reviews the changing conditions of religious organizations in Chinese society. Legislative action regarding religious property is an important indicator of the state’s disposition toward religious organizations. A study of the changes in the status of property owned by religious communities allows us to deepen our understanding of policy in the sphere of religion in China and to trace its transformation at various stages. Throughout the history of the People’s Republic of China, the religious policy of the Communist Party has undergone powerful transformations that reflect changes in the regime’s attitude toward religion. Tracing the status of religious property at various stages in the development of religious policy vividly demonstrates these changes. As a rule, transformations during these stages took place upon the adoption by party-state organizations of a landmark document. While the issue of religious property in China is quite delicate, the policy and methods applied in practice are very chaotic. The study sheds light on the poorly understood problems surrounding religious property in the history of modern China. 摘要 本文研究中国社会宗教组织产权的变迁。有关宗教财产的法律法规体现了国家对宗教组织的态度。对于宗教组织财产状况变化的研究能加深对宗教政策及其变迁的认识。建立新政权以来，共产党的宗教政策发生了巨大变化，这些变化反映政府对待宗教态度的转变。宗教财产的问题在宗教政策不同的阶段有不同特点。一般而言，当国家颁布一个重要的宗教政策文件时，这就意味着宗教政策的转变。宗教财产在中国是一个敏感且重要的议题，但相关的政策法规却是杂乱无章。本研究的梳理填补了现代中国宗教财产议题的空白。