On October 26, 2023, the Chinese Buddhist Association approved a new “Five-Year Work Plan for the In-Depth Promotion of the Sinicization of Buddhism (2023-2027),” a document that outlines a worrying trend in China’s religious landscape. This latest initiative, like its predecessor from 2019-2023, aims to reshape Buddhism into a tool for the Communist Party’s political agenda, stripping it of its spiritual essence and cultural diversity.
At first glance, the plan’s language may seem benign, promising the “healthy inheritance of Buddhism” and promoting “openness” and “inclusiveness.” However, a closer look reveals that these buzzwords are part of a broader strategy to subordinate religious traditions to state control. The core idea behind “Sinicization” is not simply adapting Buddhism to the cultural context of China—something that has occurred organically over centuries—but rather a forced alignment with the values of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP).
Political Indoctrination Over Faith
The most glaring concern is the overt political agenda embedded in this religious policy. The work plan stresses the need to “thoroughly study and implement the spirit of the 20th Party Congress” and “deepen political, ideological, theoretical, and emotional identification with the Party and the state” (October 2023). In short, Buddhism in China is being forced to become another arm of the CCP, not a path of spiritual enlightenment but a means to instill loyalty to the state.
This is reflected in the plan’s emphasis on aligning Buddhist teachings with “Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era” (October 2023). What place does a political ideology have in a religious system that historically promotes self-awareness, mindfulness, and compassion? The plan forces Buddhist communities to walk a delicate line, as they must “promote innovation while upholding tradition in teachings, regulations, management systems, rituals, customs, and behavioural norms”—a euphemism for state-mandated control of religious content.
Moreover, the Chinese Buddhist Association’s work plan lays out extensive measures for top-down management of Buddhist organizations and activities, including strengthening self-education, self-management, and self-discipline within the Buddhist community (October 2023). These phrases sound like initiatives for religious self-governance, but in reality, they are mechanisms of control to ensure compliance with state expectations.
The plan also promotes the “comprehensive and strict management of religious affairs,” reinforcing the state’s influence over how religious leaders are chosen and how teachings are interpreted. The idea of “comprehensive management” translates to government supervision, where “violators” of these imposed norms face repercussions.
The work plan makes it clear: The government views Buddhist institutions not as independent religious communities but as tools for achieving the Party’s goals. The forced alignment with “socialist core values” under the guise of Buddhist teaching corrupts the very foundations of Buddhism. For instance, the plan insists on enhancing “political, ideological, theoretical, and emotional identification with the Party and the state” (October 2023), a clear intrusion into the spiritual and ethical sphere.
By encouraging Buddhist communities to uphold and promote “socialist core values” and “integrate with traditional Chinese culture” (October 2023), the work plan threatens the rich diversity of Chinese Buddhism, as well as its deeper connection to its roots in India and other Asian cultures. Sinicization here means more than cultural adaptation—it entails reshaping Buddhism to serve as a vessel for nationalism and state doctrine.
The document claims to “inherit the successful integration of Buddhism with traditional Chinese culture” (October 2023), but this is a manipulation of history. Historically, Buddhism was able to merge with Chinese culture through organic means, blending Confucian, Taoist, and Buddhist ideals without undermining its core teachings. Now, under the auspices of the CCP, the state is pushing for a version of Buddhism that prioritizes national identity over spiritual practice. The risk is that Buddhism will be reduced to a mere cultural relic, its teachings diluted to fit the state’s propaganda.
Perhaps most concerning is the CCP’s continued efforts to assert control over Tibetan and Southern Buddhist traditions in China. The plan explicitly calls for the management of Tibetan Buddhism, reinforcing the state’s “anti-separatist” agenda and emphasizing the need for Tibetan Buddhism to conform to socialist values. The “Tibetan Buddhist Master Certification System” further consolidates state control over religious leadership in Tibet, undermining the cultural and spiritual autonomy of Tibetan communities.
The plan also mentions the “management” of religious activities like the recognition of reincarnations in Tibetan Buddhism, stating that the reincarnation of Tibetan Lamas must follow “domestic searches, the Golden Urn lottery, and central approval” (October 2023). Such provisions are an affront to the deeply spiritual and religious processes within Tibetan Buddhism, placing sacred traditions under the control of a secular, atheist government.
In essence, the “Five-Year Work Plan for the In-Depth Promotion of the Sinicization of Buddhism” is not just a religious policy—it’s a political weapon. The CCP is using Buddhism as a tool to reinforce state power, suppress dissent, and promote nationalism under the guise of religious reform. By forcing Buddhist communities to adopt socialist values and subordinating religious leaders to state authority, China is steadily eroding the independence and spiritual integrity of one of the world’s oldest religions.
The Buddhist community in China, like all religious communities, deserves the freedom to practice its faith without political interference. The state’s overreach into religious matters is a violation of religious freedom, one that not only affects Chinese Buddhists but also sets a dangerous precedent for religious control globally.
As the plan progresses, it is clear that the future of Buddhism in China will be tightly controlled, its teachings distorted to serve a state that has little respect for religious autonomy or spiritual depth.
