Article 1 This Code is formulated in accordance with the Regulations on Religious Affairs, the Measures for the Administration of Religious Clergy, the Measures for the Administration of Internet Information Services, the Measures for the Administration of Internet Religious Information Services, and other regulations and rules, in order to regulate the online conduct of religious clergy and maintain good order in the online religious sphere.
Article 2 In their online conduct, religious clergy shall love the motherland, support the leadership of the Communist Party of China, support the socialist system, abide by national laws and regulations and the relevant provisions on the administration of religious affairs, observe social morality, public order, and good customs, set an example in observing the Self-Discipline Pact for Civilized Internet Use, act in conformity with religious rules and precepts, and accept government supervision and public oversight.
Article 3 In using the internet, religious clergy shall practice the core socialist values, adhere to the principle that religions in China are independent and self-governing, adhere to the direction of the sinicization of religions in China, actively guide religion to adapt to socialist society, and uphold harmony among religions, social harmony, and ethnic harmony.
Article 4 Religious clergy acting online other than in their capacity as religious clergy shall abide by national laws and regulations and the relevant provisions on the administration of religious affairs; those who register and use public accounts for information publishing or instant messaging in their capacity as religious clergy shall submit their religious clergy certificate to the internet information service provider for verification.
Article 5 Religious clergy may expound scriptures and preach the teachings or engage in religious education and training on the internet only through websites, applications, forums, and the like lawfully established by religious bodies, religious schools, and monasteries, temples, mosques, and churches that hold an Internet Religious Information Service License.
Article 6 Religious clergy shall cultivate good online habits, consciously resist unhealthy online culture, and must not engage in self-promotion or use religious topics and content to grab attention and attract traffic.
Article 7 Information produced, copied, stored, published, or disseminated online by religious clergy must not contain content that incites subversion of state power, opposes the leadership of the Communist Party of China, undermines the socialist system, national unity, ethnic unity, or social stability, or interferes with the implementation of the national judicial, educational, marriage, or social administration systems.
Article 8 Religious clergy must not collude with foreign forces via the internet or support or participate in religious infiltration activities from abroad.
Article 9 Religious clergy must not display, wear, or promote religious extremist attire online, spread religious extremist ideas, incite religious fanaticism, or advocate extremism, terrorism, or ethnic separatism.
Article 10 Religious clergy must not use the internet to spread or instill religious ideas among minors or induce them to believe in religion, organize minors to take part in religion-related education and training, summer (winter) camps, and the like, or organize or force minors to take part in religious activities.
Article 11 Religious clergy must not use the internet to promote heresies and cults or heterodox sects attached to Buddhism, or to engage in feudal superstitious activities such as casting hexagrams, divination, and fortune-telling.
Article 12 Religious clergy must not publish unverified false information online, and must not sow discord, create antagonism, fabricate or spread rumors, make false accusations, frame, attack, or defame others, thereby undermining harmonious coexistence between different religions or within the same religion, or discriminate against or insult religious or non-religious citizens.
Article 13 Except in the circumstances provided for in Article 5 of this Code, religious clergy must not proselytize through live streaming, short videos, online meetings, WeChat groups, WeChat Moments, or other such means; must not organize or take part in online religious activities such as a ritual assembly, worship service, or Mass, or religious ceremonies such as burning incense, making offerings to the Buddha, chanting scriptures, receiving precepts, or baptism; and must not conduct online study or training with religious coloring or content, such as “Chan meditation,” “pure cultivation,” or “healing.”
Article 14 Religious clergy must not use the internet to amass wealth in the name of religion; must not solicit donations in the name of building venues for religious activities, holding religious activities, and the like; and must not organize or take part in commercial activities such as product marketing, live-stream selling, and tipping, or in commercial shows and performances.
Article 15 Religious clergy must not distribute or send internal religious reference publications or illegal publications via the internet.
Article 16 Religious clergy shall use generative artificial intelligence products and services in a lawful and regulated manner and must not use artificial intelligence technology to proselytize, to produce, publish, or disseminate illegal information, or to engage in illegal or irregular activities.
Article 17 Where religious clergy violate this Code, the religious affairs department shall order them to make corrections within a set time limit; if they refuse to do so, the religious affairs department shall, together with the cyberspace affairs department, the competent telecommunications department, the public security organs, the state security organs, and others, impose penalties in accordance with the relevant laws and administrative regulations; if the circumstances are serious, the religious affairs department shall propose that the relevant religious body, religious school, or venue for religious activities suspend them from presiding over religious affairs or revoke their status as religious clergy, and the responsibility of the persons in charge of the relevant religious body, religious school, or venue for religious activities shall be pursued.
Where religious clergy who violate this Code are registered users of an internet religious information dissemination platform, the religious affairs department shall, together with the cyberspace affairs department and the public security organs, order the platform provider to take measures according to law and agreement, such as warnings and rectification, restriction of functions, and up to closure of accounts.
Article 18 Religious clergy acting online through overseas websites and platforms shall abide by this Code.
Religious clergy from Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan and foreign religious clergy acting online within China shall follow this Code by reference.