The Forums were created in 2018 to promote and study how Taoism can be “Sinicized,” i.e., is converted more and more into a mouthpiece of the Communist Party.
by He Yuyan
On November 25, the 7th Dongyue Forum and seminar on deepening the Sinicization of Taoism took place at Beijing’s Dongyue Temple. Attendees included Yuan Zhihong, Vice President of the China Taoist Association; Sun Qi, Deputy Director of the Beijing Municipal Committee of Ethnic and Religious Affairs; Li Guohong, Member of the Standing Committee of the Chaoyang District Committee and Minister of the United Front Work Department; Zheng Xiaojun, Director of the Institute of World Religions of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences; and Cao Zhongjian, former Party Secretary.
Taoist Priest Li Xinjun, President of Beijing Taoist Association, gave a speech and signed the “Framework Agreement on Systematic Promotion of Sinicization of Taoism,” with Taoist Priest Han Zhifeng, Resident Vice President of Hebei Taoist Association, vowing to export Beijing’s virtuous Sinicization practices of Taoism to Hebei.
The Dongyue Forum was founded in 2018 and is a unique institution. It defines itself as “an academic and cultural activity centered on exploring the continuing Sinicization of Taoism in China.”
Once again, as readers of “Bitter Winter” know, such events prove that “Sinicization” does not mean adapting religion to Chinese culture but to the Marxist ideology of the CCP. Taoism is the most obvious demonstration that this is the case. Taoism “is” Chinese culture. If Sinicization meant adapting to Chinese culture, the idea of “Sinicizing Taoism” would be paradoxical and even ridiculous.
However, this is not what the Dongyue Forum is all about. Priest Yuan Zhihong stated at the forum that Taoists should “diligently practice and embody the spirit of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th CCP Central Committee” an that today this is what “Sinicizing Taoism” means.
Nothing to do with the nonsensical idea of making the quintessentially Chinese Taoism more Chinese—but everything to do with making Taoist priests and devotees more subservient to the CCP.
Uses a pseudonym for security reasons.
