The following is a translation prepared by the Congressional-Executive Commission on China of the "Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity," issued by the State Administration for Religious Affairs on April 21, 2005. The Chinese text was retrieved from the State Administration for Religious Affairs Web site on January 27, 2006.
Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity
State Administration for Religious Affairs Decree Number 2
These "Measures on the Examination, Approval, and Registration of Venues for Religious Activity" were adopted by the State Administration for Religious Affairs Work Meeting on April 14, 2005 and are hereby issued. The measures automatically enter into force as of this date.
Director, State Administration for Religious Affairs Ye Xiaowen
April 21, 2005
Article 1. These measures have been formulated according to the pertinent stipulations in the Regulation on Religious Affairs.
Article 2. Venues for religious activity are divided into two categories: Buddhist temples, Daoist temples, mosques, and churches; and other fixed venues for religious activity. The standards for concretely differentiating between these two types of venues for religious activity are formulated by the religious affairs bureau of the people's government in each province, autonomous region, or directly administered municipality, based on the actual conditions of the locality, and then reported for the record to the State Administration for Religious Affairs.
Article 3. Preparing to establish a venue for religious activity in general should be done by having the county (city, district, or banner) religious organization put forth an application. If the county (city, district, or banner) in the planned area of establishment does not have a religious organization, the application may be put forth by the city (prefectural-level city, prefecture, or league) religious organization in that area of planned establishment. If the city (prefectural-level city, prefecture, or league) in the planned area of establishment does not have a religious organization, the application may be put forth by the religious organization of the province, autonomous region, or directly administered municipality in that area of planned establishment. If the province, autonomous region, or directly administered municipality in the planned area of establishment does not have a religious organization, the application may be put forth by the national-level religious organization. The county-level religious affairs bureau is the office that receives applications for preparing to establish a venue for religious activity.
Article 4. Organizations applying to prepare a venue for religious activity must put forth a plan to establish a preparatory committee. After receiving approval through the application process, the organization must formally establish a preparatory committee responsible for preparation arrangements. The preparatory committee should be composed of such people as concerned personnel from the religious organization, religious personnel planning to lead religious activities or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion, and representatives from among religious believers at the site to be established.
Article 5. Applying to prepare for the establishment of a venue for religious activity requires filling out the "Application Form for Preparing to Establish a Venue for Religious Activity" and submitting the following materials:
1) An explanation of the circumstances of the religious citizens in the site of planned establishment.
2) A basic overview and household registration of the religious personnel planning to lead religious activities or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion, as well as proof of residence status and status as religious personnel.
3) Basic overview of the members of the preparatory committee to be established, including household registration and proof of residence status. (Members in the religious profession must also include proof of status as religious personnel.)
4) Proof of necessary funds.
5) Explanation of the feasibility of the planned establishment area and planned venue.
6) Other necessary related materials.
Article 6. County-level religious affairs bureaus, upon receiving the application of the planned establishment of the venue for religious activity, must, if they intend to approve the site, solicit the opinions of the town and township government or street committee office in the area planned for establishing the venue for religious activity.
Article 7. Items for the preparation of the establishment of a venue for religious activity must be completed during the time limit of approval for the planned establishment. The preparatory committee should report the situation on preparing the venue to the county-level religious affairs bureau in a timely manner. Regional religious affairs bureaus at or above the county level in the area of establishment must conduct a supervisory inspection of the preparatory progress.
Article 8. Before registering, the preparatory committee must form a management committee for the venue through democratic consultation. The management committee should be comprised of such people as religious personnel or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion to lead religious activities, and representatives from among religious believers at the site to be established.
Article 9. After completion of preparatory activity for the venue for religious activity, the management committee of the said venue is responsible for applying to register the venue at the county-level religious affairs bureau. Applying to register a venue for religious activity requires filling out the "Application Form to Register a Venue for Religious Activity" and submitting the following materials:
1) An explanation of the circumstances of the management committee established through democratic consultation.
2) Management committee members' household registration and proof of residence status.
3) Household registration, proof of residence status, and status as religious personnel for the religious personnel planning to lead religious activities or other personnel qualified by the stipulations of the religion.
4) A copy of the relevant charter documents.
5) Evidence relating to the buildings and structures within the venue. (For newly established structures, it is necessary to provide the plan and proof of passing inspection by construction, fire prevention, and other departments. For remodeled and expanded structures, it is necessary to provide proof of right of title or use, and proof of passing safety inspection for fire prevention. For rented structures, it is necessary to provide proof of passing safety inspection for fire prevention and proof of right of use for over one year.)
6) An explanation of lawful financial resources.
Article 10. The "Certificate of Registration for a Venue for Religious Activity" and related forms are printed by the provincial-level religious affairs bureaus in accordance with the style set by the State Administration for Religious Affairs. The "Certificate of Registration for a Venue for Religious Activity" may not be altered, transferred, or lent. If the certificate is lost, an application for a replacement must be made in a timely manner to the office in charge of managing registration.
Article 11. Venues for religious activity that registered in accordance with the Regulation on the Management of Venues for Religious Activity, before the enactment of the Regulation on Religious Affairs, do not need to register again.
Article 12. Other fixed places for religious activity for which it is necessary to change into Buddhist temples, Daoist temples, mosques, or churches must handle the matter in accordance with the process for the examination and approval of temples, mosques, and churches stipulated in article 13 of the Regulation on Religious Affairs, as well as the stipulations in article 16 on handling changes in registration.
Article 13. If planning to establish a venue for religious activity in a district (county or city) within a directly administered municipality, an application may be put forth directly to the district (county or city) religious affairs bureau in that municipality. This religious affairs bureau can approve preparations to establish other fixed places for religious activity. District (county, city) religious affairs bureaus in the directly administered city are the offices in charge of managing the registration of venues for religious activity in the area.
Article 14. If an area planning to establish a site of religious activity has not established a city-level people's government, the application for preparing to establish a site of religious activity is to be reported to the provincial-level religious affairs bureau for examination and approval, after examination and verification by the county-level religious affairs bureau.
Article 15. These measures automatically enter into effect on the day of promulgation. The Measures on the Registration of Venues for Religious Activity, promulgated by the State Council Religious Affairs Bureau in 1994, are annulled upon entry into force of these measures.