A Chinese couple holding their marriage certificates pose for photos in a sunflower field in Beijing on July 9, 2021. (Photo: Jade Gao/AFP)
Two state-sanctioned Christian bodies in China’s Henan province are pushing for imposing a government-mandated controversial policy of sinicization on Christian weddings and funeral rites, says a rights group.
The plan approved by the National Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of the Protestant Churches in China and the China Christian Council seeks to limit the current liturgical elements of Christianity and incorporate Chinese folklore and political elements in Christian weddings and funerals, according to a report from ChinaAid, a US-based group managed by exiled Chinese Christians.
It was approved during a symposium of the two bodies in the third week of May attended by 30 members of the two organizations, the group said referring to a report from China Christian Daily.
The report said that the participants of the symposium “analyzed the adaptability and innovation of the doctrine of God as reflected in weddings and funerals within traditional Chinese culture,” and explored how Christian weddings and funerals could be integrated with traditional Chinese wedding customs.
During the meeting, the participants discussed the successful cases of sinicization of Christian weddings and funerals at the grassroots level in line with the state’s policy, their social impact and significance.
Henan is the third largest province in China with more than 96 million population. According to the latest official data, only about 13 percent follow organized religions including 6.5 percent Buddhists, about 6 percent Christians and 1.6 percent Muslims.
Henan has the largest Christian population among Chinese provinces with an estimated 7 million Christians.
A typical church funeral service for a Chinese Christian bereaved family generally contains congregational singing, prayers, scripture readings, testimonies, song dedications by the choir, a brief biography of the deceased, song dedications by family, a farewell ceremony, and the Lord’s Prayer, according to ChinaAid.
In the funeral service, Christian predecessors have long since reformed the funeral service, with mourners wearing cloth or paper strips with the sign of the cross.
Wreaths and crosses are written with words such as “Rest in Paradise,” “Gloriously enter into the Heavenly Home,” “Gloriously enter into the Kingdom of Heaven,” and “Rest in Eternal Peace.” Christian hymns are played in the funeral procession.
The Christian wedding program includes lighting of candles, prayers, scripture reading, wedding letters, declaration of intent, blessing, vows, and exchange of rings.
The wedding day for Chinese Christians also includes the welcoming of the bride, where the groom, accompanied by family and friends, will go to the bride’s home to escort her.
Wedding favors follow the Chinese tradition of wedding candies, the Chinese character “Xi/double happiness,” red envelopes, and couplets, which are essential elements in a Chinese wedding, but some elements that are considered to contain superstitions are removed.
ChinaAid says that the plan for the sinicization of Christian weddings and funeral rites “signify the de-Christianization” of these ceremonies and the absorption of more folklore or superstition into weddings and funerals is something to be concerned about and circumvented.
Chinese authorities have already been pushing for sinicization of Christian funeral rites, the group alleged.
In October 2020, the funeral procession of a 73-year-old Christian, a member of a house church in Xinye County, Henan Province, was interrupted by local police.
Members of the church carrying crosses and other Christian items were arrested at the cemetery and put in police cars, while other Christians fled.
In the same month, when a Christian family in Anyang City invited a Christian choir and band to be a part of the funeral procession of their deceased family member, government officials threatened to “arrest every person that comes.”
In the end, not one person attended because they were frightened.
Similarly, in Ezhou City, Hubei Province, a pastor and more than 10 members of a Three-Self Patriotic Church were sending off an elderly Christian and singing hymns around the coffin. However, government officials came and dispersed them.
Though China’s constitution allows freedom of religion or belief, the Communist regime has been accused of violating religious freedom with repressive policies and regulations.
Since Xi Jinping became China’s president in 2013, the authorities have made a strong push for sinicization, a political ideology that aims to impost social principles on individuals and organizations to ensure utmost loyalty to the leadership of the Chinese Communist Party.
