Yue Zongfeng: Current Situation and Countermeasures of Atheism Publicity and Education in Southwestern Border Rural Areas
The No. 1 Central Document of 2018, the "Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Implementing the Rural Revitalization Strategy," explicitly proposed: "Strengthen publicity and education on atheism, enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the peasant masses, and resist feudal superstitious activities." In July 2021, the CPC Central Committee and the State Council issued the "Opinions on Strengthening and Improving Ideological and Political Work in the New Era," which clearly pointed out: "Promote the normalization and institutionalization of education on ideals and convictions; extensively carry out publicity and education on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics and the Chinese Dream; carry forward the national spirit and the spirit of the times; strengthen education on patriotism, collectivism, and socialism; and strengthen education on Marxist materialism and atheism." Strengthening publicity and education on Marxist atheism concerns the guiding position of Marxism in our country's ideological field, the security of our ideology, and the implementation of the Party's policies on religious work. As a weak point in the ideological field, the rural areas of the Southwest border are places where various overseas religious infiltration activities and illegal religious activities interweave. Furthermore, the serious "hollowing out" [1] phenomenon in some border-adjacent villages has allowed theism a tendency to expand and spread. The research team selected the rural areas along the China-Myanmar border, which are typical of the Southwest border region, as field sites to conduct large-scale investigative activities. The China-Myanmar border area is the front line connecting the Southwest frontier to the Indian Ocean; its strategic location is important and its geostrategic environment is unique. Conducting research on atheism publicity and education in this region holds typical significance for the entire country.
I. The Current Status of Atheism Publicity and Education in Southwest Border Rural Areas
To clear up the current status of atheism publicity and education in Southwest border rural areas, members of the project team conducted nine months of large-scale research activities in the China-Myanmar border rural areas over three periods: December 2019–January 2020, April 2023–July 2023, and September 2023–November 2023. In the interim, research activities were disrupted for a time due to border closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and the conflict in Northern Myanmar. However, the project team members overcame various difficulties to go deep into grassroots rural areas to understand the status of atheism publicity and education, leading to the successful completion of the research and the acquisition of first-hand data. This study primarily used questionnaire surveys supplemented by in-depth interviews for data collection. The questionnaire design was divided into three dimensions: the first part collected biographical information of the respondents for quantitative analysis, such as gender, ethnicity, occupation, income, and age; the second part concerned the respondents' belief in atheism and other belief statuses, as well as their attitudes and views toward theism; the third part inquired about illegal religious activities and overseas religious infiltration to facilitate qualitative analysis. The survey subjects were determined through random principles, covering rural villages in six border prefectures and cities, including Nujiang, Dehong, Baoshan, Lincang, Pu'er, and Xishuangbanna, some of which are border-adjacent villages. A total of 1,000 questionnaires were distributed, and 920 were recovered, a recovery rate of 92%. Among these, 812 were valid questionnaires, for a valid recovery rate of 81.2%; thus, the sample size for this survey is 812, with 68 individuals participating in semi-structured and in-depth interviews. In the questionnaire survey, there were 347 males and 465 females, a ratio of 42.7% to 57.3%. Regarding ethnic composition, 520 were Han and 292 were from ethnic minorities, accounting for 64% and 36% respectively. The ethnic minorities mainly included 17 groups: Wa, Dai, Yi, Bai, Naxi, Achang, Blang, Tibetan, Hani, Hui, Jino, Jingpo, Lahu, Lisu, Zhuang, Miao, and Yao.
(1) Overview of Religious Beliefs Among the Masses in Southwest Border Rural Areas
Data analysis of the respondents' belief compositions shows that 510 people hold communist beliefs, accounting for 62.8%. This indicates that the masses in the Southwest border rural areas have a high degree of recognition for the Communist Party of China and its capacity for national governance; consequently, communism has gained wide recognition and universal belief among the broad masses of people beyond just Party and Youth League members. Communist belief remains dominant and constitutes the mainstream belief. There were 112 people with no clear belief or who believe only in themselves; 8 people believe in the traditional Confucian system of thought; 111 people believe in Eastern religions such as Buddhism and Taoism, accounting for 13.7%, the largest group among religious practitioners; 60 people believe in Western religions such as Christianity, accounting for 7.4%; and 11 people believe in Islam, accounting for 1.4%. In total, the number of atheists (i.e., those with communist beliefs) is 510, or 62.8% of the total surveyed, while theists (those with religious beliefs) number 182, or 22.4% of the total. These data indicate that the Southwest border rural areas are primarily characterized by atheist belief, with atheists in a dominant position; however, the proportion of religious believers is still much higher than in the interior, the trend of religious belief is prevalent, religious activities are frequent, and a broad base of believers exists.
In the survey question "Which information dissemination methods mainly influence your state of belief?", 176 people (21.7%) were influenced by reading books and newspapers; 315 people (38.8%) were influenced by the internet; 210 people (25.9%) were influenced by television and radio; and 289 people (35.6%) were influenced by communication with elders and friends. The data show that the internet and other new media have become the most significant way of influencing the state of belief. Compared to traditional methods of religious propagation such as newspapers or communication with elders and friends, new internet media may become the most important means of dissemination affecting atheist belief in Southwest border rural areas.
When asked "Do you believe there is a conflict between religious belief and communist belief?", 231 respondents (28.4% of the total) believed there is a conflict, while 581 (71.6%) believed there is no conflict. The statistical data show that the majority of respondents hold a tolerant attitude toward religious belief, but it also indicates that in Southwest border rural areas, religious and other theistic beliefs intersect with communist beliefs in an intricate and complex manner.
(2) The Overall Trend of Atheism Publicity and Education in Southwest Border Rural Areas is Positive
First, atheism, as the mainstream ideology, holds a dominant position in the thoughts of the masses. Marxist atheism is an important component of Marxism, our country's mainstream ideology, and propagating atheist thought is an important task of our Party's publicity work. General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "In the hundred years since its founding, the Communist Party of China has always been a party with lofty ideals and firm convictions. These ideals and convictions are the faith in Marxism, the lofty ideal of communism, and the common ideal of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics." Analysis of the survey data shows that while the beliefs of the masses in Southwest border rural areas exhibit characteristics of pluralism and ethnicity, atheists still constitute the vast majority. Due to factors such as history and the natural environment, theists are mainly distributed in ethnic minority areas, showing clear ethnic characteristics—for instance, the Dai and Tibetan masses believe in Buddhism, while the Jingpo and Blang masses believe in Christianity. Among the respondents, 62.8% adhere to atheism while 22.4% are theists, indicating that while religious belief is prevalent due to ethnic traditions and historical-geographic factors, Marxist atheism still holds the dominant position in the minds of the people. Data analysis shows that 632 people (78%) have never participated in religious activities; 75 (9.2%) participated because they were invited by missionaries; and 105 (12.9%) accompanied others. This indicates that the vast majority of the masses in Southwest border rural areas have no religious beliefs and do not participate or take the initiative to participate in religious activities; it also shows that Marxist atheism holds a dominant position in the people's thoughts.
According to information gathered through in-depth and semi-structured interviews, young people—who represent the hope of the country and the future of the nation—generally accept Marxist atheist thought and do not believe in the existence of ghosts or gods. Even among the portion of young theists who do hold religious beliefs, their convictions are generally not firm and exhibit utilitarian phenomena. For example, some theists believe in religion because "the gods can bless me to get into a good university" or "believing in the Lord will help me find a girlfriend." Those with firmer theistic convictions are mostly elderly people, predominantly female, with lower levels of education.
Second, feudal superstitious [2] thought is increasingly on the wane. Rural areas are often hit hardest by feudal superstition, and the closed natural environment and ethnic traditions of the Southwest border once made it prevalent there. With the achievement of a Moderately Prosperous Society in All Respects and the implementation of the Rural Revitalization Strategy, the rural areas of the Southwest border have seen rapid development in economy and culture driven by the "Prospering Borders and Enriching People" [3] policy. Living standards have improved significantly, education has flourished, and the people have gradually come to believe in and revere science. Under the care of the Party and the government, the work of eradicating feudal superstition has progressed smoothly with remarkable results. Feudal superstitious activities are increasingly waning; while they exist within certain limits, their influence is now negligible and it is difficult for them to play a significant role. Survey data analysis shows that those seeking fortunes or divinations numbered 7 (approx. 0.9%); those consulting feng shui were 25 (3.1%); those burning incense and praying to Buddha were 12 (1.5%); those seeking palm readings were 3 (0.4%); and those practicing shamanic dances [4] was 1 (only 0.1%). Meanwhile, 94% had none of the above superstitious behaviors. From this, it is clear that feudal superstition is tending toward decline in the Southwest border rural areas.
In-depth interviews revealed that traditional feudal superstitions—such as seeking divine guidance through divination or looking to ghosts and gods for medicine and healing—have almost disappeared. All 24 villagers interviewed across several villages in Gengma and Zhenkang counties of Lincang City stated: "Ten or twenty years ago, when we were children and got sick, the elderly would still go to the temple to pray for health or try to cure the illness through exorcism, but now everyone goes to the hospital for treatment. No one believes in the idea of ghosts and gods curing diseases anymore." In-depth interviews also found that certain backward traditional customs associated with theism among ethnic minorities are also vanishing. For example, the Dulong people in Nujiang once had a custom of burying the bones of deceased relatives under their houses, believing that by doing so, the souls of their relatives would continue to live by their side. However, with the promotion of science and atheism, this backward custom has now basically disappeared.
In addition, the practice of using qigong [5] to treat illness, which once circulated in the Western Yunnan region, has almost vanished. As an idealistic ideology, qigong is a method of physical and mental cultivation that achieves psychological satisfaction through psychological suggestion aided by external movements. The effects of qigong are a subjective sensation; because its mechanism and effects are uncertain, they cannot be empirically verified. Previously, many rural masses believed in the power of qigong, thinking its mysterious forces could treat diseases or maintain health. Currently, this phenomenon has disappeared in the rural areas of Western Yunnan. In interviews, 35 rural residents explicitly stated they do not believe in the effects of qigong, nor had they heard of anyone in their villages practicing it.
Third, illegal religious activities have been effectively governed. Illegal religious activities refer to all religious activities that violate the Constitution, laws, regulations, and policies, as well as relevant local statutes and ordinances. In 2018, the Several Opinions of the CPC Central Committee and the State Council on Increasing the Intensity of Reform and Innovation to Accelerate Agricultural Modernization proposed to increase the intensity of the crackdown on illegal religious activities and overseas infiltration in rural areas in accordance with the law; to prevent the use of religion to interfere in rural public affairs in accordance with the law; and to continue the rectification of the chaotic construction of temples and the excessive casting of religious statues in rural areas. To govern the country, one must first govern the borders. Opposing national separatism and safeguarding the unification of the motherland are the highest interests of the state; religious extremist ideology and terrorism are our common enemies. The special natural and cultural environment of the southwest border areas provides a breeding ground for illegal religious activities. Rural illegal religious activities deny Chinese civilization, reject traditional rural beliefs, and dismember the subjectivity of traditional rural culture and values; they even compete with the Party and the government for leadership in the countryside. They vainly attempt to use illegal religion to stage a "rural encircling the cities" [6] strategy in the ideological sphere, shaking the dominant position of the state's mainstream ideology and thereby endangering national security.
The survey for this research project shows that when asked "Have any new temples, statues, or other religious buildings been built in your village in recent years?", 145 people (17.9% of the total) answered "yes," while 667 (82.1%) answered "no." When asked "Has anyone encouraged you to proselytize or go abroad for pilgrimage?", 42 people (5.2%) answered "yes," while 770 (94.8%) answered "no." When asked "Has anyone used the pandemic to spread religion to you?", 87 people (10.7%) answered "yes," while 725 (89.3%) answered "no." These three sets of data indicate that illegal religious activities in the rural southwest border areas have been effectively governed. In an interview with a judge from a certain county court in the southwest border region, it was learned that a religious organization had promoted its religious ideas to villagers by distributing leaflets and encouraged rural women to hold illegal assemblies. A public prosecution was initiated, and the two leaders were sentenced to three years in prison. Through an interview with a township cadre in Linxiang District, Lincang City, it was learned that the township demolished more than 10 illicitly constructed rural temples between 2020 and 2022. This shows that the governance of illegal religious activities according to the law in the rural southwest border areas has achieved significant results, and illegal religious activities have been well-governed.
(3) High public evaluation of grassroots governments' atheism publicity and education work
General Secretary Xi Jinping has pointed out: "The mass line is our Party's lifeline and fundamental working line; it is an important heirloom for our Party to maintain its youthful vitality and combat effectiveness," and "A government flourishes by following the people's will and fails by opposing it." To evaluate effectiveness, one must speak with facts, conduct evaluations with "open doors," and let the masses judge to ensure the evaluation is objective and true. The level of evaluation given by the rural masses to the grassroots government's atheism publicity and education is the most intuitive and effective indicator for verifying its success. Survey data shows that 513 people (63.2%) were satisfied with the grassroots government's atheism publicity and education work; 227 (28%) were basically satisfied; 26 (3.2%) were not very satisfied; and 46 (5.7%) were dissatisfied. This indicates that the overall satisfaction of the masses in the rural southwest border areas with the grassroots government's atheism publicity and education is very high.
A survey on the channels through which rural masses receive atheism publicity and education shows: 330 people (40.6%) through government publicity; 394 (48.5%) through school curricula; 29 (3.6%) through news media; and 59 (7.3%) through family influence. This indicates that government publicity work is relatively well-executed and plays a crucial role in forming the atheistic thinking of the rural masses. Regarding the current atmosphere of atheism publicity and education by grassroots governments, 304 people (37.4%) considered it intense; 417 (51.4%) considered it acceptable; 35 (4.3%) considered it not intense enough; and 56 (6.9%) considered it thin. From this, it can be seen that the masses in the southwest border rural areas generally believe that grassroots governments have performed excellently overall in atheism publicity and education work and are able to create a good atmosphere for such education.
II. Several Issues Worthy of Attention in Atheism Publicity and Education in Southwest Border Rural Areas in the New Era
(1) The influence of ethno-religious inertial forces and the multi-dimensional interweaving of regional factors
Southwest border rural areas integrate complex elements such as being borderlands, ethnic minority areas, the presence of religion, being mountainous, and being impoverished and backward. Influenced by unique geopolitical and historical environmental factors, these areas exhibit characteristics where religion and ethnicity are intertwined—the "religiosity of the ethnic group" and the "ethnicity of the religion." The influence of ethno-religious inertial forces is profound, traditional habits are deeply rooted, and beliefs are characterized by pluralism, which also brings great resistance and challenges to the work of atheism publicity and education. Survey data shows that in the survey "Is your faith fanatical?", 60 people chose "fanatical," accounting for 33% of religious believers. 138 religious believers believed their faith was "inherited from family tradition," accounting for 75.8%. In the survey "What reason prompted your formal conversion to religion?", 106 religious believers identified "persuasion by parents and family members," accounting for 58.2%.
Many respondents stated that because a family member practiced a religion, their family would receive repeated invitations and persuasions to convert. For example, Ms. Yang from a village in Weishan County, Dali, admitted that because her mother-in-law believed in a certain religion, she repeatedly persuaded Ms. Yang and her husband to convert together and follow the dietary habits of the faith. The persuasion spanned several years, and relatives and friends were mobilized many times to join the effort, which annoyed the couple immensely. Finally, they had to use the excuse that they had already joined the Party [7] to refuse, which allowed them to escape the situation.
(2) The coexistence of overseas religious infiltration and illegal religious activities
Border areas are the first line of defense for the national security barrier and the front line for defending territorial integrity and ideological security. The southwest border region is located at the front line leading to the Indian Ocean, with a critical strategic position and a unique geopolitical environment. Among these, the China-Myanmar border has no natural barriers, with numerous ports and passages; many border-hugging villages even overlap or face neighboring countries directly. In the rural areas of the China-Myanmar border, multiple ethnic minorities reside and believe in various religions. Due to its special geographical location and historical origins, the southwest border rural areas (especially the China-Myanmar border areas) have become the primary choice for overseas religious infiltration, which also provides a breeding ground for illegal religious activities. Under the influence of factors such as cross-border ethnic groups, historical origins, and prominent locational characteristics, problems such as overseas religious infiltration and rural illegal religious activities in the southwest border rural areas are typical and representative across the country, showing characteristics different from other regions. The aggressive infiltration of Western religious forces and the increasingly rampant illegal religious activities in rural areas pose a huge challenge to promoting atheism publicity and education. Research data shows that 42 people (5.2%) were encouraged to go abroad for proselytizing. When asked "Has anyone promoted or spread religion to you, or mailed or distributed religious publicity materials?", 123 people (15.1%) answered "yes." Furthermore, 90 respondents stated they had contacted or heard of people around them contacting South Korean Christian missionaries, accounting for 11.1% of the total surveyed.
There is a clear trend of increasing Christian belief in rural areas along the China-Myanmar border. Currently, the Christian Church of Taiwan, China and the South Korean Christian Church have established several Christian seminaries on the Myanmar side of the China-Myanmar line. They use incentives such as subsidizing Chinese students to study abroad to attract young students from border areas to go abroad for studies. At the same time, these Christian churches dispatch personnel into China in various forms to proselytize. Teacher Yu, who returned from a teaching mission in the Wa State [8] of northern Myanmar organized by the Yunnan Provincial Overseas Chinese Affairs Office, recounted in an interview that many villages in northern Myanmar have Chinese-language teachers and missionaries dispatched by the Christian Church of Taiwan, China. Many teaching supplies in primary schools, such as computers and desks, are donated by the Christian Church of Taiwan, China, which also provides clothes, rice, and flour to villagers, and even funds the construction of Christian churches in the villages. From this, it can be seen that overseas religious forces use the Myanmar side of the China-Myanmar border as a base to carry out religious infiltration into China across the border. They vainly attempt to use "Westernization" and "differentiation" [9] to endanger China's ideological security, and use "Color Revolutions" to overthrow the Party's leadership and subvert the socialist regime. All of these have a negative impact on atheism publicity and education in the southwest border rural areas and deserve the attention of relevant departments.
(3) The coexistence of inaction by some grassroots governments and belief in ghosts and gods among rural grassroots cadres
General Secretary Xi Jinping emphasized: "The vast number of cadres, especially young cadres, must strengthen their theoretical cultivation through constant learning and stay firm in their ideals and convictions through true study and true belief." In the process of carrying out atheism publicity and education, some grassroots governments exhibit phenomena of inaction or under-action. Furthermore, some grassroots cadres have insufficient understanding of Marxist atheism and a weak foundation in atheistic knowledge. Some village cadres turn a blind eye to feudal superstitious activities such as fortune-telling and feng shui, even regarding them as folk customs without interference. Grassroots cadres pay insufficient attention to atheism publicity and education in their work and have basically received no systematic training in this regard. During the interviews, we learned that a village cadre in Menghai County, Xishuangbanna, listened to feng shui advice when building a new house and tore down the newly built house to rebuild it, believing the previous house obstructed the feng shui.
In the southwest border rural areas, due to the influence of traditional customs and religious inertial forces, religious and superstitious activities often become part of people's lives. For example, in the areas inhabited by the Dai people, they have the custom of venerating and worshipping Buddha; some even send children to temples to be monks for a few years. Some Dai people invite monks to chant sutras for blessings and safety when buying a new car or building a house. Grassroots cadres rarely intervene in these religious customs and superstitious activities, nor do they promote Marxist atheism to the people. Even some Party members and cadres are obsessed with religion and superstition, resulting in a trend of "asking ghosts and gods instead of the common people" [10]. In a survey of 41 Party members who believe in religion, the research team found that 29 believed in religion before joining the Party, while 12 actually began believing after joining the Party. This is certainly caused by factors such as the weak ideals and convictions of some Party members, thin knowledge of Marxist atheism, long-term separation from the masses in practice, and the absence of responsibility in the Party's organizational life; however, the influence of ethno-religious inertial forces in the southwest border rural areas is also significant.
(4) The coexistence of spiritual emptiness in rural life and the "hollowing out" of border-hugging villages
The relatively backward economic base in rural areas and the spiritual and cultural void caused by the lack of rural entertainment have led to the prevalence of feudal superstition; this is an important reason for the rise of "religious fever" in the countryside. The economic base of southwest border rural areas is weak, the natural geographic environment is closed, entertainment facilities are scarce, and people have few ways to entertain themselves. They rely mainly on television and mobile phones for information, yet mobile phone signals in many mountainous areas are poor. In recent years, with the development of urbanization and marketization and the acceleration of resource development, the young labor force in southwest border rural areas has gone out for work or moved to cities. The rural population has shrunk drastically, resulting in the "hollowing out" phenomenon [11]. This is even more serious in "border-hugging villages" [12], which not only affects the responsibility and mission of "defending the land and strengthening the border" but also provides opportunities for superstitious activities.
The emptiness of spiritual life and the rural "hollowing out" phenomenon have allowed religion and feudal superstition to take advantage of the void. In many places, middle-aged and elderly women seek spiritual support by believing in Christianity and other religions, forming so-called "circles of fellow believers," thus leading to the rise of rural religious fever. Religious organizations in some rural areas even interfere in rural grassroots democratic elections. For example, the survey found that some religious villagers were told by religious organizations that they could only vote for candidates from their own religious organization during grassroots democratic elections. The emptiness of rural spiritual life provides illegal religious activities with an opportunity. The interference in villagers' grassroots democratic elections shows their vain attempt to control rural grassroots political power, competing with the Party and the government for leadership over rural areas. They gradually penetrate the inland to control the vast rural areas and stage "rural encircling the cities" in the ideological sphere. These issues deserve our deep reflection and attention.
III. Countermeasures for Comprehensively Improving Atheism Publicity and Education in Southwest Border Rural Areas
(1) Implement policies for "Prospering the Border and Enriching the People" and promote increased production and income for farmers
Marx argued: "Religious suffering is, at one and the same time, the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the heart of a heartless world, and the soul of soulless conditions. It is the opium of the people." Thus, poverty and backwardness serve as the breeding ground for theism, including religion and feudal superstition. Due to the remoteness and backwardness of the rural areas in the southwest border region, and despite the fact that deep poverty in contiguous mountainous areas of western Yunnan has been eliminated through targeted poverty alleviation [13], economic and cultural development still lags far behind the interior. This provides conditions for the proliferation of various forms of theism. Implementing the policy of "Developing Border Regions and Enriching Local People" [14], developing plateau-characteristic agriculture, solidly promoting the modernization of frontier agriculture, and significantly raising the living standards of frontier farmers will help lay the material foundation for atheism propaganda and education, thereby eradicating the soil in which theism grows.
First, combine the locational advantages of the southwest border to vigorously develop plateau-characteristic agriculture and increase farmers' output and income. Based on the geographical characteristics of the plateau and mountains in the southwest border region, develop plateau-characteristic agriculture according to local conditions, especially highlighting green organic agriculture and the cultivation of plateau-characteristic fruits, medicinal herbs, and tea. On one hand, develop advantageous plateau industries based on the resource endowments of various regions, such as Pu'er tea, Xigui and Bingdao teas from Lincang, macadamias from Baoshan, black cardamom and Dulong beef from Nujiang, and matsutake mushrooms from Shangri-la, emphasizing brand advantages and plateau-mountain characteristics. On the other hand, focus on ecological agriculture by adopting organic and green planting methods to reduce pollution of soil and water resources and maintain ecological balance—such as green vegetable cultivation in Dali and Baoshan, and green rice cultivation in Lincang and Xishuangbanna—effectively ensuring increases in both production and income for farmers.
Second, develop agricultural science and technology to upgrade the level of agricultural modernization and promote rural economic development. A strong agricultural sector is the foundation of a great modern socialist country, and promoting agricultural modernization is an inevitable requirement for achieving high-quality development. Given the characteristics of the southwest border rural areas—primarily plateau and mountains with rugged terrain, volatile climates, poor soil, and vulnerability to erosion—agricultural machinery suitable for mountain terrace operations should be developed and promoted. Utilize the BeiDou [15] system to achieve precision in agricultural production, thereby overcoming the negative impacts of climate change. Simultaneously, use the rich hydropower resources of the southwest to empower agricultural modernization in the border areas, promoting the modernization process and improving the living standards of the people.
(2) Persist in the Strategy of Invigorating the Country through Science and Education; Vigorously Develop Cultural and Educational Undertakings
Persisting in the strategy of invigorating the country through science and education [16], vigorously developing cultural and educational undertakings, and improving the cultural quality and educational level of the frontier people are important measures to enhance atheism propaganda and education in southwest border rural areas.
First, vigorously develop cultural and educational undertakings. Ensure financial investment in culture and education in the southwest border areas while comprehensively improving the quality and capability of the frontier teaching force. Construct a new integrated pre-service and in-service training system for basic education teachers in frontier ethnic areas to create a teaching force that is capable, high-quality, and willing to endure hardship. Dispatch "Three Supports and One Assistance" [17] personnel and "Special Post Teachers" [18] to teach in remote rural areas and regularly organize university students from the interior to go to the frontier to support teaching, imparting cultural and scientific knowledge and effectively improving the scientific and cultural literacy of the frontier people.
Second, foster a social atmosphere of respecting knowledge and advocating science to eradicate the ideological and cultural soil of ignorance. Mobilize all forces to help the masses popularize scientific and cultural knowledge related to their production and lives, helping them rely on the power of science and technology to develop production and improve life. Propagate "New Culture" [19] ideas and strengthen the promotion of "changing customs and habits" [20], discarding outdated conventions and bad habits. Strengthen the guidance of wedding and funeral customs and traditional ethnic "bad habits," resisting ignorance and feudal superstition. Actively advocate for "New Era" civilizational concepts and the socialist core values to form a social atmosphere where science is believed, respected, and championed. This will create a clean and upright environment for atheism propaganda and education.
(3) Firmly Combat Overseas Religious Infiltration and Illegal Religious Activities; Optimize the Environment for Atheism Propaganda and Education
Overseas religious infiltration and illegal religious activities cause immense harm and are particularly prominent and typical in the southwest border areas. They are the two "stumbling blocks" affecting the effectiveness of atheism propaganda and education and should be resolutely cracked down upon and abolished according to law.
First, establish a joint early-warning mechanism for overseas religious infiltration and illegal religious activities in southwest border rural areas. Mass supervision and reporting are the most effective ways to warn of religious infiltration and illegal activities. Channels for mass supervision and reporting should be unblocked, and a joint early-warning mechanism involving the masses, Party members/cadres, and grassroots governments should be established. Conduct atheism propaganda and education for the masses to make them understand the dangers of overseas religious infiltration and illegal religious activities. Reward the masses for reporting Party members and cadres who participate in feudal superstitions or illegal religious activities, forming a positive atmosphere of "everyone supervises, everyone is responsible," so that overseas infiltration and illegal activities are "nipped in the bud."
Second, establish and strengthen effective management mechanisms for overseas religious infiltration and illegal religious activities in southwest border rural areas. Carry out regular governance activities and special rectifications against overseas infiltration and illegal activities. Deepen rural "grid management" [21], establish specialized governance databases for overseas infiltration and illegal religious activities, and conduct regular checks on personnel who have engaged in such activities. Given the prevalence of religious belief in southwest border rural areas, conduct "dragnet" inspections of religious venues and clergy, and use criticism and education or abolition for illegal religious activities as the situation dictates.
Third, cut off the transmission channels of overseas religious infiltration and crack down on illegal rural proselytization. Strengthen border management and register personnel crossing the border; once illegal proselytization is discovered, it must be resolutely dealt with according to law. Conduct special online governance against religious infiltration via new media to cut off the source of online contagion and create a clean and upright cyberspace. Eradicate all types of feudal superstition. For superstitions prevalent in western Yunnan—such as "calling back the soul" [22], possession by ghosts or gods, and chanting spells to cure illness—increase propaganda efforts to jointly resist them, using correct guidance to encourage villagers to believe in science and atheism.
(4) Ensure Party Leadership over Atheism Propaganda and Education; Build a Force of Grassroots Rural Party Members with Firm Belief in Marxist Atheism
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Party, government, military, civilian, and academic; east, west, south, north, and center—the Party leads everything." Atheism propaganda and education likewise cannot succeed without Party leadership. Persisting in Party leadership is the key to ensuring the success of this work in southwest border rural areas. General Secretary Xi Jinping further pointed out: "We must cultivate a force of Party and government cadres who are proficient in the Marxist view of religion, familiar with religious work, and adept at working with religious believers. They should be led to deeply study the Marxist view of religion, the Party's theories and policies on religious work, and basic religious knowledge to continuously enhance their capabilities." Relying on Party leadership, build a force of grassroots rural Party members and cadres who are skilled in Party affairs, grounded in professional knowledge, and firm in their belief in Marxist atheism. Effectively transform the Party's political and organizational advantages into ideological advantages, building border area Party organizations into "strong fighting fortresses" [23] to promote border stability through high-quality Party building.
First, construct a serious accountability mechanism for the failure to implement responsibilities in atheism propaganda and education. For Party members and cadres who merely express support without implementation, who lack responsibility, or who act arbitrarily in atheism propaganda and education, timely accountability should be enforced according to Party discipline through "precision accountability." Regularly assess Party members' belief in Marxist atheism. Based on the principle of "learning from past mistakes to avoid future ones and curing the sickness to save the patient," timely rescue those Party members and cadres whose Marxist faith is wavering. For those Party members who "believe in ghosts and gods instead of Marxism-Leninism," they should be promptly cleared out according to Party discipline to ensure the purity of the Party member force.
Second, strictly manage the quality of personnel joining the Party, taking belief in Marxist atheism as a key indicator for assessment. Standardize the admission process and examine "入党积极分子" (activists applying for Party membership) based on their motivations and political consciousness. Under no circumstances should applicants who hold theistic beliefs be allowed into the Party.
Third, ensure that the basic principles of dialectical materialism and historical materialism take root in the minds of Party members and cadres. Strengthen Marxist atheism training for grassroots rural Party members, enhancing their political consciousness and loyalty. Regularly conduct atheism training for Party members and membership activists to continuously solidify their belief in Marxist atheism.
(5) Strengthen Ideological Building in Southwest Border Rural Areas; Prosper and Develop Frontier Rural Culture
General Secretary Xi Jinping pointed out: "Propaganda and ideological work is about consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological field and consolidating the common ideological foundation for the united struggle of the whole Party and the people of the whole country." Atheism propaganda and education are inseparable from ideological building in rural areas; we must push Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into the vast rural border areas.
First, continuously strengthen ideological building in southwest border rural areas. Ideological building is a fundamental aspect of ideological work in border rural areas; it helps form a unified mindset, reinforces the foundation of atheism propaganda and education, and creates a favorable environment. It is a necessary measure to ensure ideological stability in border rural areas, playing the role of "consolidating the border through ideology."
Second, promote Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era into the grassroots of southwest border rural areas, ensuring it enters "the countryside, the people, and the heart." General Secretary Xi Jinping's important expositions on religious work and atheism are the latest achievements in the Sinicization of Marxist atheism and an important part of Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era. Regularly dispatch lecture groups to rural fields to explain Xi Jinping Thought, especially the discourses on religion and atheism. Utilize "Three Supports and One Assistance" personnel, university student village officials, and resident cadres to speak to villagers in the southwest border in easy-to-understand language and an approachable manner. This will ensure that Marxist atheism enters the frontier, the countryside, and the mind, playing a role in strengthening and stabilizing the border through ideology.
Third, strengthen cultural infrastructure and increase rural cultural activity venues. Economic development in southwest border rural areas is lagging, and cultural infrastructure is backward, lacking necessary activity venues. Constructing cultural infrastructure in these areas must be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture. Build venues, sculptures, and entertainment landscapes themed around Marxism, socialist core values, and atheist thought, so that the masses receive education in Marxist atheism during their recreation.
Fourth, fully tap into the excellent traditional cultural resources of ethnic minorities in the southwest border. The prosperity and development of culture in frontier ethnic areas can nourish the spiritual world of farmers, leaving no room for theistic ideas to take hold and preventing the masses' thoughts from being eroded. The southwest border has many ethnic groups and rich traditional cultural resources. Under the guidance of Xi Jinping Thought on Culture, we must tap into these resources—especially the atheist elements within them—to serve the cause of socialist modernization. We must promote the "creative transformation and innovative development" [24] of excellent ethnic culture, upholding the fundamentals and breaking new ground to demonstrate its modern value.
Fifth, organize cultural activities containing traditional ethnic customs. The southwest border region has many cultural activities rooted in traditional customs, such as ethnic dances and folk songs, the Dai Water-Splashing Festival, the Yi Torch Festival, and the Wa Wooden Drum Dance. These customs greatly enrich the spiritual lives of rural residents and, to some extent, alleviate the longing of "left-behind" women and children for their relatives. Organizing these activities should be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Culture to enhance their ideological quality and satisfy the spiritual and cultural needs of the border people, allowing them to naturally accept atheist ideas through cultural entertainment.