Marxist Atheism: New China and the New Era—A Summary of the 2019 Annual Conference of the Chinese Atheism Society and the Tiantai Forum
From October 26 to 27, the 2019 Academic Annual Conference of the Chinese Association of Atheism and the Tiantai Forum were held in Tiantai, Zhejiang. This forum was jointly organized by the Chinese Association of Atheism, the Center for Science and Atheism Research of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences (CASS), the Tiantai County Committee [1] of the CPC, and the Party School of the CPC Taizhou Municipal Committee. Over 80 participants attended the meeting, including experts from nearly thirty universities and research institutions—such as CASS, the Central United Front Work Department, the Ministry of Education, Wuhan University, Nankai University, Ningxia University, People's Public Security University of China, Beijing Union University, Inner Mongolia University, Harbin University of Science and Technology, Shaanxi Normal University, Zhejiang Normal University, and the Zhejiang Institute of Socialism—as well as representative teachers from the Zhejiang Tiantai Mountain Culture Research Institute and the Party School of the CPC Tiantai County Committee.
Gong Yun, researcher and Deputy Director of the Center for the Study of Socialism with Chinese Characteristics at CASS; Cao Jiaohong, member of the Standing Committee and Director of the Propaganda Department of the Tiantai County Committee; and Zhu Jiyuan, Party Committee Secretary of the Taizhou Municipal Party School, attended the opening ceremony and delivered speeches. Comrade Zhu Weiqun, Director of the Ethnic and Religious Affairs Committee of the 12th National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), attended the meeting and delivered an important speech. Comrade Zhu Xiaoming, Honorary President of the Chinese Association of Atheism, delivered a keynote report titled "Atheism: The Course of the New China and the Tasks of the New Era."
I. The Developmental Course of Marxist Atheism in the New China
This year marks the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. At this important historical juncture, it is necessary to review and organize the developmental course of the cause of atheism in the New China, summarizing the achievements we have attained and the experiences and lessons we have accumulated.
Zhu Xiaoming pointed out that the development of religious work and the cause of atheism in the New China can be divided into two major stages: the first thirty years and the subsequent forty years. In the first thirty years, despite experiencing many twists and turns, the direction of separating church and state and separating religion from education was maintained; the destiny of Chinese religion underwent historical changes, including significant transformations in the political character of religion, religious systems, and religious organizations. During the subsequent forty years, the Party first formed basic viewpoints, policies, and principles regarding religious issues during China's socialist period, entering a period of actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society. Following the 18th National Congress of the CPC in 2012, guided by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious issues and religious work, the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics was formed, entering a New Era where the key lies in "guidance" [2] and firmly grasping the initiative in religious work.
Zhu Xiaoming also noted that during seventy years of practice and exploration, twists and errors occurred in the religious field and religious work. These were manifested prominently in two ways. First, during the period when "Leftist" ideology [3] grew and spread, focus was placed solely on the worldview differences between ourselves and religion, while the need for unity and alliance in political action was neglected. Second, after the restoration of the policy of freedom of religious belief, another tendency emerged: neglecting the negative effects and impacts caused by the overheating of religious activities and the rapid growth of believers. Marked by General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important speech at the National Conference on Religious Work in 2016, our Party has comprehensively and systematically summarized the successful experiences and historical lessons—both positive and negative—of 70 years of religious work and the cause of atheism in the New China. This led to the formation and development of the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics, with Xi Jinping’s important expositions on religious work and religious issues as the core essence, correcting the forward direction of religious work.
Gong Yun pointed out that during the 70 years of the New China, and especially since socialism with Chinese characteristics entered the New Era, successive principal leaders of the Party have attached great importance to the research, dissemination, and education of atheism. Such work has played a unique role in consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in the ideological sphere, maintaining the Party’s ideological and organizational purity, and ensuring that the Party’s religious work develops along the correct direction.
Jia Runguo, researcher and Deputy Director of the Religious Research Center of the Central United Front Work Department, pointed out that over the 70 years since the founding of the New China, the Communist Party of China has applied the basic principles of Marxism-Leninism concerning religion to correctly answer religious questions of different eras, forming three major theoretical achievements. In the early years of the New China, the religious legacy of the Old China [4] was as follows: through a long period of feudal society and over a century of semi-colonial and semi-feudal society, our country's religion was steeped in colonial and feudal characteristics, and leadership was essentially not in the hands of the people. Chinese Communists, with Mao Zedong as their chief representative, led progressive figures in religious circles to conduct anti-imperialist patriotic movements and democratic reforms of the religious system. This cleared the colonial and feudal nature of our religion, established patriotic religious organizations led by our Party, provided socialist education to religious figures, and formed Mao Zedong’s thought on religious work. In the early period of reform and opening up, the religious problem left by the "Cultural Revolution" was: religious policies had been destroyed, religious work had been abolished, and normal religious beliefs and activities were suppressed. The Party Central Committee with Deng Xiaoping as the core fully restored the Party’s religious policies and comprehensively expounded basic viewpoints and policies on religious issues, initiating the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics. After the Fourth Plenary Session of the 13th CPC Central Committee, the problem of chaotic religious activities became prominent, as did the phenomenon of overseas forces using religion for infiltration. The Party Central Committee with Jiang Zemin as the core proposed managing religious affairs according to the law, actively guiding religion to adapt to socialist society, and adhering to the principle of independence and self-management, thereby developing the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics. After the 16th National Congress of the CPC, the "religious culture fever" continued to heat up, and religious relations became increasingly complex. The Party Central Committee with Hu Jintao as General Secretary proposed the comprehensive implementation of the Party’s basic principles for religious work, promoting harmony in religious relations and giving play to the positive roles of religious figures and believers in promoting economic and social development, further enriching the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics. Since entering the New Era, the religious problems remaining from the previous period were: the number of believers continued to grow, religious structures changed, religious influence expanded, and religious issues became increasingly prominent. However, in religious work, there were problems such as a lack of ideological emphasis, incorrect understanding, and an inability to handle tasks, resulting in a phenomenon of "five oxen pulling a cart" [5] with no clear direction. The Party Central Committee with Comrade Xi Jinping at its core explicitly proposed adhering to and developing the theory of religion with Chinese characteristics, incorporating religious governance into the national governance system, strengthening the Party’s centralized and unified leadership over religious work, calibrating the direction of religious work, and rectifying risks and chaos in the religious field. This led religious work to undergo historical changes and achieve historical successes, forming the thought on religious governance in the New Era.
Associate Researcher Huang Yanhong of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies provided a review and commentary on the pioneering period of Chinese Marxist religious studies (and atheism), specifically the period from the founding of the New China to the beginning of reform and opening up. She divided the research of this period into three parts: first, the translation and introduction of Marxist-Leninist thoughts on religion and atheism; second, the interpretation of Marxist-Leninist thoughts on religion and atheism; and third, the preliminary research on religious studies and atheism using Marxism-Leninism. She argued that these studies were broad in scope, covering various research themes and perspectives, and were deeply concerned with practical issues, though imbalances existed. She also raised the question of how to view the relationship between academic research and ideology, arguing that one cannot negate the academic value of research simply because it possesses an ideological character; the importance lies in integrating the ideological attributes of philosophy and the social sciences with their academic nature.
Hu Zhaoyang, a teacher from the Zhongyuan University of Technology, pointed out that Chinese Marxist religious studies over the past 70 years have passed through four stages: the pioneering stage, the low-tide and recovery/development stage, the difficult development stage, and the stage of new opportunities in the new period. The development of Marxist religious studies in the New China is closely related to Mr. Ren Jiyu [6], who participated in this process throughout and made numerous academic contributions. Mr. Ren Jiyu’s academic research was the most direct manifestation of his active practice of the "emancipating from ignorance" (脱愚) academic mission of scientific atheism, making him the well-deserved pioneer and founder of Chinese Marxist religious studies.
Zhang Jiansong of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies argued that the Sinicization of religion has undergone three stages: first, the stage before the founding of the New India in 1949; second, the primary stage of the Sinicization of religion from 1949 to 2015; and third, the stage of Sinicization as such. He argued that in the process of promoting the Sinicization of religion in our country in the New Era, we must first be guided by Xi Jinping Thought on Socialism with Chinese Characteristics for a New Era and adhere to the Party's principles for religious work. Second, we must resolve prominent problems currently affecting the Sinicization of religion, such as the tendency toward the commercialization of religion, overseas religious infiltration, the spread of religious extremism, and "de-Sinicization." Third, a strict distinction must be made between the Sinicization [7] of religion in our country and "indigenization" (本色化) or "localization" (本土化). Finally, we must persist in the Sinicization of all religions, not just those of foreign origin.
Zhang Xiaochen, a teacher from North China University of Technology, proposed that the Party and state leader Li Weihan [8] creatively put forward the "Five Characteristics" theory of religion (五性理论) and the idea of how to correctly handle religious contradictions in China. He noted that Li not only proposed the ideas that religion should adapt to socialism and that our country’s religion should abide by national laws and regulations, but also proposed building a united front with religious circles and cultivating "red" clergy. This contributed to the Sinicization of the Marxist view of religion and provided a theoretical basis for the Party and state’s religious work.
Research into the atheistic thoughts of classical Marxist writers is also an important way to excavate historical intellectual resources for the development of the cause of atheism. Han Qi of the CASS Institute of Marxism Studies pointed out that Engels’s atheistic thought possesses a complete philosophical structure. She emphasized Engels's dialectical materialist mode of thinking, his judgment on the nature of agnosticism and deism, his attention to theistic problems in the natural sciences, Marxist religious research, and his highly enlightening dialectical view of life and death. She argued that presenting the complete framework of the philosophical structure of Engels's atheistic thought not only helps promote research and dissemination of Marxist atheistic thought but also clarifies problems in today’s religious development, religious research, and certain understandings of religion.
Associate Professor Hao Ruibin of Hebei Normal University analyzed the Marxist position, viewpoint, and method embodied in Lenin’s religious research. He pointed out that Lenin’s resolution of religious problems in the Soviet Union embodied a people-centered stance of "everything for the people and everything relying on the people," followed the basic viewpoint that social existence determines social consciousness, and was consistently permeated with the methods of dialectical materialism and the concrete analysis of concrete situations. Associate Professor Liu Fujun of Beijing Union University expounded on Mao Zedong’s atheistic thought. He argued that Mao’s atheistic thought centered on the negation of God's existence and the liberation and development of humanity, as well as the correct handling of the relationship between atheism and theism, and between atheists and theists, which can be summarized in ten aspects. He emphasized that incorporating the issue of religious belief into the "correct handling of contradictions among the people" [9] was Mao Zedong’s important creative contribution.
II. The Mission of Marxist Atheism in the New Era
General Secretary Xi Jinping has stated that "the era is the examiner, we are the examinees, and the people are the markers." Research, dissemination, and education of atheism in the New Era also face various questions posed by the times. How should we complete this "exam" and answer these questions?
Tian Xinming, a researcher at the Ministry of Education's Higher Education Social Science Research Center, pointed out that constructing "systematized disciplinary theories and concepts" for the discipline, as mentioned by General Secretary Xi Jinping, is an important task for the construction of the atheism discipline and a necessity for building an all-encompassing, all-field, and all-element system of philosophy and social sciences with Chinese characteristics. He argued that compiling the "Introduction to Marxist Atheism" could serve as an important starting point for fulfilling this task. This is a task of "integration" and "assembly," a form of "independent innovation" and "comprehensive innovation." Marxism must be the guiding ideology, theoretical basis, and methodological foundation. The object of study for the atheism discipline is the objective socio-historical phenomenon wherein the godless material world produced the concept of God and the opposing atheist thought. Adhering to seeking truth from facts and combining the basic principles of Marxism with concrete reality is our basic principle for constructing an atheism discipline with Chinese characteristics. The construction of an atheism discipline with Chinese characteristics must adhere to the method of contradiction analysis and be problem-oriented.
Zhu Xiaoming argued that the 70-year history of the atheist cause offers several insights: atheism is not only the "red gene" of the Communist Party’s revolutionary spirit and culture, but also the spiritual advantage that allowed New China to "stand up, grow rich, and become strong" [10]. Furthermore, it remains the grand principle for realizing the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation in the New Era. In the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must uphold atheism as the ideological foundation and spiritual pillar, ensuring it occupies a dominant position that permeates and covers the entire landscape. The development of modern science and technology, artificial intelligence, and the internet has posed challenges to the propagation of atheism. Compared to the rapid advancements of the Chinese path and the constant emergence of new situations and problems in the spiritual realm, academic research in Marxist religious studies and atheism still lags behind reality; we require new theoretical breakthroughs.
Gong Yun contended that in the New Era of socialism with Chinese characteristics, we must draw lessons from both the positive and negative experiences of the development of the atheist cause over the 70 years of New China. We must fully implement General Secretary Xi Jinping’s important expositions on upholding the grand principle of Marxist atheism, improve the academic level of atheist research, and summarize the historical experiences of atheist propaganda and education both in China and abroad. It is necessary to handle the relationship between atheist propaganda and religious work steadily, carry forward the "fighting spirit," master the "art of struggle," and improve our "fighting capacity" [11]. This will fundamentally consolidate the dominant position of Marxist atheism in the field of mainstream ideology, unite the broad masses closely around the Party, and strive together for the realization of the Great Rejuvenation of the Chinese Nation.
Researcher Xi Wuyi—Vice President and Secretary-General of the Chinese Society for Atheism—proposed that Marxist atheism is the inheritance and development of modern Enlightenment and humanist atheism, representing an advanced stage in the development of scientific atheism. It possesses three important characteristics: the theory of historical materialism, the practice of the scientific socialist movement, and a constantly evolving scientific spirit. Marxist atheism is the philosophical foundation of the Core Socialist Values. Strengthening the research, propaganda, and education of scientific atheism is an important component of enhancing socialist ideology. Scientific atheism is a happy way of life and an important path for building a harmonious society. As long as scientific atheism is thorough, it will inevitably lead toward a rational social system. Programs and strategies for the education and propagation of scientific atheism must be formulated and integrated into the cause of building socialism with Chinese characteristics in the New Era. The guiding principle for the development of scientific atheism in the New Era is to consistently maintain Marxist atheism as the mainstream ideology and ensure it occupies the dominant position in the minds of the people.
Zhao Wenhong, Secretary of the Institute of World Religions at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, elaborated on the relationship between the Sinicization of religion and the freedom of religious belief. He pointed out that the Sinicization of religion means that religions in China identify with China, Chinese culture, and the Chinese nation, adapting to Chinese society while absorbing and integrating into Chinese culture. The boundary of freedom of religious belief is that it must not harm the legitimate interests of other citizens, society, or the state. He further noted that we must face the reality that there are indeed phenomena within our country's religions that damage national and public interests; if left unchecked, religion could cause massive damage to these interests in the future. From the perspectives of theory and historical experience, the Sinicization of religion is an effective way to reduce the harm religion causes to national and public interests and to better leverage the positive role of religion in society. Therefore, the Sinicization of religion is both the boundary of religious freedom and the guarantee for the survival and development of religion.
Professor Zuo Peng of the University of Science and Technology Beijing analyzed several practical questions that need to be answered regarding education on the Marxist view of religion in universities. He pointed out that answering the practical questions that university students care about but do not clearly understand is a basic requirement for enhancing the affinity and focus of education. The first question is: Are Chinese people the only ones in the world who do not believe in religion? His answer was that in today's world, China is not the only place with non-believers, and religion is not some "anthropological constant." Historically, China has been a country where polytheism and atheism coexisted, but no religion ever occupied the dominant position in Chinese thought and culture; this is our tradition and advantage. The second question is: Can only religion solve the social moral crisis? The answer is that while religion can play a certain positive role in building social morality, we cannot pin our hopes for solving the moral crisis on the development of religion. The third question is: Can only religion provide meaning to life? The answer is that while religion can indeed provide meaning at certain times, the meaning it provides is illusory. The fourth question is: Why do some scientists also believe in religion? The answer is that while some scientists do believe in religion, this cannot be taken as a basis for others to believe.
Ideological security is an important aspect of national security. Xinjiang is the main battlefield and frontline in our country’s struggle against separatism and terrorism. Professor Dai Jicheng of the People’s Public Safety University of China believes that Xinjiang has explored a set of governance methods and paths for extremism, including: returning to the source and clarifying the origin [12] to consolidate the ideological foundation for governing religious extremism; "speaking out and brandishing the sword" [13] to launch a broad movement for ideological liberation; governing Xinjiang according to law to fortify the legal basis against extremism; strictly governing the Party to dig deep for the "black hands" [14] and "protective umbrellas" [15] behind extremist forces; and treating both the symptoms and the root causes to eradicate the breeding ground for extremism. These measures have great practical significance and historical value.
Professor Ren Xinli of Xinjiang Normal University, addressing the erosion and penetration of religious extremism in Xinjiang's ideological sphere, argued that strengthening Marxist atheist education in the New Era is of extreme importance for consolidating the guiding position of Marxism in ideology, solidifying the common ideological foundation for the unity and struggle of all ethnic groups in the region, implementing the strategy of rule of law, achieving the overall goals of Xinjiang work, and curbing religious extremitization. We must use the ideological weapon of Marxist atheism to conduct an ideological struggle with a clear banner, resolutely resisting and refuting the fallacies spread by "Pan-ism" [16] and the "Three Forces" [17] regarding Xinjiang’s history, ethnicity, and religion, so as to clarify the origins, strengthen the foundation, and safeguard ideological security.
Researcher Li Weijian of the Institute of World Religions at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences believes that under the Party's leadership, by governing Xinjiang according to law and relying on the masses to strike at the "Three Forces" through comprehensive measures, the task of treating the "symptoms" in Xinjiang has been basically completed. Moreover, the counter-terrorism and de-extremitization work in Xinjiang has given the people of Xinjiang and the whole country a new understanding of Xinjiang’s history and reality, enhanced patriotic sentiment and ethnic unity, and played a landmark role in guiding the Sinicization of religion and forging a strong sense of community for the Chinese nation. However, Xinjiang will still face the threat of the "Three Forces" for a long time; the situation remains grim, and the task of counter-terrorism and de-extremitization is arduous and long-term. The content of socialist culture with Chinese characteristics is rich and colorful, with secular, atheist, and scientific culture being important aspects. Only cultural identification with socialism with Chinese characteristics is the ultimate means to solve the problem of the "Three Forces" in Xinjiang.
In recent years, the term "Gray Rhino" has frequently been used to refer to risks that are so common people become accustomed to them—a metaphor for high-probability potential crises with enormous impact. Associate Professor Wang Qichang of Inner Mongolia University of Finance and Economics analyzed the "Gray Rhino" risks in our country's ideological field reflected in Xi Wuyi’s Weibo [18] posts. He pointed out that government departments at all levels need to stand at the height of defending ideological security, face the huge risks inherent in the current ethnic and religious fields, and simultaneously strengthen Central Inspections, encourage social supervision, and promptly resolve issues arising in these areas to mitigate risks.
Professor Chen Yongsheng of Zhejiang Normal University focused on the psychological issues of atheist education for different age groups in the New Era, proposing several research topics and directions from a practical level. He suggested that atheist education in childhood should focus on extracting, organizing, and processing the legacy of "primitive atheism" in ancient Chinese myths, using contemporary forms popular with children to subtly influence their psychology. For adolescence, the focus should be on the organic integration of mental health education and scientific atheist thought, giving full play to the collaborative functions of mental health professionals and ideological and moral teachers. For middle age, one should be vigilant against the psychological diffusion of religious culture from foreign investment and other non-public enterprises during the process of expanding opening-up, taking effective measures to consolidate and strengthen Core Socialist Values. For old age, community mental health resources should be used effectively to vigorously promote advanced socialist culture and scientific thought through positive examples of teaching by word and deed.
For a long time, the handling of Catholic issues in China has been inseparable from the Vatican, which is also a major factor affecting the process of the Sinicization of Catholicism in our country. Associate Professor Kong Chenyan of the Zhejiang Institute of Socialism analyzed the Vatican’s international diplomatic status. He argued that the Vatican leads the world’s largest and most organized religious transnational actor. The religious nature of the Vatican challenges state sovereignty and thus state authority; the moral authority it utilizes also challenges the ideologies of many countries. We should view it as a religious moral authority among transnational actors rather than a sovereign state.
III. Scientific Atheism, Civilized Rural Customs, and Social Governance
As the mainstream social ideology, Marxist atheism must occupy the dominant position in the minds of the masses; as a grand principle, it needs to permeate every aspect of social life in our country. Whether it is the governance of cults or the construction of civilized rural customs, scientific atheism is indispensable.
As a form of theistic thought and practice, cults still possess a considerable degree of social destructiveness in current society. Fan Baoxiang’s team from the Center for the Study of Cults and Religious Culture at Beijing Union University conducted systematic research on cult governance. By identifying the main characteristics of cults and using case studies to analyze the evil nature of certain cult organizations around the world, they argued that solving ideological issues at the source is the top priority for preventing and governing cults. Of course, the prevention and governance of cults is an international problem of comprehensive social governance and a problem left over from history. Therefore, to effectively prevent, resist, and govern cults, one must analyze them from the perspective of the social governance system. Through an analysis of the Chinese government’s successful cases in governing cults, Fan Baoxiang and others pointed out that the governance of cults must be legalized and socialized, while also strengthening education and guidance for youth. Xue Peng pointed out that in the context of the internet's popularity, the trend of cults using this power for dissemination should not be underestimated. Using comprehensive cult websites as examples, he researched how cults spread, extracted their characteristics in the internet environment, and proposed solutions for governing online cults.
Professor Tu Jianhua of Hunan City University pointed out that religion and cults share the same foundation of idealism and metaphysical methodology; their difference lies in the legal sense. It is in the sense of law-abiding versus law-breaking that religion strives to distance itself from cults, while cults do everything possible to attach themselves to, borrow from, or pretend to be religions. Therefore, managing religion according to law can not only prevent religion from turning into a cult but can also strip away cults attached to religion and subsequently strike at them.
Professor Chen Qingping and others from the Research Center for Cults and Social Psychological Issues at Shaanxi Normal University conducted semi-structured interviews and mental health questionnaires with 10 community workers and 10 cult members from 10 communities in a certain city to explore long-term methods for the community psychological rehabilitation and education of cult members. The study found that even after short-term educational transformation, cult members still suffer from psychological issues such as poor attention, insomnia, and anxiety. Experiments proved that certain methods have long-term effects on the psychological recovery of cult members: cognitive therapy as the basic method for transforming cult concepts; individual counseling and group guidance as in-depth and mutual-aid methods; family strategic therapy as a multi-dimensional and dynamic method; and online health services as a broad and supportive method.
The construction of civilized rural customs is an important part of the Rural Revitalization Strategy. The "Hehe" (Harmony and Convergence) culture of Mount Tiantai is a component of China's excellent traditional culture. In exploring how to discover its positive and healthy content, cultivate good civilized rural customs, and achieve the "creative transformation and innovative development" [19] of excellent traditional culture, scientific atheism can play a foundational ideological role.
Xu Shangshu, Vice President of the Zhejiang Tiantai Mountain Culture Research Institute, pointed out that within Taizhou’s "Hehe" [20] folk culture—especially regarding the relationship between humanity and nature—there exists a certain degree of mysticism. However, these folk rituals also embody the people's yearning for a safe, beautiful, and happy life. Under the guidance of the Core Socialist Values, and through the practice of changing outdated customs [21], we should excavate and organize ideological resources from folk culture, particularly those concerning harmony between humanity and society, so that the contemporary value of these traditions can play a role in the construction of rural civilization. Xu Yongen elaborated on the role of Hehe culture in building rural civilization from three aspects: the origins and spiritual inner core of Hehe culture, the status of Hehe culture within the deep consciousness of rural residents, and the traditional genetic markers of rural Hehe culture.
Wang Tailong, Deputy Director of the Propaganda Department of the Tiantai County CPC Committee, analyzed several issues arising in the process of inheriting and developing clan culture [22] in the new period, such as the emergence of feudal superstition and outdated habits. He proposed that bad customs and feudal dross should be discarded, while the civilized achievements of various excellent clan cultures should be guided and rationalized. Yao Junping, Vice Principal of the Tiantai County Party School, suggested relying on Tiantai’s excellent traditional cultural and tourism resources to organize students to leave the campus through collective travel and concentrated boarding. This would expand their horizons, enrich their knowledge, and deepen their affinity for nature and culture. Ultimately, this "study-travel" approach can boost rural revitalization, promote the sale of agricultural products, expand income growth points, and provide targeted assistance for achieving prosperity. Zhang Mizhen, a teacher at the Tiantai County Party School, used Lingxi Village in Tiantai, Zhejiang, as a research sample. Through field investigations and empirical analysis of the village's traditional cultural resources, and by interpreting its local customs and humanistic traditions, she reflected on the social significance and contemporary value of rural revitalization, further exploring the reshaping of rural civilization in the New Era.
Zhang Wenzhong, a teacher at the Tiantai County Party School, argued that rural material economy and spiritual civilization must develop in coordination [23]. The construction of rural civilization is the "soul" of rural revitalization and serves as its important driving force and "software" foundation. Therefore, rural revitalization and rural governance must be organically combined to ensure they move in the same direction and mutually reinforce each other. Shi Huaichun argued that if the construction of rural civilization is integrated with "self-governance, the rule of law, and the rule of virtue" [24], a vehicle and "grip" [25] can be found for this work. Wang Changyin, the propaganda commissioner of Shifeng Subdistrict in Tiantai County, explored the practice of rural civilization construction and rural governance. He proposed seizing the key points of current rural governance and finding the direction for rural development in the New Era, thereby promoting the comprehensive upgrading of agriculture, the comprehensive progress of the countryside, and the comprehensive development of farmers.
In the meeting summary, Jia Runguo pointed out that future religious governance will inevitably deepen toward "addressing the root causes." In terms of religious governance, and specifically in addressing root causes, the role of Marxist atheist propaganda and education must be exerted. Religion has two "roots": one is theism, and the other is the religious believer. Correspondingly, there are two methods for religious governance: one is to strengthen atheist propaganda, and the other is to promote the Sinicization of religion. Atheist propaganda faces the general public; by helping people establish a scientific worldview, outlook on life, and values, it can "dissolve" [26] and reduce religious issues in the aggregate. The Sinicization of religion faces the religious masses; by guiding them to be patriotic, law-abiding, polite, honest, and of service to society, it can "transform" religious believers for the better. These are actually the two major points of religious governance thought in the New Era: adhering to Marxist atheism is the "Great Principle," and adhering to the direction of the Sinicization of religion is the "General Requirement." Scholars who love the research, propaganda, and education of Marxist atheism should increase their study of various religious theisms and their laws of transmission, conduct more targeted atheist propaganda, and make their own contributions to religious governance in the New Era.
Since its founding in 1978, the Chinese Atheism Society has traversed 41 years. Its journal, Science and Atheism, has been published continuously for 20 years, with more than 900 scholars and experts publishing over 1,000 articles. To commemorate the 20th anniversary of its founding and to encourage academic research in the field of scientific atheism, Science and Atheism selected and commended 45 outstanding authors. Zhu Xiaoming, Honorary President of the Chinese Atheism Society, and Zhang Xinying, President of the journal, presented awards to the outstanding authors in attendance. During the meeting, the Chinese Atheism Society also held a council meeting, electing Researcher Fan Jianxin of the Institute of Marxism Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences as the President of the Fifth Council.