Laws of the People's Republic of China

    Article 1  These Regulations are formulated in accordance with the
Constitution in order to protect normal religious activities and the lawful
rights and interests of sites for religious activities and to facilitate the
administration of sites for religious activities.

    Article 2  The sites for religious activities referred to in these
Regulations mean Buddhist monasteries, Taoist temples, mosques, churches and
other fixed sites for conducting religious activities.

    The establishment of sites for religious activities must be registered.
Measures for registration thereof shall be formulated by the department of
religious affairs of the State Council.

    Article 3  Sites for religious activities shall be run independently by
the management organizations thereof, whose lawful rights and interests and
normal religious activities at the sites shall be protected by law. No
organizations or individuals may violate or interfere with them.

    Article 4  Management rules shall be set up at sites for religious
activities. Religious activities conducted at sites for religious activities
must abide by laws and regulations. No person may make use of sites for
religious activities to engage in activities that disrupt the unification of
the country, national unity or social stability, impair the health of citizens
or interfere with the educational system of the state. Sites for religious
activities are not subject to the domination of any body or individual outside
Chinese territory.

    Article 5  Permanent residents and temporary residents at sites for
religious activities shall abide by the provisions governing
residence-registration of the state.

    Article 6  Sites for religious activities may accept alms, offerings and
niyah contributed voluntarily by the people who believe in religion.

    Sites for religious activities shall accept donations from religious
bodies and individuals outside Chinese territory in accordance with relevant
provisions of the state.

    Article 7  At sites for religious activities the management organizations
thereof may sell religious articles, religious artwork and religious books and
periodicals in accordance with the relevant provisions of the state.

    Article 8  The property and income of sites for religious activities shall
be managed and used by the management organizations thereof and no other units
or individuals may possess or transfer them without compensation.

    Article 9  Termination or mergence of sites for religious activities shall
be reported to the original registration department for the record and the
property therein shall be disposed of according to the relevant provisions of
the state.

    Article 10  With regard to the land, forest, houses and other properties
managed or used by sites for religious activities, the management
organizations thereof or the religious bodies to which the sites for religious
activities belong shall apply for certificates in accordance with the relevant
provisions of the state. The requisition by the state of the land, forest,
houses and other properties which sites for religious activities manage and
use shall be handled in accordance with the Land Administration Law of the
People's Republic of China and other relevant provisions of the state.

    Article 11  The relevant units or individuals who reconstruct buildings
or construct new buildings, set up commercial or service network and posts,
hold displays or exhibitions or shoot films or television programs or hold
other activities within the management scope of sites for religious activities
must first obtain the approval from the management organization of site for
religious activities and departments of religious affairs of the people's
government at or above the county level before going through procedures to the
relevant departments.

    Article 12  Sites for religious activities designed as units to be
protected for cultural relics or located in scenic or famous districts shall
manage and protect the cultural relics and the environment in accordance with
the provisions of relevant laws and regulations and accept the guidance and
supervision by the relevant departments.

    Article 13  The departments of religious affairs of the people's
government at or above the county level shall exercise supervision over and
give guidance to the implementation of these Regulations.

    Article 14  Where sites for religious activities violate the provisions of
these Regulations, the department of religious affairs of the people's
governments at or above the county level, may according to the seriousness
of the circumstances, make punishment of giving a warning, stopping their
activities and revoking registration; if the circumstances are specially
serious, the people's governments at the same level are asked to ban them in
accordance with the law.

    Article 15  Whoever violates these Regulations and constitutes an act
violating the administration of public security shall given penalties by the
public security organ in accordance with the relevant provisions of
Regulations of the People's Republic of China on Administrative Penalties for
Public Security; if such an act constitutes a crime he shall be investigated
for criminal responsibilities by the judicial organs.

    Article 16  If a party is not satisfied with the administrative decision,
he may appeal for administrative reconsideration or bring an administrative
suit according to the provisions of relevant laws or regulations.

    Article 17  In case of any infringement of the lawful right and interests
of the sites for religious activities in violation of these Regulations, the
departments of religious affairs of the people's government at or above the
county level shall ask the people's government of the same level to stop such
acts of infringement and in case of any economic losses incurred, the party
responsible thereof shall make due compensation for the losses according to
law.

    Article 18  People's governments of the provinces, autonomous regions and
municipalities directly under the Central Government may formulate measures
for the implementation of these Regulations in the light of local actual
conditions.

    Article 19  The department of religious affairs of the State Council shall
be responsible for the interpretation of these Regulations.

    Article 20  These Regulations shall enter into force as of the day of
promulgation.