Tong Xuanyu: 

The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China was held at a crucial time when China is advancing the great cause of national rejuvenation through Chinese-style modernization. Amid the surging enthusiasm for in-depth study and implementation of the session's spirit, the call for reform reverberated throughout the country, the momentum for progress coalesced, and practical actions charted a new course. To vividly showcase the mission and responsibility of the members of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference in the new era, actively engaged in the construction of Chinese-style modernization under the leadership of the Communist Party of China, and their sincere dedication of loyalty to the Party and the country, the new language of the United Front launched the "Discuss Reform • Build New Achievements" column to reflect the thoughts and practices of the members of the United Front in implementing the session's spirit, and jointly express their aspirations to contribute to reform and build the era. Please stay tuned! 

Reporter: The Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China has scientifically planned the overall deployment for further comprehensive deepening of reforms in line with China's modernization. This session holds milestone significance in the new journey. As a representative figure from the religious community, could you please share your understanding, insights, and feelings about the spirit of the session, and also introduce the learning situation of the Taoist community regarding this spirit? 

As a representative figure from the religious community, I am fully aware that further comprehensive reform must be carried out under the centralized and unified leadership of the Central Committee of the Party, ensuring that the reform always proceeds along the correct political path. 

After the successful convening of the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, the China Taoist Association regarded the study and implementation of the session's spirit as a major political task for the current and future periods. It promptly held a special meeting to convey and study the spirit of the session. The China Taoist Academy and the affiliated temples and venues of the China Taoist Association, such as Beijing Baiyun Taoist Temple and Beijing Huidezhen Temple, organized teachers and believers to convey and study the session's spirit. The Taoist community across the country responded positively to the call and carried out learning activities earnestly. First, they carefully organized learning and meticulously arranged activities. The teaching staff of Taoist groups, venues, and institutions actively listened to and watched the live broadcast of the meeting and related videos, studied and comprehended the spirit of the session, and sorted out and distributed the learning materials of the session, continuously carrying out learning activities. Second, they paid attention to publicity and guidance, creating a learning atmosphere. Relying on self-published periodicals, websites, and WeChat public accounts of Taoist groups, they promptly forwarded the full text of the report and authoritative theoretical interpretation articles, reported the implementation and learning situation of the Taoist community, widely publicized and mobilized, creating a thick learning atmosphere. Third, they adopted various forms to ensure the learning effect. Through holding training courses, preaching activities, symposiums, reading classes, on-site visits and learning, etc., they consolidated the learning effect and formed a long-term learning mechanism. 

Reporter: Regarding religious work, the Third Plenary Session of the 20th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China adopted the "Decision of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China on Further Comprehensively Deepening Reform and Promoting Chinese-style Modernization" (hereinafter referred to as the "Decision"). It proposed to "systematically promote the Sinicization of religions in China". Could you please share your thoughts and understanding on this, and introduce the experience and practices in promoting the Sinicization of Taoism in China? 

"Systematically promoting the Sinicization of religions in our country" emphasizes the "systematic" aspect, which reflects a clear orientation of adhering to the systematic approach in the process of promoting the Sinicization of religions in our country. 

"Systematically promoting the Sinicization of religions in our country" provides scientific thinking and methods for comprehensively promoting the Sinicization of religions in our country. The Taoist community should take "systematically promoting the Sinicization of religions in our country" as the focus, and from the perspectives of strengthening forward-looking thinking, overall planning, and comprehensive promotion, make arrangements for promoting the Sinicization of Taoism in our country. They should earnestly implement the various tasks proposed in the "Five-Year Work Plan Outline (2023-2027) for Deepening the Sinicization of Taoism in Our Country" issued by the China Taoist Association, carry out work solidly, focus on solving the prominent problems that affect the healthy inheritance of Taoism, implement the requirements of comprehensive strict governance of the religious community, continuously improve the self-management level, and actively adapt to the socialist society. 

In recent years, the Chinese Taoist Association has focused on issues such as "what to transform" and "how to transform", guiding and promoting the Taoist communities across the country to actively explore the practical paths for the Chineseization of Taoism in our country. It will continue to deepen this direction of Chinese Taoism. First, it strengthens ideological and political guidance. Taking the opportunities of celebrating the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the successful convening of the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and the 75th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Taoist community across the country has been organized to carry out in-depth learning and education on "Five Histories" and "Three Loves" themes, fostering patriotic sentiments and enhancing the "Five Identifications". Secondly, we have further advanced the Sinicization of Taoism in our country. We have held a symposium to promote the systematic progress of Taoism's Sinicization, summarized practical experiences, and consolidated consensus and strength. We have adhered to the guidance of socialist core values, promoted the compilation and publication project of "The Continuation of the Chinese Taoist Canon", continued to hold lectures on the Daoist School, and made interpretations of the doctrines and regulations that are in line with contemporary China's development and progress and in line with Chinese excellent traditional culture, promoting the modern construction of Taoist doctrines and thoughts. Thirdly, we have implemented the requirements of comprehensive strict governance of the Taoist community. We have carried out legal education and publicity, continuously enhancing the awareness of Taoist community members and believers to respect, study, abide by and apply the law. We have formulated and revised a series of institutional documents, standardized important administrative activities, continuously strengthened the standardized management of Taoist organizations, Taoist activity venues and Taoist clergy, and continuously promoted the effectiveness of Taoist conduct construction. Fourthly, we have strengthened the construction of the talent team. We have formulated the "China Taoist Education Planning Outline (2022-2025)", comprehensively planning the construction of the Taoist talent team. We have fully utilized the main position and main channel role of the China Taoist Academy in talent cultivation, cultivating "dual-skilled" high-level talents. We have attached importance to the unified compilation of textbooks in Taoist colleges, issued the "Implementation Opinions on the Construction of Shared Courses in Taoist Colleges". We have held the first Kuan Dao postgraduate class and the Beijing Taoist Clergy College class, and jointly held training courses with the Central Socialist College, conducting layered and classified training of Taoist talents. Fifthly, we have promoted the excellent traditional culture of Taoism. We have deeply explored the ideological concepts in Taoism such as "harmony between heaven and man", "following the laws of nature", "returning to simplicity and returning to nature", "acting without contention", and "harmony and kindness". We have fully utilized Taoism's positive role in moral education, healthy living, ecological protection, cultural dissemination, and international exchanges, actively exploring the contemporary significance of Taoist culture, activating the vitality of Taoist culture with the spirit of the times, and achieving creative transformation and innovative development of Taoist culture. Sixthly, we have deepened external exchanges and interactions, telling the stories of Chinese Taoism, and enhancing the international influence of Taoism. We have utilized the platform role of the World Taoist Federation to expand the overseas influence of Taoism. We have fully leveraged the brand effect of the International Taoist Forum in promoting international exchanges and cooperation among Taoist communities. We have continuously deepened and consolidated traditional Taoist friendship with the Taoist communities in Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan, and regularly hold friendly activities. 

(Li Guangfu, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, the president of the Chinese Taoist Association, and the president of the Chinese Taoist Academy) 

Source: New Words of United Front