六、新疆历来是多种宗教并存的地区
VI. Multiple Religions Have Long Coexisted in Xinjiang
中国自古以来就是多宗教的国家，除了组织性、制度性较强的几大宗教外，还存在大量的民间信仰。除了道教和民间信仰是中国土生土长的之外，其他都由国外传入。新疆地区历来也是多种宗教信仰并存，一教或两教为主、多教并存是新疆宗教格局的历史特点，交融共存是新疆宗教关系的主流。
China has long been a multi-religious country. In addition to several major religions that are structured in accordance with strict religious norms, a variety of folk beliefs are also popular in China. Among these, Taoism and local folk beliefs are native to China, while all other religions were introduced from foreign countries. The history of Xinjiang shows that multiple religions have long coexisted there, with one or two predominant. The region’s religious structure is characterized by blending and coexistence.
新疆多种宗教并存格局形成和演变经历了漫长的历史过程。早在公元前4世纪以前，新疆流行的是原始宗教。大约公元前1世纪，佛教传入新疆地区，4世纪至10世纪，佛教进入鼎盛时期。同期，祆教流行于新疆各地。至16世纪末17世纪初，藏传佛教在北疆地区逐渐兴盛起来。道教于5世纪前后传入新疆，主要盛行于吐鲁番、哈密等地，至清代传播至新疆大部分地区并一度复兴。摩尼教和景教于6世纪相继传入新疆。10世纪至14世纪，景教随着回鹘等民族信仰而兴盛。
The formation and evolution of the coexistence of multiple religions in Xinjiang has been a long process:
• Prior to the 4th century BC, primitive religion was widespread in Xinjiang.
•Around the 1st century BC, Buddhism was introduced into Xinjiang.
•From the 4th to 10th centuries, Buddhism reached its peak, while Zoroastrianism proliferated throughout Xinjiang.
•During the late 16th century and early 17th century, Tibetan Buddhism thrived in northern Xinjiang.
•Around the 5th century, Taoism spread into Xinjiang, prevalent in Turpan and Hami areas. During the Qing Dynasty, it revived in most parts of Xinjiang.
•In the 6th century, Manichaeism and Nestorianism entered Xinjiang. From the 10th to 14th centuries, Nestorianism flourished as the Uighur and some other peoples converted to it.
9世纪末10世纪初，喀喇汗王朝接受伊斯兰教，并于10世纪中叶向信仰佛教的于阗王国发动40余年宗教战争，11世纪初攻灭于阗，强制推行伊斯兰教，结束了佛教在这个地区千余年的历史。随着伊斯兰教的不断传播，祆教、摩尼教、景教等宗教日趋衰落。14世纪中叶，东察合台汗国统治者以战争等强制手段，将伊斯兰教逐渐推行到塔里木盆地北缘、吐鲁番盆地和哈密一带。至16世纪初，新疆形成了以伊斯兰教为主要宗教、多种宗教并存的格局并延续至今，原来当地居民信仰的祆教、摩尼教、景教等逐渐消失，佛教、道教仍然存在。17世纪初，卫拉特蒙古人接受了藏传佛教。约自18世纪始，基督教、天主教、东正教相继传入新疆。
In the late 9th century and early 10th century, the Kara-Khanid Khanate accepted Islam. It started a 40-year-long religious war in the mid-10th century against the Buddhist Kingdom of Khotan, and conquered it in the early 11th century and imposed Islam there, putting an end to the thousand-year history of Buddhism in that region. With the expansion of Islam, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Nestorianism declined. In the mid-14th century, the rulers of the Eastern Chagatai Khanate (1348-1509) spread Islam to the northern edge of the Tarim Basin, the Turpan Basin and Hami through war and duress. By the early 16th century, many religions had coexisted in Xinjiang, with Islam predominant, Zoroastrianism, Manichaeism, and Nestorianism gone, and Buddhism and Taoism surviving. The coexistence has continued to this day in the region. In the early 17th century, the Oirat Mongols accepted Tibetan Buddhism. Beginning in the 18th century, Protestantism, Catholicism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church reached Xinjiang.
新疆现有伊斯兰教、佛教、道教、基督教、天主教、东正教等宗教。清真寺、教堂、寺院、道观等宗教活动场所2.48万座，宗教教职人员2.93万人。其中，清真寺2.44万座，佛教寺院59座，道教宫观1座，基督教教堂（聚会点）227个，天主教教堂（聚会点）26个，东正教教堂（聚会点）3座。
Xinjiang now has multiple religions, including Islam, Buddhism, Taoism, Protestantism, Catholicism, and the Eastern Orthodox Church. It has 24,800 venues for religious activities, including mosques, churches, Buddhist and Taoist temples, with 29,300 religious staff. Among these, there are 24,400 mosques, 59 Buddhist temples, 1 Taoist temple, 227 Protestant churches (or meeting grounds), 26 Catholic churches (or meeting grounds), and 3 Orthodox churches (or meeting grounds).
同世界上大多数国家一样，中国坚持政教分离原则。任何宗教不得干预政治、干预政府事务，不得利用宗教干预行政、司法、教育、婚姻、计划生育等，不得利用宗教妨碍正常社会秩序、工作秩序、生活秩序，不得利用宗教反对中国共产党和社会主义制度、破坏民族团结和国家统一。
China, along with most other countries, upholds separation of religion from government. No religious organization is allowed to interfere in political and government affairs. No individual or organization is allowed to use religion to interfere in administration, judicial affairs, education, marriage and birth control, to hinder social order, work order and life order, to oppose the Communist Party of China and China’s socialist system, or to undermine ethnic solidarity and national unity.
新疆全面贯彻国家宗教信仰自由的宪法原则，既尊重信仰宗教的自由、又尊重不信仰宗教的自由，决不允许在信教和不信教、信这种教和信那种教、信这一教派和信那一教派群众之间制造纷争。新疆始终坚持各宗教一律平等，对所有宗教一视同仁，不偏袒某个宗教，也不歧视某个宗教，任何宗教不得享有超越其他宗教的特殊地位。新疆始终坚持法律面前人人平等，信教群众和不信教群众享有同等权利、履行同等义务，无论什么人、哪个民族、信仰什么宗教，只要违法，就必须依法处理。
Xinjiang fully respects and protects freedom of religious belief as stipulated in the Constitution of the PRC. Xinjiang respects citizens’ freedom to believe in, or not to believe in, any religion. Xinjiang shows zero tolerance to any action that creates disputes between believers and non-believers, between believers of different religions, and between believers of different sects of a religion. Xinjiang always upholds equality for all religions, showing neither favoritism towards nor discrimination against any religion and allowing no religion to be superior to any other religion. Xinjiang always upholds equality for all individuals before the law. Believers and non-believers enjoy equal rights and obligations, and all law violators, whatever their social background, ethnicity, and religious belief, will be punished in accordance with the law.
同所在社会相适应是宗教生存发展的趋势和规律。中国宗教发展的历史证明，只有坚持中国化方向，宗教才能更好地与中国社会相适应。新中国成立70年的历史也证明，宗教只有与社会主义社会相适应，才能健康发展。必须坚持独立自主自办原则，防止一切“去中国化”倾向。必须大力培养和提倡世俗化现代化的文明生活方式，摒弃愚昧落后的陈规陋习。必须弘扬宗教中国化的历史传统，用社会主义核心价值观引领、用中华文化浸润中国各种宗教，努力把宗教教义同中华文化相融合，积极引导包括伊斯兰教在内的各种宗教走中国化道路。
To survive and develop, religions must adapt to their social environment. The history of religions in China shows that only by adapting themselves to the Chinese context can they be accommodated within Chinese society. The 70-year history of the PRC also shows that only by adapting to socialist society can religions in China develop soundly. We must uphold the principle of independence and self-management of China’s religious affairs, and prevent all religious tendency that seeks to divest itself of all Chinese elements. We must develop and encourage secular, modern and civilized ways of life, and abandon backward and outdated conventions and customs. We must carry forward religious practices adapted to Chinese society, inspire various religions in China with core socialist values and Chinese culture, foster the fusion of religious doctrines with Chinese culture, and lead these religions, including Islam, onto the Chinese path of development.
