Heterodox teachings (Chinese law)

On 30 October 1999, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress passed the “Decision on Banning Heretical Organizations and Preventing and Punishing Heretical Activities”, which called for a crackdown on “heretical organizations such as Qigong and other forms”, and also applied retroactively to Qigong practitioners. On the same day, the Supreme People's Court and the Supreme People's Procuratorate issued a joint judicial interpretation named, “Explanation on Questions Concerning the Concrete Application of Laws Handling Criminal Cases of Organizing and Making Use of Heretical Organizations”. The interpretation reads: The offenses of establishing or using sects to organize, scheme, carry out and instigate activities of splitting China, endangering the reunification of China or subverting the country's socialist system should be handled according to relevant laws on endangering State security offenses, as stipulated in the Criminal Law. ==2000 Ministry of Public Security list==

The following 14 organizations and movements were specifically named in the 2000 list of heterodox teachings published by the Ministry of Public Security. This list articulated different organizations that the Ministry had investigated or been involved in the suppression of since at least 1983. The first seven groups on the list were organizations identified by the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party and the State Council, while the second group of seven organizations were identified directly by the ministry. A feature of some, but not all, of the Christian organizations on this list is that their leaders claim to be the second coming of Christ or some other kind of unique church authority. Identified by the Central Committee and State Council • The Shoutersa Christian movement broadly defined as organizations founded or inspired by Witness Lee, suppressed since 1983 and classified as a heterodox teaching since 1995. • Mentuhuia Christian movement founded by Ji Sanbao, classified as a heterodox teaching since 1995. • Born Again Movementa Christian house church organization founded by Peter Xu, classified since 1995. • Spirit Churchidentified as the "Lingling Sect" (), a Christian sect founded by Hua Xuehe, classified since 1995. • New Testament Churchfounded by Hong Kong actress Mui Yee and based in Hong Kong and Taiwan, classified since 1995. • Guanyin Famenalso organized as Yuan Dun Famen (), a sect of Mahayana Buddhism founded by Ching Hai, currently organized as a cybersect, classified since 1995. • Zhushenjiaofounded by a former member of the Shouters and Beili Wang named Liu Jiaguo in 1993, classified as a heterodox teaching since 1998. Identified by the MoPS == Others recognized before 2012 ==

In addition to the fourteen groups listed above, scholar Edward A. Irons noted an additional eight organizations identified as heterodox groups in various governmental lists and edicts issued before Xi Jinping succeeded Hu Jintao as General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party in 2012, for a total of 22 groups. Those additional groups are: • Eastern Lightninga Christian sect founded by Zhao Weishan in 1989, identified as a heterodox teaching organization in 1995. • (), a Christian sect founded in 1994 by Wang Yongmin, identified as heterodox in 1995. • Holy Spirit of Blood and Water Churcha Christian sect founded in Taiwan in 1988 by Zuo Kun, identified as heterodox in 1996. • Falun Gonga New Religious Movement founded in 1992 by Li Hongzhi, identified as heterodox in 1999. • Yuandun Famena branch of the Guanyin Famen listed above but occasionally recognized as a separate organization, identified as heterodox in 1999. • Zhong Gonga qigong group established in 1987 by Zhang Hongbao, identified as heterodox in 2000. • South China Churcha Christian sect founded in 1990 by Gong Shengliang and descended from the All Ranges Church identified above, identified as heterodox in 2001. • Pure Land Learning Association ()a Buddhist sect founded in Taiwan in 1984 by Chin Kung, identified as heterodox in 2011. == 2017 designation of "dangerous organizations" ==

On September 18, 2017, a new government heterodox website listed a total of 20 groups (all of the 22 groups listed above, but with the notable exceptions of Zhong Gong and the Pure Land Learning Association, whose omission is the cause of some speculation), eleven of whom were identified as "dangerous", as opposed to the nine groups receiving the lesser warning to "be on guard" against them. These eleven groups were: • Falun Gong • The Church of Almighty God • The Shouters • Mentuhui • Unification Church • Guanyin Famen • Bloody Holy Spirit • All Ranges Church • Sanban Puren Pai • True Buddha School • Mainland China Administrative Deacon Station == See also ==

Notes References == Further reading ==