As the southern gate of China, Guangzhou has been embracing foreigners coming from across the world for business, tourism or even religious purposes for over 2,000 years.
Guangzhou has been an open city since ancient times. In more than 2,000 years of exchanges between China and foreign countries, religion has also left a strong mark. Buddhism and Islam were introduced into China by sea, and the first stop was Guangzhou. Among the six historical sites of the Maritime Silk Road in Guangzhou, there are four places for folk and religious activities -- Guangxiao Temple, Huaisheng Mosque and Minaret, Tomb of Halal sages, and Nanhai Temple.
广州自古以来就是一座开放的城市，在两千多年的中外交流中，宗教也曾留下浓墨重彩的一笔。佛教、伊斯兰教经海路传入中国，第一站便是广州。广州6个海上丝绸之路申遗史迹点中，就有4个民俗及宗教活动场所——光孝寺、怀圣寺与光塔、清真先贤古墓、南海神庙。
怀圣寺是中国现存最早的清真寺，也是第四批全国重点文物保护单位之一。相传，怀圣寺是唐朝初年在来华传教士阿布宛葛素主持下，由当时侨居广州的阿拉伯穆斯林商人捐资所建。因寺内建有光塔，又称“光塔寺”。
Huaisheng Mosque, also Guangta Pagoda, is believed to be constructed by a group of Arabs led by Abi Waqqas, a missionary who travelled on his first Muslim mission to China in the 630s in Tang dynasty. The name of the mosque, Huaisheng, means “remembering the sage.” The Minaret, commonly known as “Guang Ta(Light Tower)” , is situated in the southwest corner of the mosque.
中国政府依法保护公民的宗教信仰自由，也尊重在中国境内外籍人士的宗教信仰自由，但外籍人士在中国境内进行宗教活动，也需要遵守中国的法律、法规。
China respects foreigners' freedom of religious belief within its territory, and is committed to protecting friendly relations, cultural and academic exchanges about religion between foreigners and Chinese religious groups.
外籍人士在广州进行宗教活动
具体有什么规定？
Foreigners in China shall conduct religious activities in line with law.
中国坚持宗教的独立自主自办
外国人在中国境内进行宗教活动
应当遵守中国的法律、法规
下面六个“不得”，要切记：
Foreigners performing religious activities in China shall abide by Chinese laws and regulations.
● 外国人不得干涉中国宗教社会团体、宗教活动场所的设立和变更，不得干涉中国宗教社会团体对宗教教职人员的选任和变更，不得干涉和支配中国宗教社会团体的其他内部事务。
Foreigners shall not interfere with the establishment and changes of Chinese religious groups or venues of religious activity, or the selection and changes of religious practitioners by Chinese religious groups, or any other internal affairs of Chinese religious groups.
● 外国人在中国境内不得以任何名义或形式成立宗教组织、设立宗教办事机构、设立宗教活动场所或者开办宗教院校、举办宗教培训班；
Foreigners are not allowed to establish religious organizations, offices, venues of religious activity, religious colleges or religious training courses in any name or form in China;
● 不得在中国公民中委任宗教教职人员、发展宗教教徒、擅自在宗教活动场所讲经、讲道；
nor appoint religious practitioners among Chinese citizens, develop religious followers, or preach in venues of religious activity without due approval;
● 不得未经批准在依法登记的宗教活动场所以外的处所讲经、讲道，进行宗教聚会活动；
nor preach in premises other than legally registered venue of religious activity or hold religious gathering without approval;
● 不得在宗教活动临时地点举行有中国公民参加的宗教活动（被邀请主持宗教活动的中国宗教教职人员除外）；
nor hold religious activity with the participation of Chinese citizens at temporary location of religious activity (except for Chinese religious practitioners invited to preside over such religious activity);
● 不得制作或销售宗教书刊、宗教音像制品、宗教电子出版物等宗教用品，散发宗教宣传品。
nor produce or sell religious books, audio-visual religious products, electronic religious publications or any other religious articles, or distribute religious propaganda materials.
对外开放的宗教活动场所
Venues of religious activities open to the public
广州宗教源远流长，佛教、道教、伊斯兰教、天主教、基督教五大宗教齐全。其中，佛教、道教、伊斯兰教传入广州已有上千年，天主教、基督教也有两三百年历史，文化底蕴深厚。在广州旧城区中轴线上，矗立着五大宗教共十间寺观教堂，形成了独具特色的文化奇观。
Guangzhou has a long history of diversified religious traditions, including five major religions: Buddhism, Taoism, Islam, Catholicism, andChristianity. Among them, Buddhism, Taoism and Islam have been introduced into Guangzhou for thousands of years, and Catholicism and Christianity for more than two or three hundred years. The city enjoys profound cultural heritage. Ten historical buildings of five major religions, including temples, abbeys, mosques and churches, rise on the traditional central axis of the old quarters of Guangzhou, contributing to the unique cultural spectacle of religious harmonization.
目前全市登记开放的84处宗教活动场所中，属国家级重点文物保护单位的有6个，省级重点文物保护单位2个，市级重点文物保护单位10个。这些寺观教堂积淀了广州宗教深厚的文化底蕴，共同见证着广州这座历史文化名城的沧桑变化。
At present, among all 84 registered venues of religious activity that open to the public in the city, 6 of them are key protected cultural relic units at national level, 2 at provincial level and 10 at municipal level. These religious buildings are living evidence of the city’s profound heritage of religious culture and witnesses of the its evolution as a renowned historic city.
对外开放的宗教活动场所
Venues of religious activities open to the public
update:2022/8/20
