The long longed for need for a mindful sinicisation of Christianity was answered in Shanghai Council through two routes: the indigenisation of the clergy - which follows the footsteps of 1845 De clero Indigena, and of the enciclica Maximum Illud- and the beginning of the resolution of the Chinese rites controversy. The fragile balance between adaptation and inreligionisation - as defined by the Sri-Lankan theologian Alosius Piers-, had on the Confucian rites its core focus for the history of Chinese Christianity. However, current historiography seems to relegate the issues to XVII and XVIII century debates. On the contrary, this issue was far from over, and the Chinese rites return to the forefront of discussion in the early 20th century, in a broader reflection on the role of the Catholic Church in the world and the new missiology. This paper aims to analyse the resolutions included in Book III, caput VI "De Vitandis Ritibus superstitiosis in funebris et cultu Defunctorum" of the acts of the Primum Concilium Sinense, and to connect them with the broader history of the Chinese rites controversy, from the first Jesuit mission to Plane Compertum, signed by Pope Pius XII. This will take the leads from XVIII century papal bulls Ex Illa Die and Ex quo Singulari, the latter mentioned in the act of the Council, and XIX century controversies involving Joseph Gabet and Jacobini, up to Celso Costantini letters and personal diaries before and after Shanghai Council.