An epigenetic RNA-based gene silencing process first elucidated in plants whereby 24-nt small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) guide DNA methyltransferases to the siRNA-generating genomic loci and other loci that are homologous to the siRNAs for de novo DNA methylation. In general this process consists of three phases: biogenesis of siRNAs, scaffold RNA production, and the formation of the guiding complex that recruits de novo DNA methyltransferases to the target loci.