DOCSLIB.ORG

Lianjiang County – Christians

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Lianjiang County – Christians Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: CHN32261 Country: China Date: 27 August 2007. Keywords: China – Fujian – Lianjiang County – Christians This response was prepared by the Research & Information Services Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. This research response may not, under any circumstance, be cited in a decision or any other document. Anyone wishing to use this information may only cite the primary source material contained herein. Questions 1. Please provide information on Christians in Huangqi Town and Fengcheng Town of Lianjiang County in Fujian and their treatment by the authorities. 2. Please provide information on Huangqi Broadcasting & TV Co (may be called Lianjiang Broadcasting & TV Co). RESPONSE 1. Please provide information on Christians in Huangqi Town and Fengcheng Town of Lianjiang County in Fujian and their treatment by the authorities. [This response includes an overview of the situation of Christians in Fujian Province at 1.2] Lianjiang (连江) is a county on the coast of Fujian Province, China, close to the provincial capital Fuzhou (administratively Lianjiang county is part of Fuzhou City). A map of the county is at Attachment 1. A short profile of the county from Wikipedia1 is attached (‘Lianjiang’ 2007, Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lianjiang – Updated 22 May 2007 – Accessed 27 August 2007 – Attachment 2). According to the profile, the county population is 620,000. The Applicant is from Fengcheng Town. Fengcheng Town (凤城镇), which is also called Lianjiang Town on some maps2, is the main town in the county. Fengcheng Town as an 1 Users should be aware that Wikipedia is a Web-based free-content encylopaedia which is written collaboratively by volunteers. The Research Service recommends that users of Wikipedia familiarise themselves with the regulatory practices which Wikipedia employs as a preventative measure against vandalism, bias and inaccuracy. For more information, see the recommended background reading available in the Wikipedia Topical Information Package. 2 Many towns in Fujian province have two names. Some maps use one, some the other. administrative division would also include some rural villages close to the main town. Huangqi (黄岐镇) is a town at the end of a peninsula. Fuzhou, Fengcheng and Huangqi are shown on the map below (also at Attachment 3): 1.1 Christians in Lianjiang County (especially Huangqi Town, Fengcheng Town) Very few reports were found of Christians in Huangqi Town, Fengcheng Town or Lianjiang County. Tony Lambert, an expert on the Protestant community in China, in his book on Christianity in China (Lambert, Tony 2006, China’s Christian Millions, Monarch Books, Oxford – Attachment 4) estimates that there are 20,000 Christians with 27 churches and three (other) meeting points in Lianjiang County (p.241), but gives no other information about the situation in that county. In 2000, the Political Counsellor of the Canadian Embassy, Beijing made a fact-finding mission to the Fuzhou Metropolitan Counties of Lianjiang, Mawei, Fuqing, and Changle to examine issues including religious freedom there. A report of this visit is attached (Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada 2000, Report of a fact finding mission to Fuzhou by political counsellor, Canadian Embassy, Beijing, 23 March – Attachment 5). On religious freedom the report states: There is a high degree of religious tolerance in this part of China. In Changle county only 10 of 80 Catholic parishes are affiliated with the state sanctioned Catholic Patriotic Association (CPA). The other 70 remaining loyal to Rome are technically illegal and therefore “underground churches,” but reportedly these congregations are not harassed by the local authorities at present. Reports of the recent arrest of Yang Shudao, Archbishop of the Fuzhou Archdiocese, who has consistently refused to cooperate with the CPA, is a cause for concern. Archbishop Yang has served close to 30 years in detention in China since his first arrest in 1955. However his arrests have not directly impacted on the activities of local congregations in the four rural counties which are the subject of this report. In recent years Catholics there have been allowed to profess their faith in accordance with their own consciences. There is no indication that this is about to change. Nevertheless, the Embassy will continue to monitor the situation closely. Various forms of Protestant religious expression thrive in metro Fuzhou. The numbers of faithful grow rapidly year by year. There is much evidence of construction of new churches to meet the increasing demand for places of worship. Diversity of religious expression seems more extensive here than in other parts of China, including the indigenous “Little Flock” sect and Seventh Day Adventists Seventh Day Adventist church visited on request of Political Counsellor after spotting it from the car while travelling in Fuqing County is shown at right We were apprised of “an extreme antiCommunist” Christian sect “the Huhan” faction that was declared illegal and suppressed in the 1980s, but this group is evidently very small and largely inactive now. … Civil Affairs: Questioning ensued on measures to address “illegal” associations. … Over half of the places of religious worship in the area are “as yet” unregistered (photo shows discussion with Protestant Ministers at former Anglican Church in Longtian Town, Fuqing County re: status of unregistered “meeting places” in local villages that are affiliated with this church that receives an average of 1,200 worshippers every Sunday. This discussion was videotaped [the sole incidence of this intrusion], but the presence of the camera did not seem to inhibit the frankness of discussion. The stop at this Church was at my request and clearly not anticipated in advance). This situation does not seem to trouble the local authorities. In other parts of China congregations at unregistered places of worship are periodically subject to police harassment on direction of the local bureaux for Civil Affairs. No indication that this has been the case in the four counties visited was found. Extensive interviews with Christians throughout the visit suggested that relations with local authorities have been consistently nonconfrontational in recent years. These four counties have a high percentage of Christian faithful compared with other parts of Fujian, a legacy of a strong presence of British and American Christian missionaries operating out of Fuzhou in the preCommunist period. It is interesting that such these counties, whose main distinction from others nearby is their “Christianess,” are the source of irregular immigration to Canada. … Several churches were visited in all four counties many of these spontaneous visits at Political Counsellor’s request (“please stop the car here, I’m going in”). In all of these churches, local Christians and ministers were engaged in private discussions. Officials responsible for Religious Affairs were interviewed in three of the four counties, the exception being Mawei (at right: massive new Protestant Cathedral with seating for 1,600 in downtown Changle built in 1997 located walking distance from 1904 church of comparable size currently still in use and under renovation). As with the birth control policy, Central policy inhibiting freedom of religious expression does not appear to be much followed here. Discussions with Ministers confirmed that forms of worship variant from the form of post denominational Protestant service endorsed by the state supported China Christian Council and Protestant Three Self Movement are tolerated here (as they are not in other parts of the country). Most of the Catholic churches have not affiliated with the Catholic Patriotic Association and remain loyal to Rome. These Catholic churches are not able to be registered. On questioning local officials indicated that “we try to convince them to affiliate with the CPA, but if they won’t, there is nothing we can do” an encouragingly enlightened attitude. The only report found in the sources consulted of any action against Christians in Lianjiang concerns a 2002 incident involving the underground Catholic Church. In July 2002, according to the Cardinal Kung Foundation, 31 underground Roman Catholics were arrested in Dong-An village, Guantou Township, Lianjiang County in Fujian Province: Laypersons face severe persecution as well. In July 2002, 31 underground Roman Catholics, 26 of whom were students under the age of 18, were arrested during a summer vacation catechism class in a private home. The arrest occurred in Dong-An village, Guantou Township, Lianjiang County in Fujian Province. Among the 31 arrested were a Catholic nun, Sister CHEN Mei, 27 years of age, and four chaperons. The adults and students were all thrown into Lianjian County prison. The children and chaperons were released after one day. The status of Sister CHEN Mei is unknown. In May 2002, six Roman Catholics from Wenzhou, Zhejiang went to DongLu in Baoding, Hebei for a pilgrimage and were arrested by the authorities. They were fined a total of $3,850 for the “illegal pilgrimage.” (‘The Cardinal Kung Foundation’ (undated), The Cardinal Kung Foundation website. http://www.cardinalkungfoundation.org/index2.html#State%20Control – Accessed
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Protestants in China
    Background Paper Protestants in China Issue date: 21 March 2013 (update) Review date: 21 September 2013 CONTENTS 1. Overview ................................................................................................................................... 2 2. History ....................................................................................................................................... 2 3. Number of Adherents ................................................................................................................ 3 4. Official Government Policy on Religion .................................................................................. 4 5. Three Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM) and the China Christian Council (CCC) ................... 5 6. Registered Churches .................................................................................................................. 6 7. Unregistered Churches/ Unregistered Protestant Groups .......................................................... 7 8. House Churches ......................................................................................................................... 8 9. Protestant Denominations in China ........................................................................................... 9 10. Protestant Beliefs and Practices ............................................................................................ 10 11. Cults, sects and heterodox Protestant groups ........................................................................ 14
    [Show full text]
  • Christian History & Biography
    Issue 98: Christianity in China As for Me and My House The house-church movement survived persecution and created a surge of Christian growth across China. Tony Lambert On the eve of the Communist victory in 1949, there were around one million Protestants (of all denominations) in China. In 2007, even the most conservative official polls reported 40 million, and these do not take into account the millions of secret Christians in the Communist Party and the government. What accounts for this astounding growth? Many observers point to the role of Chinese house churches. The house-church movement began in the pre-1949 missionary era. New converts—especially in evangelical missions like the China Inland Mission and the Christian & Missionary Alliance—would often meet in homes. Also, the rapidly growing independent churches, such as the True Jesus Church, the Little Flock, and the Jesus Family, stressed lay ministry and evangelism. The Little Flock had no pastors, relying on every "brother" to lead ministry, and attracted many educated city people and students who were dissatisfied with the traditional foreign missions and denominations. The Jesus Family practiced communal living and attracted the rural poor. These independent churches were uniquely placed to survive, and eventually flourish, in the new, strictly-controlled environment. In the early 1950s, the Three-Self Patriotic Movement eliminated denominations and created a stifling political control over the dwindling churches. Many believers quietly began to pull out of this system.
    [Show full text]
  • Protection and Transmission of Chinese Nanyin by Prof
    Protection and Transmission of Chinese Nanyin by Prof. Wang, Yaohua Fujian Normal University, China Intangible cultural heritage is the memory of human historical culture, the root of human culture, the ‘energic origin’ of the spirit of human culture and the footstone for the construction of modern human civilization. Ever since China joined the Convention for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage in 2004, it has done a lot not only on cognition but also on action to contribute to the protection and transmission of intangible cultural heritage. Please allow me to expatiate these on the case of Chinese nanyin(南音, southern music). I. The precious multi-values of nanyin decide the necessity of protection and transmission for Chinese nanyin. Nanyin, also known as “nanqu” (南曲), “nanyue” (南乐), “nanguan” (南管), “xianguan” (弦管), is one of the oldest music genres with strong local characteristics. As major musical genre, it prevails in the south of Fujian – both in the cities and countryside of Quanzhou, Xiamen, Zhangzhou – and is also quite popular in Taiwan, Hongkong, Macao and the countries of Southeast Asia inhabited by Chinese immigrants from South Fujian. The music of nanyin is also found in various Fujian local operas such as Liyuan Opera (梨园戏), Gaojia Opera (高甲戏), line-leading puppet show (提线木偶戏), Dacheng Opera (打城戏) and the like, forming an essential part of their vocal melodies and instrumental music. As the intangible cultural heritage, nanyin has such values as follows. I.I. Academic value and historical value Nanyin enjoys a reputation as “a living fossil of the ancient music”, as we can trace its relevance to and inheritance of Chinese ancient music in terms of their musical phenomena and features of musical form.
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays
    Chinese Protestant Christianity Today Daniel H. Bays ABSTRACT Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. In many ways it is the most striking example of that resurgence. Along with Roman Catholics, as of the 1950s Chinese Protestants carried the heavy historical liability of association with Western domi- nation or imperialism in China, yet they have not only overcome that inheritance but have achieved remarkable growth. Popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants. This article first traces the gradual extension of interest in Chinese Protestants from Christian circles to the scholarly world during the last two decades, and then discusses salient characteristics of the Protestant movement today. These include its size and rate of growth, the role of Church–state relations, the continuing foreign legacy in some parts of the Church, the strong flavour of popular religion which suffuses Protestantism today, the discourse of Chinese intellectuals on Christianity, and Protestantism in the context of the rapid economic changes occurring in China, concluding with a perspective from world Christianity. Protestant Christianity has been a prominent part of the general religious resurgence in China in the past two decades. Today, on any given Sunday there are almost certainly more Protestants in church in China than in all of Europe.1 One recent thoughtful scholarly assessment characterizes Protestantism as “flourishing” though also “fractured” (organizationally) and “fragile” (due to limits on the social and cultural role of the Church).2 And popular media and human rights organizations in the West, as well as various Christian groups, publish a wide variety of information and commentary on Chinese Protestants.
    [Show full text]
  • Fujian's Industrial Eco-Efficiency
    sustainability Article Fujian’s Industrial Eco-Efficiency: Evaluation Based on SBM and the Empirical Analysis of lnfluencing Factors Xiaoqing Wang *, Qiuming Wu, Salman Majeed * and Donghao Sun School of Economics and Management, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350000, China; [email protected] (Q.W.); [email protected] (D.S.) * Correspondence: [email protected] (X.W.); [email protected] (S.M.); Tel.: +86-(0)-379-608-92800 (S.M.) Received: 17 July 2018; Accepted: 13 September 2018; Published: 18 September 2018 Abstract: The coordinated development of industrialization and its ecological environment are vital antecedents to sustainable development in China. However, along with the accelerating development of industrialization in China, the contradiction between industrial development and environment preservation has turned out to be increasingly evident and inevitable. Eco-efficiency can be seen either as an indicator of environmental performance, or as a business strategy for sustainable development. Hence, industrial eco-efficiency promotion is the key factor for green industrial development. This study selects indicators relevant to resources, economy, and the environment of industrial development, and the indicators can well reflect the characteristics of industrial eco-efficiency. The SBM (Slacks-Based Measure) model overcomes the limitations of a radial model and directly accounts for input and output slacks in the efficiency measurements, with the advantage of capturing the entire aspect of inefficiency. This study evaluates the industrial eco-efficiency of nine cities in Fujian province during the period of 2006–2016, based on undesired output SBM (Slacks-Based Measure) model and also uses a Tobit regression model to analyze the influencing factors. The results show that there is a positive correlation among the economic development level, opening level, research and development (R&D) innovation, and industrial eco-efficiency in Fujian Province.
    [Show full text]
  • PIECE 14. the CHRISTIANIZATION of CHINA. a Brief Intro!
    PIECE 14. THE CHRISTIANIZATION OF CHINA. (Includes A few Dumb Europeans and the Smart Chinese.) A brief intro! Christianity in Chinese history Famous Christians in Chinese History. How many Christians in China? “A few Dumb Europeans and the Smart Chinese.” The future situation: Quo Vadis? What it all means for China? A brief intro! A study on China, however small like this book, would be incomplete without this subject. Some of you may be wondering why this chapter is in here at all, and the reasons for this is that some answers can be found towards the end of this very same chapter! So I do encourage you to hold on and stick this one out until the end and what it all means for China, thanks! This chapter may be more detailed than I originally anticipated. Through researching it and realizing the quasi- importance of this to China right now, it became, well,… longer! * From ancient times, believe it or not, faith in the Bible God and later Christianity has been alive and well in China. This may be a surprise to you, as it was to me. However, this has been researched very well in several books, and one particularly sound-bytey (or is that sound-bitey?) and fascinating book is called ‘Jesus in Beijing’ by David Aikman. Before you switch off and think this is a religious section of this book and load of ____ do bear with me as you may learn something very amazing before this chapter is finished. After all, don’t you pride yourself on being open-minded? Can you truly call yourself open minded if you already switch off? Not really.
    [Show full text]
  • The Normal Christian Life by Watchman Nee
    The Normal Christian Life Watchman Nee Chapter 1: The Blood of Christ Chapter 2: The Cross of Christ Chapter 3: The Path of Progress: Knowing Chapter 4: The Path of Progress: Reckoning Chapter 5: The Divide of the Cross Chapter 6: The Path of Progress: Presenting Ourselves to God Chapter 7: The Eternal Purpose Chapter 8: The Holy Spirit Chapter 9: The Meaning and Value of Romans Seven Chapter 10: The Path of Progress: Walking in the Spirit Chapter 11: One Body in Christ Chapter 12: The Cross and the Soul Life Chapter 13: The Path of Progress: Bearing the Cross Chapter 14: The Goal of the Gospel Chapter 1: The Blood of Christ What is the normal Christian life? We do well at the outset to ponder this question. The object of these studies is to show that it is something very different from the life of the average Christian. Indeed a consideration of the written Word of God -- of the Sermon on the Mount for example -- should lead us to ask whether such a life has ever in act been lived upon the earth, save only by the Son of God Himself. But in that last saving clause lies immediately the answer to our question. The Apostle Paul gives us his own definition of the Christian life in Galations 2:20. It is "no longer I, but Christ". Here he is not stating something special or peculiar -- a high level of Christianity. He is, we believe, presenting God's normal for a Christian, which can be summarized in the words: I live no longer, but Christ lives His life in me.
    [Show full text]
  • Xiamen University Tenured & Tenure Track Full Time Faculty Positions in Statistics with Ranks Open
    Statistics Recruitment for 2019-2020 at Xiamen University Tenured & Tenure Track full time faculty positions in Statistics with ranks open WANG YANAN INSTITUTE FOR STUDIES IN ECONOMICS (WISE) & SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS, GREGORY AND PAULA CHOW CENTER FOR ECONOMIC RESEARCH, XIAMEN UNIVERSITY, CHINA Xiamen University, founded in 1921 by Mr. Tan Kah-Kee, a well-known Chinese expatriate, is located in the resort-like island of Xiamen in Southeast China. Under the leadership of Professor Wang Yanan, a former Xiamen University President and the Chinese translator of Karl Marx’s Das Kapital, the School of Economics at Xiamen University has been one of the top economics schools in China since 1950s. To further develop and promote modern economics and the related fields, Xiamen University established an internationalized research institute in 2005, which is named as the Wang Yanan Institute for Studies in Economics. Gregory and Paula Chow Center for Economic Research was founded in 2016 with the aim to build a world-renowned research center on modern economics and the Chinese economy. The main missions of WISE, SOE and the Chow center are to conduct high-quality graduate/undergraduate education and training, frontier research, and intensively international academic exchanges and cooperation in economics and the related fields. Having successfully recruited over 90 faculty members, including 20 statisticians and 17 econometricians, from abroad in the past years, WISE and SOE still have several full faculty positions available in all areas of statistics (both theoretical and applied), data science and probability theory (including stochastic processes) at all ranks. Junior candidates are expected to have a Ph.D.
    [Show full text]
  • Chinese Immigrant Transnational Organizations in the United States1
    Draft, 05-10-2012 Traversing Ancestral and New Homelands: Chinese Immigrant Transnational Organizations in the United States1 Min Zhou and Rennie Lee University of California, Los Angeles [To be presented at the Transnational Network Meeting, Center for Migration and Development, Princeton University, May 11-12, 2012; to be included in Portes, Alejandro (ed.), Development at a Distance: The Role of Immigrant Organizations in the Development of Sending Nations. New York: Russell Sage Foundation.] Over the past three decades, immigrant transnational organizations in the United States have proliferated with accelerated international migration and the rise of new transportation and communication technologies that facilitate long-distance and cross-border ties. Their impact and influence have grown in tandem with immigrants’ drive to make it in America—their new homeland—as well as with the need for remittances and investments in sending countries—their ancestral homelands. Numerous studies of immigrant groups found that remittances and migrant investments represented one of the major sources of foreign exchange of sending countries and were used as “collateral” for loans from international financial institutions (Basch et al. 1994; Glick-Schiller et al. 1992; Portes et al. 1999). Past studies also found that transnational flows were not merely driven by individual behavior but by collective forces via organizations as well (Goldring 2002; Landolt 2000; Moya 2005; Piper 2009; Popkin 1999; Portes et al. 2007; Portes and Zhou 2012; Schrover and Vermeulen 2005; Waldinger et al. 2008). But the density and strength of the economic, sociocultural, and political ties of immigrant groups across borders vary, and the effects of immigrant transnational organizations on homeland development vary (Portes et al.
    [Show full text]
  • Report on Domestic Animal Genetic Resources in China
    Country Report for the Preparation of the First Report on the State of the World’s Animal Genetic Resources Report on Domestic Animal Genetic Resources in China June 2003 Beijing CONTENTS Executive Summary Biological diversity is the basis for the existence and development of human society and has aroused the increasing great attention of international society. In June 1992, more than 150 countries including China had jointly signed the "Pact of Biological Diversity". Domestic animal genetic resources are an important component of biological diversity, precious resources formed through long-term evolution, and also the closest and most direct part of relation with human beings. Therefore, in order to realize a sustainable, stable and high-efficient animal production, it is of great significance to meet even higher demand for animal and poultry product varieties and quality by human society, strengthen conservation, and effective, rational and sustainable utilization of animal and poultry genetic resources. The "Report on Domestic Animal Genetic Resources in China" (hereinafter referred to as the "Report") was compiled in accordance with the requirements of the "World Status of Animal Genetic Resource " compiled by the FAO. The Ministry of Agriculture" (MOA) has attached great importance to the compilation of the Report, organized nearly 20 experts from administrative, technical extension, research institutes and universities to participate in the compilation team. In 1999, the first meeting of the compilation staff members had been held in the National Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Service, discussed on the compilation outline and division of labor in the Report compilation, and smoothly fulfilled the tasks to each of the compilers.
    [Show full text]
  • China – Fujian – Family Planning – “Hidden” Children
    Refugee Review Tribunal AUSTRALIA RRT RESEARCH RESPONSE Research Response Number: CHN31026 Country: China Date: 15 December 2006 Keywords: China – Fujian – Family Planning – Hidden children This response was prepared by the Country Research Section of the Refugee Review Tribunal (RRT) after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the RRT within time constraints. This response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Questions 1. How many excess children are there in a family of two girls and then a son? 2. What would be the “social compensation fees” in a case like this? 3. Does a child born out of wedlock and/or outside a hospital receive a birth certificate and household registration? 4. Would the second daughter be entitled to a birth certificate? 5. Is there any evidence of hidden births or children? 6. What evidence is there that tubal ligations are required in Fujian? 7. How liberally or strictly is the One Child Policy applied in rural Fujian? RSPONSE 1. How many excess children are there in a family of two girls and then a son? Definitive information on this question was not found in the sources consulted. Under family planning regulations permission for the birth of additional children may vary according to the parents’ circumstances and their location. Sources indicate that in many provinces rural couples are allowed to have a second child if the first is a girl. In respect of Fujian, the current family planning regulations were adopted in 2002. Other family regulations were in place during the 1990s.
    [Show full text]
  • Research on the Color of Ancient Residential Architecture in Southern
    2016 International Conference on Civil, Structure, Environmental Engineering (I3CSEE 2016) Research on the color of ancient residential architecture in Southern Fujian and its inspiration for modern urban color application Fenghua JIN College of architecture and urban planning, FuJian University of Technology, Fuzhou City, China [email protected] Keywords: Ancient dwellings, Urban color, Architecture colors. Abstract. Study on the color of ancient residential architecture in Southern Fujian, and explore its causes and evolution, hoping to give some inspiration to the use of modern architecture color. Introduction Architectural colors and architectural forms are the products of a certain historical period. They depend on each other and complement each other. If there is no color, no order of architectural form. All of them are the basis of architectural aesthetics which is based on the principle of architectural aesthetics. Of course, it is also restricted by time and space, which is changing with time and space. Building itself is inseparable from the color, so color becomes the most direct way to express the mood of the building. The ancient dwellings in Southern Fujian are distinct in color, which is unique in Chinese traditional dwelling houses. In recent years, with the rapid development of urbanization, the traditional regional architecture color environment has been flooded, and the design and construction of the traditional Taiwanese architectural environment is changing. Therefore, it is important to study the origin and evolution of ancient residential buildings in Southern Fujian, explore the color factors of our own national architecture, and have important significance to the modern city construction and the construction of local architecture.
    [Show full text]