Operation China

Han Chinese, Xunpu April 21 Location: Located just eight kilometers (five History: In the past Quanzhou was known ZHEJIANG mi.) south of the large city of Quanzhou on as Zaitun. Founded in 711, it grew to •Nanping Fuzhou• the coast of Fujian Province, about 1,000 become the world’s second largest port FUJIAN Putian• people live in the “tiny fishing village of during the Song and Yuan dynasties Quanzhou• 1 Xiamen• TAIWAN Xunpu,” situated near the Jinjiang River (960–1368) and continued to be important GUANGDONG that runs through Quanzhou before until its harbor silted up during the Ming HONG KONG Scale emptying itself into the East China Sea. Dynasty (1368–1644). “Over the centuries, 0 KM 160 it attracted merchants, envoys and Identity: Although officially considered part missionaries from faraway Persia, Arabia, Population in China: 3 1,000 (1997) of the Han nationality, the inhabitants of India and Europe.” Another historian 1,040 (2000) Xunpu are the descendants of foreign records, “A large number of Moslem, 1,170 (2010) immigrants. As one historian explains, “The Nestorian, Catholic, Manichean and Hindu Location: Fujian inscriptions are found in the Religion: Daoism Christians: 30 area.… The inscriptions are in Arabic, Syriac and 4 Overview of the Tamil.” Xunpu Chinese Customs: The most eye- Countries: China catching feature of the Pronunciation: “Shun-poo” Xunpu women is the way Other Names: Xunpu, Xunbu they dress their hair. “It is Population Source: 1,000 (1997 AMO); twisted up into a bun or Out of a total Han population of chignon, often fastened 1,042,482,187 (1990 census) with strands of red wool, Location: E Fujian: Xunpu Village and set off by a garland or near Quanzhou City two of dozens of Status: Officially included under Han Chinese chrysanthemum, jasmine or 5 Language: Chinese, Min-Nan magnolia buds.” Xunpu Dialects: 0 village is celebrated for its Religion: Daoism, oysters. The outer walls of Ancestor Worship, No Religion, many of their homes are Christianity insulated with empty oyster Christians: 30 shells collected from the Scripture: None nearby beach. Jesus film: None Gospel Recordings: None Religion: Today most Xunpu Christian Broadcasting: None inhabitants adhere to ROPAL code: None traditional Chinese religions Paul Hattaway such as Daoism and Status of Evangelization nearby village of Yuanlu, which is a flower- ancestor worship. There are many strong 52% growing center… was a private garden Han Christian churches in nearby 45% belonging to a superintendent of maritime Quanzhou. trade at the time of the Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368). This person was an Arab by Christianity: Although there are now only a origin, whose name is rendered as Bu few believers among the Xunpu, the 3% Shougeng. The interesting thing is that the Quanzhou area has a long and rich A B C surname of most of Yuanlu’s residents is Christian history. The first Christian Bu, so there is a distinct possibility that community was started by Franciscan A = Have never heard the gospel 6 B = Were evangelized but did not they might be descended from this Yuan monks in the early 1300s. In 1982 all the become Christians dynasty official.”2 Today the inhabitants of people of the nearby village of Shenghu, C = Are adherents to any form of Christianity Xunpu consider themselves a distinct numbering 250, “were converted following people. They wear spectacular, colorful an unusual case of exorcism.”7 Churches in costumes, keep their own traditions, and Quanzhou City have experienced steady are called Xunpu Ren by other residents of growth over a twenty-year period. One the area. house church which numbered 100 to 200 people in 1975 had grown to 1,000 Language: Today the people of Xunpu members by 1986.8 speak the standard Min Nan Chinese language of the surrounding communities. HAN CHINESE, XUNPU 191.

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