Han Chinese, Jin April 11

Location: More than 50 brief reign that the 6,000 to have been introduced by million speakers of the Jin Terracotta Soldiers were the Nestorians around AD , called constructed to represent a 635. However, some BEIJING Jinyu, inhabit parts of five vigilant army to protect scholars believe it may have provinces in northern : Qin’s tomb. The Han already been introduced by 2 BC AD AD (22.3 million Dynasty (206 – 220): the Seres around 300, Scale speakers by the year 2000), The Chinese consider the or by the Persians in AD 0 KM 400 Hebei (10.6 million), areas Han one of the golden 455.3 Traditionally, some north of the in periods of their history. For Christians believed that Population in China: 45,700,000 (1987) Henan (9.4 million), Inner the first time, China China first received the 53,423,000 (2000) Mongolia (8.2 million), and extended its borders by gospel from St. Thomas, 60,368,000 (2010) the northern part of Shaanxi military campaigns, bringing who before his martyrdom Location: Shanxi, Hebei, (3.2 million). Jin is spoken China into contact with reportedly left India and Henan, Shaanxi, Inner Mongolia in a total of 175 cities and foreigners. “set sail into China on Religion: No Religion counties throughout board of Chinese Christians: 1,200,000 northern China.1 Customs: The ships… and landed at a live in what the Chinese town named Camballe.”4 Overview of the Identity: The Jin were historically viewed as the Today, there are an Jin Chinese formerly considered part of most backward and far-flung estimated 1.2 million Jin Countries: China the Xibei Guanhua dialect of part of China. This has Chinese believers. Hebei — Pronunciation: “Jin” Mandarin, but many made them a resilient and where more than 10 million Other Names: Jin, Jinyu scholars now consider them hardworking people. Jin speakers live — is the Population Source: a distinct language group. strongest Catholic region in 45,700,000 (1987 LAC); Religion: The majority of Jin China with more than Out of a total Han population of 5 1,042,482,187 (1990 census) Language: With all Chinese are atheists. 800,000 church members. Location: Shanxi; Hebei; Henan; education and media in Shanxi Province has long Two-thirds of the population Inner Mongolia; Shaanxi China using standard been a power base of the of Shanxi Province are Jin. Status: Officially included Mandarin, the Jin language Communists. Recent research indicates under — which contains ten there are 200,000 Language: Chinese, Jin dialects — is becoming Christianity: Christianity in Protestants in Shanxi Dialects (10): Bingzhou, Fenzhou, confined to home and social China is generally believed Province alone.6 Xingxi, Shandong, Wutai, Dabao, Zhanghu, Cizhang, Huoji, Zhiyan use. Religion: No Religion, Buddhism, Christianity History: The Qin Dynasty Christians: 1,200,000 (221–207 BC): Although it Scripture: Chinese Bible lasted a mere 14 years, the Jesus film: None Qin Dynasty constituted the Gospel Recordings: None first unified Chinese empire, Christian Broadcasting: None under Emperor Qin ROPAL code: CJY00 Shihuang. Ascending the throne at the age of 13, Qin Status of Evangelization is remembered for his 71% ghastly acts of cruelty and torture of innocents. His dynasty left its mark on 26% China in many ways, 3% including the start of nearly 2,000 years of strong, A B C centralized government. A = Have never heard the gospel China’s currency and script B = Were evangelized but did not were standardized for the become Christians first time. The construction C = Are adherents to any form of Christianity of the Great Wall was commenced, and Qin organized the country into provinces through divisions remarkably similar to the provincial boundaries still used today. It was during his Paul Hattaway

174 HAN CHINESE, JIN