Operation China
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Han Chinese, Min Zhong April 15 parts of present-day Central Asia, Russia, Myanmar, JIANGXI ZHEJIANG Vietnam, Tibet, Nepal, Nanping HUNAN Fuzhou •Putian Bhutan, and northern India. FUJIAN TAIWAN •Xiamen For the first time China was GUANGDONG divided into 300 prefectures HONG KONG Scale and 1,500 counties, which 0 KM 400 mirror the present boundaries Population in China: remarkably closely. Following 683,000 (1987) the collapse of the Tang 798,400 (2000) 902,200 (2010) Dynasty in 907, China again Location: Fujian entered into a period of Religion: No Religion discord and war. Christians: 35,000 Customs: The Grand Canal, Overview of the constructed over a period of Min Zhong 1,000 years, linked four of Countries: China China’s major rivers: the Pronunciation: “Min-Jong” Yangtze, Yellow, Huai, and Other Names: Central Min Qiantang. Between Beijing and Population Source: Hangzhou the canal measured 683,000 (1987 LAC); 1,800 kilometers (1,110 mi.). Out of a total Han population of It opened up China’s trade 1,042,482,187 (1990 census) and caused the inland Location: Central Fujian: Around Yong’an, Sanming, and Shaxian provinces to flourish. townships Paul Hattaway Status: Officially included Location: The Min Zhong (or Central Min) Religion: Recently there has been under Han Chinese numbered 683,000 speakers in 1987, speculation claiming the wise men who Language: Chinese, Min Zhong making them one of the smallest of the visited Bethlehem may have come from Dialects: 0 Chinese language groups in the country. China. The Chinese were using the Religion: No Religion, Buddhism, compass 1,000 years before the birth of Daoism, Christianity Min Zhong is spoken in the central part of Christ. Maps have been found from that Christians: 35,000 Fujian Province, especially around the towns of Yong’an, Sanming, and Shaxian. time which show a clear passage from Scripture: None China to the Mediterranean Sea. Ancient Jesus film: None Identity: The Min Zhong are part of the Min Chinese astrologers discovered a star they Gospel Recordings: None group of Chinese languages, all of which called the “King Star.” “They believed Christian Broadcasting: None are considered part of China’s Han whenever this star appeared, a king was ROPAL code: CZO00 nationality. born. Chinese history says it was at its most brilliant peak during the Han Dynasty Status of Evangelization Language: Fujian has been called “The [time of Christ].”2 One of the main 58% province of a hundred dialects.” Missionary astrologers during this period was Liu J. E. Walker, after an 1878 trip through Shang, who disappeared from China for 37% Fujian, wrote, “What a Babel of brogues, over two years at the time of Christ’s birth. and dialects there is among those wild mountains! A native can hardly pass the Christianity: An eighth century Chinese 5% limits of his own village but his speech will Nestorian church leader claimed the Magi, betray him.… The tones seem utterly returning from Bethlehem, had brought the A B C lawless. They shoot up to the sky, then first news of the Savior to China.3 By the A = Have never heard the gospel plunge into the bowels of the earth, they thirteenth century, Christians numbered in B = Were evangelized but did not become Christians stiffen straight out, then double up and the hundreds of thousands throughout C = Are adherents to any form of twist about; they sing, cry, whine, groan, China and Mongolia. In 1330 the Christianity scold, plead.”1 Nestorians were described as having “very handsome and devoutly ordered churches History: The Tang Dynasty (618–907): The with crosses and images in honour of God Tang Dynasty is considered the most and the saints. They hold sundry offices auspicious and glittering period in history under the Emperor and have great by the Chinese. China was again united, privileges from him.”4 Today about 5% of and a strong military extended China’s Min Zhong Chinese profess to follow Christ. borders to its largest extent: encompassing HAN CHINESE, MIN ZHONG 183.