Yuguang Street Church
Encyclopedia
Yuguang Street Church is a Protestant church in Dalian
, China
It is the former Dalian Anglican Church and its church building is now a Historical Protected Building of Dalian City.
Dalian
Dalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
It is the former Dalian Anglican Church and its church building is now a Historical Protected Building of Dalian City.
Brief history
- From 1905 to 1945, the southern half of the present-day Greater DalianDalianDalian is a major city and seaport in the south of Liaoning province, Northeast China. It faces Shandong to the south, the Yellow Sea to the east and the Bohai Sea to the west and south. Holding sub-provincial administrative status, Dalian is the southernmost city of Northeast China and China's...
was Japan's leased territory. Due to the Anglo-Japanese AllianceAnglo-Japanese AllianceThe first was signed in London at what is now the Lansdowne Club, on January 30, 1902, by Lord Lansdowne and Hayashi Tadasu . A diplomatic milestone for its ending of Britain's splendid isolation, the alliance was renewed and extended in scope twice, in 1905 and 1911, before its demise in 1921...
at that time, the British Consulate General was given a location at Zhongshan SquareZhongshan Square (Dalian)Zhongshan Square in Dalian, Liaoning Province, People's Republic of China, is the best known of the many squares in Dalian. Originally designed by Russians in the 19th century, it is especially noted for the several classical buildings located on the square built during the first half of the 20th...
, the best place in downtown Dalian, and an Anglican church was built in its premises. It was a black brick building.
- In 1928, the second-generation red-brick church building was built by a joint effort of the Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and the Anglican-Episcopal Church of JapanNippon Sei Ko KaiThe Nippon Sei Ko Kai , abbreviated as NSKK, or the Anglican Church in Japan, is the religious body in the Province of Japan of the Anglican Communion....
, which was named Dalian Anglican Church. On Sunday, the English-language service started at 9:00 am and the Japanese-language service at 10:30 am. The church belonged to the North China Diocese of Chung Hua Sheng Kung HuiChung Hua Sheng Kung HuiChung Hua Sheng Kung Hui was the Anglican-Episcopal Church in China. It was formally established as the Anglican-Episcopal Province of China in 1912. Soon after the communist revolution in China in 1949, it ceased to exist. Its dioceses in Hong Kong and Macao became an independent province...
.
- At the end of the Second World War, all Japanese-owned buildings were confiscated by the Chinese, the religious buildings were never used as such, but as Britain owned the half of this church, it was left as a Christian church and was renamed as "Yuguang Street Church".
- During the Cultural RevolutionCultural RevolutionThe Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, commonly known as the Cultural Revolution , was a socio-political movement that took place in the People's Republic of China from 1966 through 1976...
of 1966-1977 when all religious activities were suppressed, the stained glass windows were smashed broken and the church was used as a place for the children's extracurricular activities.
- As Christian service re-started in the early 1980s, the church came under the post-denominational China Christian CouncilChina Christian CouncilThe China Christian Council or CCC was founded in 1980 as an umbrella organization for all Protestant churches in the People's Republic of China with Bishop K. H. Ting as its president. It works to provide theological education and the publication of Bibles , hymnals , and other religious...
. - In 2001, it was listed as one of Dalian City's 100 or so Protected Historical Buildings.
At This Church Today
- Address: No. 2, Yuguang Street, Dalian City, Liaoning Province 116001
- Phone: 0411-8263-0583
- Except for the Anglican altar which was taken away and the stained glass windows that were smashed broken and replaced by regular windows, the building is almost as it was in 1928.
- The cornerstoneCornerstoneThe cornerstone concept is derived from the first stone set in the construction of a masonry foundation, important since all other stones will be set in reference to this stone, thus determining the position of the entire structure.Over time a cornerstone became a ceremonial masonry stone, or...
on the right of the church entrance reads in Japanese and English:
- To the Glory of God This stone was dedicated May 6th, 1928 Francis L. Norris, PHD, Bishop of Peking
- Weekly services are held on Friday evening (for the youth) and three times on Sunday.
- Baptism is done usually on Sunday a week or two before Christmas Day or Easter.
- A Christmas program including the 50-member chorus is held on Christmas Eve. On Christmas Day, no service is held, but the song and dance programs are held from morning till a little after noon.
See also
- ChristianityChristianityChristianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
and ProtestantismProtestantismProtestantism is one of the three major groupings within Christianity. It is a movement that began in Germany in the early 16th century as a reaction against medieval Roman Catholic doctrines and practices, especially in regards to salvation, justification, and ecclesiology.The doctrines of the... - Christianity in ChinaChristianity in ChinaChristianity in China is a growing minority religion that comprises Protestants , Catholics , and a small number of Orthodox Christians. Although its lineage in China is not as ancient as the institutional religions of Taoism and Mahayana Buddhism, and the social system and ideology of...
, Protestantism in ChinaProtestantism in ChinaProtestant Christianity entered China in the early 19th century, taking root in a significant way during the Qing Dynasty. Some historians consider the Taiping Rebellion to have been influenced by Protestant Christian teachings. Since the mid-20th century, there has been an increase in the number...
and Chung Hua Sheng Kung HuiChung Hua Sheng Kung HuiChung Hua Sheng Kung Hui was the Anglican-Episcopal Church in China. It was formally established as the Anglican-Episcopal Province of China in 1912. Soon after the communist revolution in China in 1949, it ceased to exist. Its dioceses in Hong Kong and Macao became an independent province... - Church of EnglandChurch of EnglandThe Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
and Anglican-Episcopal Church of JapanNippon Sei Ko KaiThe Nippon Sei Ko Kai , abbreviated as NSKK, or the Anglican Church in Japan, is the religious body in the Province of Japan of the Anglican Communion.... - ChristianChristianA Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
churches in Dalian:
- Yuguang Street Church, Beijing Street ChurchBeijing Street ChurchBeijing Street Church is a Protestant church located in Dalian, China It is the former Dalian Lutheran Church and its church building is now a Historical Building Protected by Dalian City...
, Dalian Catholic ChurchDalian Catholic ChurchDalian Catholic Church is a Christian Catholic church located in Dalian, China. It was built in 1926 and is the only Catholic church in Dalian...
, etc
- Some Christian churches in Northeast ChinaNortheast ChinaNortheast China, historically known in English as Manchuria, is a geographical region of China, consisting of the three provinces of Liaoning, Jilin and Heilongjiang. The region is sometimes called the Three Northeast Provinces...
:
- CatholicCatholicThe word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
: Dalian Catholic ChurchDalian Catholic ChurchDalian Catholic Church is a Christian Catholic church located in Dalian, China. It was built in 1926 and is the only Catholic church in Dalian...
, Sacred Heart Cathedral of ShenyangSacred Heart Cathedral of ShenyangThe Sacred Heart Cathedral of Shenyang is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China. It is commonly called Nanguan Catholic Church or officially the Sacred Heart of Jesus Diocesan Cathedral in Shenyang because the bishop of Shenyang Diocese resides here...
, St. Theresa's Cathedral of ChangchunSt. Theresa's Cathedral of ChangchunSt. Theresa's Cathedral of Changchun is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Changchun, Jilin Province, China. It is also called Changchun City Catholic Church or St...
, Sacred Heart Cathedral of HarbinSacred Heart Cathedral of HarbinSacred Heart Cathedral of Harbin is a Roman Catholic church in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. Its official name is Sacred Heart of Jesus Diocesan Cathedral of Harbin.-Under construction:...
, etc.; Protestant: Yuguang Street Church, Dongguan ChurchDongguan ChurchDonguang Church , located in Shenyang, Liaoning Province, China, is one of the largest and oldest Protestant churches in Northeast China. It is also known as the cradle of Christianity of the Koreans in China and in the Korean Peninsula.-General:...
, Changchun Christian ChurchChangchun Christian ChurchChangchun Christian Church is one of the largest and historically important Protestant churches in Changchun, Jilin Province, China.- General :...
, Harbin Nangang Christian ChurchHarbin Nangang Christian ChurchHarbin Nangang Christian Church is a Protestant church in Harbin, Heilongjiang Province, China. The current building was built in 1916 and is one of the key place where the Protestant activities are done.-General:...
, etc.; and Eastern Orthodox: Church of the Intercession in HarbinChurch of the Intercession in HarbinThe Church of the Protection of the Mother of God in Harbin is an Eastern Orthodox church in Harbin, China, built in 1930. It is also called the Ukrainian Church in Harbin.-General:...
, etc.
External links
- China Christian Council home page in Chinese and English
- Christian churches and theological seminaries (addresses and phone numbers) (China Christian Council , in Chinese)