Christianity in China

Christianity in China: The People’s Republic of China (PRC) is located in East Asia. It shares land borders with 14 countries, namely, North Korea, Russia, Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bhutan, Myanmar, Laos, and Vietnam.

It is the world’s most populous country with a human population of 1.4 billion spread across two main ethic groupings, Han Chinese (91.1%) and others 8.9%. The official language of the country is Chinese, while the capital city is Beijing. Buddhism is the dominant faith at 33.4%. Others are Atheism, 25%; Taoism, 19.6%; folk religion, 17.7%; Christianity, 2.5%, and Islam, 1.6%.

Brief History

China, with a recorded history of 5,000 years, is one of the world’s earliest civilizations. The Bourgeois Democratic Revolution of 1911 led by Sun Yat-sen toppled the rule of the Qing dynasty, and put an end to more than 2,000 years of feudal monarchy in the country. The communist later changed the name of the country to the People’s Republic on October 1, 1949, which is China’s Independence Day.        

God’s Canvass in China

        China’s landscape is vast and diverse, ranging from the Gobi and Taklamakan deserts in the arid north to the subtropical forests in the wetter south. The fauna and flora of the country are depicted in some of the pictures presented below.              

Fauna

Many species of animals are native to China, including its most famous wildlife species, the giant panda. Some of the wild animals in the country are shown in the pictures below.

Flora

The flora of China consists of a diverse range of plant species, including over 39,000 vascular plants, 27,000 species of fungi and 3,000 species of land plants like liverworts, hornworts and mosses. Some of the plants are shown in the following pictures.

Beaches

Culture

China is an exciting blend of tradition and modernity: centuries-old temples surrounded by gleaming skyscrapers, colourful street food and imperial palaces, striking natural formations, and ancient pagodas. Chinese people tend to honour tradition, but they also embrace many parts of Western culture.

The country’s customs include a strong sense of family, a deep respect for hierarchy, and an appreciation for harmony over conflict. China is a fascinating intersection of ancient cultures and language with ultramodern infrastructure, innovation and growth.

Traditional Attire

Chinese clothing includes the traditional hanfu and garments of ethnic minorities, as well as modern variations of indigenous Chinese dresses. Some popular traditional attires are presented below.

Cuisine

Chinese cuisine is one of the oldest and most diverse cuisines in the world. Each province has its own cooking style, based on regional ingredients and preferences. These range from wildly picked greens in the mountains and fresh, salty seafood on the northeast coast, to the light, sweet accents of Cantonese cuisine.

In Central China, where chilli peppers are rampant, people love hot spicy food. In Beijing, lamb is a favourite. Some of the popular cuisines in the country are shown below.

Status of Christianity in China

 The Chinese Government is very antagonistic towards non-traditional belief systems, especially Christianity. It tries to influence what is preached in churches, and had even threatened to edit the Holy Bible.

While the State tolerates approved churches, especially Roman Catholicism and certain Orthodox elements, underground churches holding strongly to Biblical doctrines face consistent persecution.

Therefore, we should focus our prayers on the entirety of the Chinese system, particularly unsaved people in the country. You may wish to use the following prayer points or pray for Chinese people as the Holy Spirit leads you.

Prayer Points

1. Pray that God would judge the demonic principalities and powers operating in China and destroy their influence on its people.
2. Ask the Father to pour out His Spirit upon every unsaved person in the country.
3. Pray that He would remove the veil of darkness from their minds and hearts, and unstop their ears that they might hear and understand the truth.
4. Pray that God would reveal Himself to all Atheists in China, using its President, Xi Jinping as a point of contact.
5. Ask the Father to purge all believers in Christ of pollutions from their interactions with adherents of other faiths.
6. Pray that He would sanctify them by His word and fill them with His Spirit for ministry and prayer.
7. Ask the Father to send labourers into His harvest in China.
8. Pray that He would protect converts from Islam, especially in areas of the country dominated by extremists.

Intercession Checklist

 Use the map of China in the text to choose a town, city or region/province for focused prayer. Present the chosen geographical space to God and tell Him that you are claiming its people for Christ as His ambassador. The anchor Scriptures are Psalm 2:8 and 2 Corinthians 5:20.

**** Materials sourced from A Brief Introduction of China, https://np.china-embassy.gov.cn; Fauna and Flora of China, https://en.wikipedia.org; China, https://www.afsusa.org; China, https://en.wikipedia.org.