Yuan Dynasty The Chongfu Secretary For Research,

Before Mongolia Empire established, one branch of the Christian, Nestorianism (in the document of tang and yuan is called Jing jiao) has been very popular on the Mongolian plateau. After establishing the Mongolia Empire and Yuan Dynasty, Nestorianism started to spread widely, and also in this period, Catholic started to spread in China for the first time. In Chinese history,as the first united Dynasty established by the minority which was maked up by multi-national, religion policy of Yuan Dynasty was not strict, allowing varied religions to spread freely, because of which Christian has developed further in Yuan Dynasty.In the period of the Mongolia Empire and Yuan Dynasty, the number of Nestorianism which distributed in varied classes was huge.Among the Christians, Nestorianism believers distributed in everywhere and varied classes from princesses, nobles, officials, filial sons, doctors, talent people, merchants and folks etc. Catholic based on Quan zhou and Beijing, and it also spreaded widely in the north and south of China.Becaue the large number of the Christians, Yuan Dynasty was very emphasis on the matters which was related to the different factions of the Christian. Yuan Dynasty not only formulated the relevant law and policy to protect the Christians, but also established Chongfu Si and Zhangjiao Si respective in central and local to administrate the different factions of the Christian. Chongfu Si was established in 1289, later renamed Chongfu Yuan in 1315, and finally changed Yuan to Si again. Similar to Jixian Yuan administrating Taoism, the rank of Chongfu Si belongs to the vice second official rank, inferior to the Xuanzheng Yuan(first official rank) administrating the Buddhism. The main task of the Chongfu Si is to administrate the Christian, Christians, churches and clergies, and to take charge the litigation between the Christians.Zhangjiao Si is an institute which administrate the Christian by itself locally. The concrete establishing time and region of the Zhangjiao Si could not seized in detail. According the relative documents, four people have administrated the Zhangjiao Si successively in Yuan Dynasty, and the four people were all the nestorianism believers.In Chinese history, Chongfu Si is the first central institution specially for Christian management. The establishment of Chongfu Si not only promoted the propagation and development of the Christian, but also strengthen the management of the Christian affairs in the country.