On The Propagation Of Christian In Border District Of Yunnan, Guizhou And Sichuan (1840-1949)

Significance of This SubjectA Survey of the SubjectSome Christian organizations, such as the United Methodists, the China Inland Mission propagated in border district of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan after the Opium War (Britain's invasion of China, 1840-1842). Among them, there were 60000 disciples in the United Methodist's church. Its center of religion and education of Stonegateway of Weining County, Guizhou Province was called "the sacred place of reviving Miao's culture", "a overseas paradise".This subject was and is paid a good deal of attention by academic circles at home and abroad. So, there are a vast amount of research papers and books published. But the achievement in research had some shortcomings. For instance, abroad researchers often can not correctly treat the background of colonial aggression and its influence. Domestic researchers were effected by "Left" ideological trend and short of overseas' historical documents.Significance of This SubjectGuiding by my tutor, Hu Shao-hua professor, also under my achievements in this subject what has already been achieved, to finish the item. It will:To recover domestic incomplete history of this times strictly according to the facts.To analysis and appraise this Christian movement of minorities properly.To sum up the experience, success and failure of "the highest culture region of southwest Miao", Stonegateway. To use the experience for practicing of strategy of develop vigorously by science and education.Train of Thought and Method of ResearchTo reappear the history in its true feature and fill the gaps in the history by the full and accurate materials of home and abroad.To eliminate the limitations of districts of some formerly research by the concept of viewing of situation and times as a whole. By guiding of the historical materialism and applying the methods of branches of learning, to appraise the history, to seek the objective law.New Views and OvercomesNew ViewsThe background of propagation of Christian:The colonial aggressions of Western big powers on China; the class origin of Pollard and other missionaries were lower levels in England; the nationalities' common people of southwest China were cruelly exploited by the landlords; the specific historical environment of Miao group. All of these are prerequisites of the correct understanding.The effect of main part:Some one said what the extensive spreading and social reform of modern Christian Protestantism was all operated by foreign missionaries. However, some new materials which are just explored tell us that although the external cause was Pollard and other missionaries who came from social lower strata and minorities of England and arrived in China in tide of colonial aggression; but, the groups' people of southwest China played the role of the main part of this movement, without them, there would have no this religious and social reform movement which evoke worldwide repercussion.Creation and affection of Old Miao Script of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan:There were several kinds of scripts of groups were created after Protestantism spread into the southwest of China. The Old Miao Script was one of them what was the most approved by the groups' people. Reasons for the success was it complied with the requirement that Miao and other groups wanted to change their uncivilized state, and assimilated the traditional cultural essential factor of Miao and region. The extensive spreading of The Old Miao Script, beside the religious function, it also strongly promoted advance social change of Miao and related groups.Education of minorities:Stonegateway, the educational center of the United Methodists in border of Yunnan, Guizhou and Sichuan only lasted 40 odd years. Basically, there was no state and foreign investment. It only depended local groups' own manpower and finance resources. Over ten thousand teenagers accepted normal primary education, several ten thousands Miao people were wiped out illiteracy, a numbers of Miao and Yi people gr...