Research On Catholicism And Christianism In Sichuan Area In Modern China (1840-1919)

In the Chinese mordern history, both Catholicism and christianism had been introduced into Chinese society and exerted enormous cultural, economic and political influence.Sichuan province, despite its remote geographic location and inconvenience in land and water transportation, turned out to be the most important area for missionizing, in which both Catholicism and christianism had actively developed their charity business like education and medical treatment. Meanwhile, court cases also happened frequently in Sichuan area because of inevitable conflict between the invading wertern culture and traditional conventions.Belonging to different religious school, Catholicism and christianism are distinguishing in some particularities. The dissertation aims to firstly demonstrate their avtivities in Sichuan area and then point out their similarities and distinctions and possible explanations as well.In the first part, the dissertation reviews their developing histories in Sichuan area. It is pointed out that although Catholicism, mainly controlled by Missions etrangeres de Paris, was introduced into Sichuan 200 years early than christianism, while the latter, supported by the rising anglo-american bourgeois, was developing rapidly within a very short period of time and taking the leading scale and influence when entering into the twentieth century.In the second part, the dissertation reviews the chruch educational and medical services by Catholicism and christianism in Sichuan area, which were two main missionzing measures and played great influence on local area.Especially, the dissertation lists all the church schools and hospitals founded by Catholicism and christiansm repectively based on the historical documents and tries to points our their characters and social, cultural, ecnomic and political influence to Sichuan society.In the third part, the dissertation specially discusses the court cases happened in Sichuan area, which are famous for its high frequency, large scale and mint indemnities.In the last part, the dissertation tries to explain the remarkable differences in their activities in Sichuan area between Catholicism and christiansm from the perspectives of religion, politics and diplomacy. It is also concluded that the missionizing activity imported by the imperialist countries is not only for its cultural purpose but to seek their greatest ecomonic and political interestes in China and to make China their colonies. So, the studying of this topic is significant and valuable whether in its academic or realistic senses.