On The Spread Of Protestantism In The Southern Jiangsu In Modern Times

After the signing of Treaty of Tianjin,the missionary work of foreign missionaries in Chinese mainland was legalized.A great amount of Protestant missionaries surged into southern Jiangsu region to preach.Protestantism was introduced earlier into Suzhou,Nanjing and other larger cities of southern Jiangsu region,and then the small and medium-sized cities around these large cities.As of 1926,Protestantism had spread throughout southern Jiangsu region.The spread of Protestantism in southern Jiangsu region was not so smooth.At the beginning,influenced by War of Taiping Heavenly Kingdom and the anti-religious sentiment of people,the mission in southern Jiangsu region came across difficulties.The missionaries timely adjusted their strategies—vigorously starting up education,medical care,charity and other social public welfare undertakings in these areas,and then gradually got rid of the missionary predicament.In the period of the Republic of China,successive governments of the Republic of China basically held an open-minded attitude toward Protestantism.The political and economic advantages in southern Jiangsu region were obvious.The period from the Republic of China to the eve of the War of Resistance was the prime time for Protestantism to develop in southern Jiangsu region.Since the outbreak of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression,Protestant missionary work in these two areas suffered a huge impact.Most of mission schools and hospitals were forced to move inwards.Many remaining missionaries actively offered assistance to the wounded soldiers and refugees.After Japan announced its surrender,their missionary work in southern Jiangsu region gradually resumed.Not long from the founding of New China,due to multiple political factors,foreign missionaries went back to their countries,marking the end of almost-hundred-year missionary work of foreign church in southern Jiangsu region.And Protestantism in China really entered the path of independent development.In addition,this thesis has studied the temporal and spatial distribution of Protestantism in southern Jiangsu region,mainly including the distribution of mission,church,disciple,school and hospital,and had a brief analysis on the driving factors which affected the temporal and spatial transmission,as well as explored the internal law of its distribution.The study of related issues of the spread of Protestantism in southern Jiangsu region in modern times could provide reference for the healthy development of Protestantism in China nowadays.