A Search for Identity: A Study on Lin Yutang and Christianity

The identity problem of Chinese Christians has always been a hot issue in the studies of Chinese Christianity. Chinese Christians are generally caught at the horn of a dilemma as how to unify their Chinese identity and Christian identity, and how to handle the tensions between Chinese culture and Christianity.;Lin Yutang (1895-1976), one of the most influential modern Chinese writers, was renowned for his extensive writings in both Chinese and English. His best-sellers in English, including My Country and My People and The Importance of Living, earned him highest international fame among modern Chinese writers. A less-known but momentous facet of him is his special encounter with Christianity. Lin Yutang was born into a Christian family in a poor mountain village in Southern China, his father being a Presbyterian minister in a local church. He received secondary education at Talmage College, and tertiary education at St.John's University, both of which were missionary schools. However, Lin renounced Christianity in his twenties and claimed to be a pagan for over thirty years until declaring his return to Christianity in his sixties. Lin's journey of faith witnessed his lifelong search for the identity as a Chinese Christian, which was constantly undergoing transformation and construction.;In addition to the general introduction and conclusion, this thesis consists of six main chapters, each of which elaborates Lin's relationship to Christianity during the different stages of his life, focusing on the ways in which he encountered and solved the identity problem of being a Chinese Christian. This thesis adopts E.H. Erikson's theory on identity as an overall framework, while also referring to theories on cultural identity proposed by some scholars of cultural studies like Stuart Hall. This research makes extensive use of primary materials including Lin's letters, manuscripts, and other relevant archives apart from his published works.;According to the findings of this research, Lin renounced Christianity in the midst of his identity crisis when he was compelled to choose between being a Chinese and being a Christian. He had described himself a "pagan" for more than thirty years, but it doesn't mean that he forsook his Christian faith. Lin's particular use of "pagan" necessitates careful interpretation and scrutiny. Lin should not be regarded as an anti-Christian writer in spite of his open criticisms of Christianity. It can be seen that Christianity had always been a major contributing factor in shaping Lin's values and morality since his childhood. In fact, Lin Yutang had never ceased in his faith in God, even though he deliberately kept some distance from Christianity until he found his own way of worshipping God. When he returned to Christianity, he personally merged Christianity and Chinese culture, and established his Christian thoughts characterized with Chinese humanism, and hence reconstructed his identity as a unique Chinese Christian.