In the beautiful Xiacheng District of Hangzhou, there is a 300-meter path named "Jesus Lane". Why is a Chinese street named after the founder of the Christian faith, and what is the story behind this?
In the Song Dynasty, there was a pharmacy located in the lane. In 1147, the Vice Prime Minister Xue Ang gave a garden to the Buda Hui Guan to build a temple, called "Si Zensheng—Four Choices of Victory", which was transformed into a Buddhist temple. It was called Xingfu Temple Lane. In the modern era, many missionaries came to China to spread the gospel. In 1860, American missionaries M. H. Houston and Benjamin Helm came to Hangzhou to preach. Hangzhou Vive Governor Lu allocated more than ten acres of vacant land along the lane for them, and they built five or six buildings. There were chapels, study rooms and dormitories for men and women. It was given the name "Tianshui Church", but was commonly known as the "Jesus Church". The lane near the church was renamed "Jesus Lane". In addition to the church, the Presbyterian Church in the United States also opened the Holy House of Mercy, a hospital, a girls’ school and a nursery school.
What made Tianshui Church and Jesus Lane well-known is closely related to the Chinese love of an American missionary. In 1868, an American named John Stuart was sent to Hangzhou by the Presbyterian Church. In 1873, he moved into the Jesus Lane and pastored the Tianshui Church. Stuart lived in Hangzhou for 45 years and dedicated his life to this ancient land.
On June 24, 1876, Stuart’s eldest son was born in Jesus Lane. This son would have a huge impact on the history of the Chinese church, Chinese education, and even the history of modern China. He was the famous educator and diplomat John Leighton Stuart. Leighton Stuart spent his childhood in the lane. He wore Chinese clothes, played with Chinese children living nearby, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Hangzhou under the care of a Chinese babysitter. Stuart found himself assimilated into Hangzhou culture. The first language he mastered was not English, but the Hangzhou dialect. Even when he became the principal of China's top institutions, his Mandarin retained a strong Hangzhou accent. When Stuart returned to the United States to study at the age of 11, he found it difficult to adapt and was regarded by other students as "alien".
Among the missionary groups in China, perhaps no one has the high status or popularity of Stuart. Because of an article entitled "Farewell, Stuart" and the attention from major media in recent years, Stuart became a household name. His most important achievement in China was the founding of Yanjing University, a leader among Chinese church schools and representing the highest level of Christian education. Yanjing University graduates used their abilities and education to benefit Chinese society and promote China's development. In addition to running a school, Stuart also had a love for China. Despite the turbulent times, he remained firm in his commitment to the Chinese people and dedicated his life to China. As the historian Lin Mengxi said: "There has probably not been an American in the 20th century, like Dr. Stuart, who has been involved in China's politics, culture, and education for a long time and has had an inestimable impact."
Stuart later became involved in politics, which led to his being criticized in the United States in the 1950s. After returning to the United States, he was ignored because some of his stances were inconsistent with American politicians of that time, so he found himself alone in his views. However, times have changed. The Chinese people's evaluation of Stuart has become quite positive. Although the Church of Jesus Lane was renamed Youth Lane in 1966, the original name was restored in 1981 to commemorate the Stuart family.
- Translated by Kevin Feng
杭州有条耶稣堂弄，你可知这背后的传奇故事？ 在美丽的杭州下城区，有一条300米小路，她的名字叫“耶稣堂弄”。为何一条中国的街道会以基督信仰创始者的名字命名，其中又有哪些传奇故事呢？ 耶稣堂弄在宋代时，原为一家药店。1147年，左丞相薛昂以花药圃施与僧慧观筑庵，名“四择胜”，改建为佛刹，因此也称兴福寺巷。到了近代时期，不少传教士来华传播福音。1860年，美国传教士胡思登、郝理美（需要查下英文原名）来杭传教。杭州卢藩台拨给巷内荒地十余亩，建成礼拜堂和男女书房及宿舍五六幢，命名“天水堂”，俗称“耶稣堂”。而位于教堂附近的小巷，因而被更名为“耶稣堂弄”。除了教堂外，美南长老会还在此开设了仁慈堂，医局、女子学校和育婴堂等服务机构。 当然让天水堂与耶稣堂弄闻名于世的，乃是跟一个美国宣教士的中国情缘息息相关。1868年，有位叫司徒约翰（司徒尔）的美国人，被美南长老会派到杭州宣教。1873年，他搬入耶稣堂弄，并在天水堂牧养教会。司徒约翰在杭州生活了45年，把后半生奉献在这块古老的土地。 1876年6月24日，司徒约翰的长子在耶稣堂弄出生，而这个人将对中国教会史、中国教育史乃至中国近代史产生巨大影响。他就是著名教育家、外交家司徒雷登。小司徒的童年都是在耶稣堂弄度过的，他穿中式服装，与住在附近的中国孩子一起玩耍，并在中国保姆的带领下畅游于杭州的湖光山色，品尝着各种风味小吃。在杭州文化的熏陶下，司徒雷登几乎被同化了，他掌握的第一门语言居然不是英语，而是杭州话，甚至他成为中国顶尖学府的校长时，其国语保留着浓郁的杭州口音。而当司徒雷登11岁回美国读书时，居然感到难以适应，被同学们视为“异类”。 在来华传教士群体中，也许没有人拥有司徒雷登那样的“高人气”。因为当年一篇《别了，司徒雷登》的文章以及近几年各大媒体对其事业的肯定，让司徒雷登成了家喻户晓人物。司徒雷登在华最重要的事业莫过于燕京大学的创建，这所大学是中国教会学校的翘楚，代表了基督教教育的最高水平。燕大也为中国社会输送了大量人才，促进了中国的发展。司徒雷登除了办学，对中国还怀着一颗热爱之心，他在动荡的年代里与中国人同舟共济，将其一生献给了中国。正如历史学家林孟熹所言：“整个20世纪大概没有一个美国人像司徒雷登博士那样，曾长期而全面地卷入到中国的政治、文化、教育各个领域，并且产生过难以估量的影响。” 尽管司徒雷登后来卷入了政治漩涡，导致了在特殊年代成为被批判的对象。而且他回美国后，也因其某些立场与美国政客不合，遭到了冷遇，最终孤独地走完一生。但随着时代的发展， 国人对于这位出生在中国、奉献在中国的宣教士评价日益增高。虽然耶稣堂弄在1966年被改名为青春巷，但在1981年恢复了原有名字，表达了对司徒家族的纪念。
In the beautiful Xiacheng District of Hangzhou, there is a 300-meter path named "Jesus Lane". Why is a Chinese street named after the founder of the Christian faith, and what is the story behind this?
In the Song Dynasty, there was a pharmacy located in the lane. In 1147, the Vice Prime Minister Xue Ang gave a garden to the Buda Hui Guan to build a temple, called "Si Zensheng—Four Choices of Victory", which was transformed into a Buddhist temple. It was called Xingfu Temple Lane. In the modern era, many missionaries came to China to spread the gospel. In 1860, American missionaries M. H. Houston and Benjamin Helm came to Hangzhou to preach. Hangzhou Vive Governor Lu allocated more than ten acres of vacant land along the lane for them, and they built five or six buildings. There were chapels, study rooms and dormitories for men and women. It was given the name "Tianshui Church", but was commonly known as the "Jesus Church". The lane near the church was renamed "Jesus Lane". In addition to the church, the Presbyterian Church in the United States also opened the Holy House of Mercy, a hospital, a girls’ school and a nursery school.
What made Tianshui Church and Jesus Lane well-known is closely related to the Chinese love of an American missionary. In 1868, an American named John Stuart was sent to Hangzhou by the Presbyterian Church. In 1873, he moved into the Jesus Lane and pastored the Tianshui Church. Stuart lived in Hangzhou for 45 years and dedicated his life to this ancient land.
On June 24, 1876, Stuart’s eldest son was born in Jesus Lane. This son would have a huge impact on the history of the Chinese church, Chinese education, and even the history of modern China. He was the famous educator and diplomat John Leighton Stuart. Leighton Stuart spent his childhood in the lane. He wore Chinese clothes, played with Chinese children living nearby, and enjoyed the beautiful scenery of Hangzhou under the care of a Chinese babysitter. Stuart found himself assimilated into Hangzhou culture. The first language he mastered was not English, but the Hangzhou dialect. Even when he became the principal of China's top institutions, his Mandarin retained a strong Hangzhou accent. When Stuart returned to the United States to study at the age of 11, he found it difficult to adapt and was regarded by other students as "alien".
Among the missionary groups in China, perhaps no one has the high status or popularity of Stuart. Because of an article entitled "Farewell, Stuart" and the attention from major media in recent years, Stuart became a household name. His most important achievement in China was the founding of Yanjing University, a leader among Chinese church schools and representing the highest level of Christian education. Yanjing University graduates used their abilities and education to benefit Chinese society and promote China's development. In addition to running a school, Stuart also had a love for China. Despite the turbulent times, he remained firm in his commitment to the Chinese people and dedicated his life to China. As the historian Lin Mengxi said: "There has probably not been an American in the 20th century, like Dr. Stuart, who has been involved in China's politics, culture, and education for a long time and has had an inestimable impact."
Stuart later became involved in politics, which led to his being criticized in the United States in the 1950s. After returning to the United States, he was ignored because some of his stances were inconsistent with American politicians of that time, so he found himself alone in his views. However, times have changed. The Chinese people's evaluation of Stuart has become quite positive. Although the Church of Jesus Lane was renamed Youth Lane in 1966, the original name was restored in 1981 to commemorate the Stuart family.
- Translated by Kevin Feng
Legends Behind a Lane of 'Jesus' in Hangzhou
