On January 23, 1923, the radio station of Radio Corporation of China - the first radio station in mainland China was founded in Shanghai, creating a national precedent. By 1932, there were 40 radio stations in Shanghai.
In June 1932, Dr. Wang Baiwan hosted two programs, medical common sense, and Christian essentials, on Chinese and Western Radio, a commercial radio station set up by the Chinese and Western Pharmacy where he worked. Wang was not only a doctor but also a devout Christian, who knew the importance of conducting missionary through broadcasting.
On December 2, 1933, Shanghai Gospel Broadcasting Station was established and began broadcasting. At that time, the transmitting power of the radio station was only 150 kilowatts, so only Shanghai and Hangzhou, Ningbo and Fuzhou which are close to Shanghai could effectively receive its signal. To solve the problem of short broadcasting range, the original 150 kW station was replaced with a new 1000 kW station on January 5, 1936. At that time, it was the largest transmitting power among the domestic private radio stations.
After the establishment of the radio station, the main broadcast content was scripture reading, morning prayer, praise music, preaching, medical health, and children’s stories. As Wang was a famous doctor in Shanghai at that time, he gave a lecture on medical health. Morning service was held by Frank R.Millican; Mandarin worship was mainly held by Charles Chi; Cantonese worship is led by K. S. Lee and Wong Kwun Tang.
In June 1936, the radio station held the first radio revival sermon conference, which lasted for ten days, with Pastor George Chao of Beulah Chapel of Shanghai Christian and Missionary Alliance and Pastor Charles Chi of Shanghai Baptist Church as the speakers.
In 1938, during the Japanese War of Aggression Against China, the Japanese invaders established the Radio Supervision Office in order to control the broadcasting industry after occupying Shanghai. On December 8, 1941, the day of the Outbreak of the Pacific War, Shanghai Gospel Radio was taken over by Japan as an “enemy station”. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the radio station resumed broadcasting on September 8, 1946. After the founding of new China on October 1, 1952, Shanghai Gospel Broadcasting Station, and other radio stations in Shanghai jointly established Shanghai United Broadcasting Station.
Shanghai Gospel Radio Station is the first radio station in China to broadcast Gospel information, which is a typical combination of ancient gospel and modern emerging scientific and technological achievements. The broadcast of Christian gospel messages through radio stations, compared with other traditional missionary methods, spread across places and spaces, giving many Chinese people the opportunity to hear the gospel.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
1923年1月23日，中国大陆第一家无线电台“中国无线电公司广播电台”在上海创立，开创全国之先河。到1932年的时候，上海全市已经有40家的广播电台。
1932年6月，王白完医生在其工作的中西大药房自设的商业性广播电台“中西电台”主持医学常识和基督教要义这两个节目。王白完不仅是一名医生，更是一名虔诚的基督徒，他深感广播传教的重要性。
1933年12月2日，上海福音广播电台正式创立并开始对外播音。当时电台发射功率只有150千瓦，因此只有上海本地以及杭州、宁波、福州这些距上海比较近的地方才能够有效收听到上海福音广播电台。为了解决收听距离太短的问题，于1936年1月5日将原来150千瓦功率的电台更换为1000千瓦的新电台。在当时的国内民营电台当中，这是发射功率最大的。
电台创设以后，主要广播内容为读经、晨祷、赞美音乐、布道、医学卫生以及儿童故事等。其中由于王白完是当时上海著名医生，因此主讲其中的医学卫生这个方面的内容。晨祷由梅立德担任；国语礼拜主要由戚庆才担任；粤语礼拜则由李观森、黄观汤负责。
936年6月，电台举行了第一次无线电奋兴布道大会，大会为期十天，由上海宣道会守真堂的赵世光牧师和上海浸信会戚庆才牧师担任主讲人。
1938年，时值日本侵华战争，日本侵略者在占领上海以后为了控制广播行业，设立了“广播无线电监督处”。1941年12月8日也就是太平洋战争爆发当天，上海福音广播电台以“敌国电台”的理由被日本接管。抗战胜利以后，上海福音广播电台于1946年9月8日复播。新中国成立以后的1952年10月1日，上海福音广播电台与上海其他其他电台一起联合成立了上海联合广播电台。
上海福音广播电台开创了中国电台专门播放福音信息的先河，这是“古老的福音”与现代新兴科技成果的典型结合。通过无线电台来广播基督教福音信息，相比其他传统传教方式，福音广播跨越了场所和空间，让许多中国人能够有机会听闻福音信息。
钩沉中国首家福音电台的历史——上海福音广播电台
On January 23, 1923, the radio station of Radio Corporation of China - the first radio station in mainland China was founded in Shanghai, creating a national precedent. By 1932, there were 40 radio stations in Shanghai.
In June 1932, Dr. Wang Baiwan hosted two programs, medical common sense, and Christian essentials, on Chinese and Western Radio, a commercial radio station set up by the Chinese and Western Pharmacy where he worked. Wang was not only a doctor but also a devout Christian, who knew the importance of conducting missionary through broadcasting.
On December 2, 1933, Shanghai Gospel Broadcasting Station was established and began broadcasting. At that time, the transmitting power of the radio station was only 150 kilowatts, so only Shanghai and Hangzhou, Ningbo and Fuzhou which are close to Shanghai could effectively receive its signal. To solve the problem of short broadcasting range, the original 150 kW station was replaced with a new 1000 kW station on January 5, 1936. At that time, it was the largest transmitting power among the domestic private radio stations.
After the establishment of the radio station, the main broadcast content was scripture reading, morning prayer, praise music, preaching, medical health, and children’s stories. As Wang was a famous doctor in Shanghai at that time, he gave a lecture on medical health. Morning service was held by Frank R.Millican; Mandarin worship was mainly held by Charles Chi; Cantonese worship is led by K. S. Lee and Wong Kwun Tang.
In June 1936, the radio station held the first radio revival sermon conference, which lasted for ten days, with Pastor George Chao of Beulah Chapel of Shanghai Christian and Missionary Alliance and Pastor Charles Chi of Shanghai Baptist Church as the speakers.
In 1938, during the Japanese War of Aggression Against China, the Japanese invaders established the Radio Supervision Office in order to control the broadcasting industry after occupying Shanghai. On December 8, 1941, the day of the Outbreak of the Pacific War, Shanghai Gospel Radio was taken over by Japan as an “enemy station”. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the radio station resumed broadcasting on September 8, 1946. After the founding of new China on October 1, 1952, Shanghai Gospel Broadcasting Station, and other radio stations in Shanghai jointly established Shanghai United Broadcasting Station.
Shanghai Gospel Radio Station is the first radio station in China to broadcast Gospel information, which is a typical combination of ancient gospel and modern emerging scientific and technological achievements. The broadcast of Christian gospel messages through radio stations, compared with other traditional missionary methods, spread across places and spaces, giving many Chinese people the opportunity to hear the gospel.
- Translated by Nicolas Cao
History of China’s First Gospel Radio Station: Shanghai Gospel Radio Station
