A century-old street market sprung up and moved along with a church in north China’s He’nan Province.
In Dongguan Village, Lingbao City, Sanmenxia, He’nan, a road in front of Gospel Church was occupied by stalls selling snacks, clothes, local products, and groceries before 2014, stretching east to west for several kilometers.
After a Swedish missionary Bao Yaoyuan (Chinese name) came to Lingbao to evangelize in 1919, another Swedish pastor Ren Dongcheng (Chinese name) took over the ministry, purchasing a plot of land of 0.41 acres to build a church, shop, and herbal medicine shop, which was the predecessor of Gospel Church in Dongguan Village.
With the number of worshippers gradually increasing, in front of the church believers from the surrounding villages after Sunday services sold their own products, including vegetables, eggs, and woven fabric. They sold them in exchange for money and salt on Xinhua Road which was the main road in the city, so buses and taxis had to detour every Sunday.
Initiated by church members, the fair developed based on the barter economy and market demand, retaining intangible cultural heritage at the border of He’nan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi Provinces.
After Tian’en Church was built in 2013 near Jinshuihu Lake in Lingbao, the Dongguan fair was transferred to the front of this new church according to the order of the government.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
一个绵延百年的集市，因一座教堂而兴起和迁移。
河南省灵宝市东关集，何时开始，已无从考。但在2014年之前，位于新华路上，每个周日，以东关桥头福音堂门前为中心，向东向西绵延数公里，道路全部被小吃、衣物、土产、杂货所占据。
公元1919年，瑞典牧师鲍耀渊来灵宝传教;，至1923年，另一瑞典牧师任栋臣接任宣教事工，并在县城西门内购买一处约2.5亩的地皮，建成了教堂、商铺、药铺等，也就是灵宝东关福音堂的前身。
而之后，信徒数量慢慢增加，而每到礼拜天聚会日，四周乡间的姊妹弟兄来礼拜，相约捎带一些自家的出产、织的布头、田里的菜蔬、鸡蛋……在教堂门前卖了换些银钱、盐巴。福音堂门前的新华路虽属市区东西交通主干道，但每周日公交、出租车都得绕道、
由此可知，东关集是由教友发起，而发展起来；却是因了周边各乡村民易货需求和市场的需要应运而生。此地是豫陕晋三省交界，而这一集市保留下来许多非物质文化遗产。
2013年，在灵宝北区金水湖畔建起了一座新的教堂——天恩堂。
而之后，灵宝市政府就下令取消了东关集。而将东关集搬迁到了新的教堂——天恩堂门前的路上。全新的“东关集”竟然随着新堂走，被教堂带到了新区教会门前。
https://www.gospeltimes.cn/article/index/id/63984
东关集的由来：一座教堂，一条街——灵宝东关福音堂见闻
A century-old street market sprung up and moved along with a church in north China’s He’nan Province.
In Dongguan Village, Lingbao City, Sanmenxia, He’nan, a road in front of Gospel Church was occupied by stalls selling snacks, clothes, local products, and groceries before 2014, stretching east to west for several kilometers.
After a Swedish missionary Bao Yaoyuan (Chinese name) came to Lingbao to evangelize in 1919, another Swedish pastor Ren Dongcheng (Chinese name) took over the ministry, purchasing a plot of land of 0.41 acres to build a church, shop, and herbal medicine shop, which was the predecessor of Gospel Church in Dongguan Village.
With the number of worshippers gradually increasing, in front of the church believers from the surrounding villages after Sunday services sold their own products, including vegetables, eggs, and woven fabric. They sold them in exchange for money and salt on Xinhua Road which was the main road in the city, so buses and taxis had to detour every Sunday.
Initiated by church members, the fair developed based on the barter economy and market demand, retaining intangible cultural heritage at the border of He’nan, Shaanxi, and Shanxi Provinces.
After Tian’en Church was built in 2013 near Jinshuihu Lake in Lingbao, the Dongguan fair was transferred to the front of this new church according to the order of the government.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
Fair in Front of He’nan Church Every Sunday
