The Reformed Church in China, 1842–1951, contains quite some image materials gathered by Chris White, a foreign professor at Xiamen University's School of Economics, during his research into the history of southern Fujian, which required several transnational travels at his own expense. Over a century ago, Dr. John Abraham Otte, the creator of Hope and Wilhelmina Hospital, took these pictures in several villages in Nansheng Township, Pinghe County.
From 1321 to 1323 (a period in the Yuan Dynasty of China), Nansheng Township in Pinghe County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, served as Jiannansheng County's government seat. Taoism and Buddhism are the traditional beliefs in this historic town, while Protestantism has only been introduced to Nansheng for over a century.
Following the entrance of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America in Xiamen in February 1842, Mr. Chen Gaoshan from Baxianzhuo Village and Mr. Hu Qishui from Xialiu Village introduced Christianity from Chaitoupu, Wenfeng, to Nansheng, Pinghe, in 1874. The initial gathering place was set in Baxianzuo Village, which later moved to the streamside of Xiawei City, where the Nanshengwei Preaching Station was established as the congregation grew.
Before the founding of the preaching station, in 1870, the Methodist Episcopal Church established the Jingzaiwei Church in Wuzhai Township, Pinghe County. Later, in 1883, Nansheng and Jingzaiwei churches combined to form "Jingnan Church."
Back then, medical staff and missionaries from the Hope and Wilhelmina Hospital often preached in the Xiumei Building in Xialong Village, Nansheng Township. After more than a century, a local photography lover of the town landscape in Nansheng Township captured color images of the building and reported in the Minnan Daily: "According to Hu Qingshui, an 89-year-old who lives in the (Xiumei) Building, there is a family in the building that follows Christianity. During his childhood, he once heard about foreign missionaries’ visiting the building.“
Since its founding, Nansheng Church's congregation had increased to more than a thousand by the time the People's Republic of China was established. There were two Sunday services in the morning and afternoon, with 200 to 300 people attending, making it one of the churches with the largest attendance on Sunday in Pinghe County at the time.
To commemorate its 100th anniversary in 1992, Nansheng Church planned to create a three-story building to serve as a preaching and reception room in place of the three decaying bungalows in front of the old church.
Nowadays, the Nansheng Church’s congregation is increasing, including thousands of believers and over 1,500 seekers.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Fuzhou, Fujian.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
在《美国归正教在厦门（1842—1951）》一书中，有不少照片素材是厦门大学经济学院外籍教授白克瑞在研究闽南历史，数次自费奔波收集到的。而这些照片是一百多年前小溪救世医院创办人郁约翰医生在平和南胜等各乡镇所拍摄的。
福建省漳州市平和县南胜镇在元至治年间(1321-1323)为建南胜县的政府所在地。古镇里的传统信仰是道教及佛教，而新教传入南胜也只有百余年的历史。
1842年2月，基督教美国归正宗长老会来到厦门后， 1874年由八仙桌村陈高山及下六胡其水两位兄弟从文峰柴头埔传入平和南胜，初期堂会地址设在八仙桌村。几年后人数增加迁至下尾城溪边，设立南胜圩传教站。
在此之前，1870年，英国伦敦教会在平和五寨井仔尾与前岭等村(属称“美以美会”)，成立五寨井仔尾基督教会(隶属漳浦桥内堂会)。1883年南胜堂会与五寨井仔尾堂会合并为“井南堂会”。
当年小溪救世医院的医护人员和传教士经常到南胜下龙村秀美楼传福音。百余年后，南胜乡土摄影爱好者拍下秀美楼的彩色照片，並在《闽南日报》作了报道：“据在（秀美）楼内居住的现年89岁老人胡清水说，楼内有户人家是信基督教的。儿时他曾听说有外国的传教士到过土楼。”
南胜基督教堂建后，教会得以发展。至解放初，南胜教会人数已发展到千余人。主日分上下午两堂，参加聚会人数200~300人，成为当时平和县主日聚会人数最多的堂会之一。
1992年，南胜堂为庆祝建堂一百周年，经长执会研究决定，计划拆掉旧教堂前面三间破旧平房，重建一栋三层门楼作为传道及会客室。
如今南胜堂会友与日俱增，其中基督徒千把人，慕道友1500多人。
注：本文为特约/自由撰稿人文章，作者系福建福州一教会信徒。
福建省漳州市平和县南胜堂简史
The Reformed Church in China, 1842–1951, contains quite some image materials gathered by Chris White, a foreign professor at Xiamen University's School of Economics, during his research into the history of southern Fujian, which required several transnational travels at his own expense. Over a century ago, Dr. John Abraham Otte, the creator of Hope and Wilhelmina Hospital, took these pictures in several villages in Nansheng Township, Pinghe County.
From 1321 to 1323 (a period in the Yuan Dynasty of China), Nansheng Township in Pinghe County, Zhangzhou City, Fujian Province, served as Jiannansheng County's government seat. Taoism and Buddhism are the traditional beliefs in this historic town, while Protestantism has only been introduced to Nansheng for over a century.
Following the entrance of the Reformed Presbyterian Church of North America in Xiamen in February 1842, Mr. Chen Gaoshan from Baxianzhuo Village and Mr. Hu Qishui from Xialiu Village introduced Christianity from Chaitoupu, Wenfeng, to Nansheng, Pinghe, in 1874. The initial gathering place was set in Baxianzuo Village, which later moved to the streamside of Xiawei City, where the Nanshengwei Preaching Station was established as the congregation grew.
Before the founding of the preaching station, in 1870, the Methodist Episcopal Church established the Jingzaiwei Church in Wuzhai Township, Pinghe County. Later, in 1883, Nansheng and Jingzaiwei churches combined to form "Jingnan Church."
Back then, medical staff and missionaries from the Hope and Wilhelmina Hospital often preached in the Xiumei Building in Xialong Village, Nansheng Township. After more than a century, a local photography lover of the town landscape in Nansheng Township captured color images of the building and reported in the Minnan Daily: "According to Hu Qingshui, an 89-year-old who lives in the (Xiumei) Building, there is a family in the building that follows Christianity. During his childhood, he once heard about foreign missionaries’ visiting the building.“
Since its founding, Nansheng Church's congregation had increased to more than a thousand by the time the People's Republic of China was established. There were two Sunday services in the morning and afternoon, with 200 to 300 people attending, making it one of the churches with the largest attendance on Sunday in Pinghe County at the time.
To commemorate its 100th anniversary in 1992, Nansheng Church planned to create a three-story building to serve as a preaching and reception room in place of the three decaying bungalows in front of the old church.
Nowadays, the Nansheng Church’s congregation is increasing, including thousands of believers and over 1,500 seekers.
(The article was originally published by the Gospel Times and the author is a Christian in Fuzhou, Fujian.)
- Translated by Poppy Chan
Centennial Town Church in Zhangzhou, Fujian
