The introduction of Christianity into China can be traced back to the Nestorian Christianity of Taitai in the Tang Dynasty. In 635 AD (the ninth year of Zhenguan in the Tang Dynasty), the Syrian missionary Aluoben came to Chang'an, the capital of the Tang Dynasty, along the Silk Road. Taizong sent Prime Minister Fang Xuanling to greet him in person in the suburbs. He asked him to enter the palace to inquire about the teachings in detail. Aluoben submitted He read the Bible and icons and explained the purpose of his mission. In order to further understand his faith, Taizong asked him to go to the royal library to translate classics. Three years later, Emperor Taizong issued an edict to allow Nestorianism to spread in China and ordered a church to be built in Chang'an to house Nestorian priests.
Nestorianism is the Chinese translation name of Nestoriaans, a sect of early Christianity. Because this sect insisted on taking into account the integrity of both the divinity and humanity of Christ, in 431 AD Years were condemned as heretics. However, this sect was greatly welcomed in Persia and spread to many areas in central Asia. In 635 AD, the Syrian bishop Aroben of this sect came to Chang'an, the then capital of China, and was warmly received by the Chinese emperor. The emperor also asked him to stay in Chang'an to translate the Bible. Three years later, the emperor allowed him to preach, provided financial support, and built a church for him, which was known as the "Persian Temple" at the time, thus beginning the first 200-year period of the spread of Christianity in China.
Several Chinese emperors after the 7th century AD implemented preferential treatment policies for Nestorian Christianity. Basically every province has established Nestorian temples and developed many believers. However, the development of Nestorianism in China for more than 200 years has aroused dissatisfaction from other religions, and Buddhism and Taoism have attacked it. In 845 AD, Emperor Wuzong of the Tang Dynasty decided to attack Buddhism. At the same time, because the Tang Dynasty government lost its tolerance for foreign cultures, Nestorianism and other foreign religions suffered a devastating blow. According to a document recorded in 980 AD, there was only one Nestorian Christian in China at that time, and Christianity disappeared in China for hundreds of years.
But I recently saw this on the Internet:
China News Service, Xuzhou, June 23rd: When was Christianity introduced to China? A mirror with Christian gospel inscriptions from the Han Dynasty was discovered in Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province. The discovery of this mirror may have brought forward the introduction of Christianity to China by nearly 400 years.
The theory that Christianity was introduced during the Eastern Han Dynasty has been reported in mainland China in recent years. Due to the lack of historical written records, it has been in the stage of research on historical documents. Xuzhou cultural relics expert Mr. Ma Huanshuo said that based on a comprehensive analysis of the shape, decoration, inscription content and other factors of this bronze mirror, the mirror should be made in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and the lower limit should not be later than the Cao Wei Dynasty, which is between 200 and 300 AD. years. After the discovery of this mirror, Christianity will be introduced into China earlier. Because the "China Stele of the Popularity of Nestorianism in the Great Qin Dynasty", which was only discovered in Xi'an before, records the historical fact that Christianity was introduced to China in the ninth year of Zhenguan (635 AD) by Emperor Taizong of the Tang Dynasty.
This mirror is owned by Ma Huanshuo’s student Wang Shi, who is a private collector of bronze mirrors. I recently obtained this mirror from a collection event. After painstaking research, Ma Huanshuo discovered the secret of this bronze mirror. Mr. Ma called this bronze mirror the "Han Dynasty Christian Gospel Inscription Mirror". It is 13.4 centimeters in diameter, has a garden button, a plain garden button base, and is decorated with two thin lines and string patterns on the outside. Ma Huanshuo explained to reporters the meaning of the inscription on the bronze mirror: "This magical mirror was made to honor and worship the unique God. The Virgin Mary witnessed that Jesus Christ is the only son of God, and he is as majestic as an emperor. Anyone who is determined to do so Whoever believes in him must do it again, must do it again."