"Accommodation and compromise in the contact zone : Christianity and Chinese culture in modern Hong Kong literature" / Yang Yi 楊一.

Religions 15 (2024).

This article belongs to the Special Issue Expressions of Chinese Christianity in Texts and Contexts: In Memory of Our Mentor Professor R. G. Tiedemann (1941–2019).

Local access dig.pdf [Yang-Accommodation and Compromise.pdf]

Abstract:

Situated in the unique historical context of Hong Kong—a contact zone between East and West—this study explores how Christianity’s introduction through British colonialism and missionary efforts has intertwined with and influenced Chinese cultural traditions. By examining selected works of Xu Dishan and Chen Zanyi, this study reveals the dynamic negotiations of identity and values between these two cultural and religious traditions. These literary works not only depict the complexities of cultural hybridity but also provide insights into the evolving nature of cultural identity in Hong Kong, illustrating how global religions and local traditions can merge and transform each other. This study contributes to understanding the intricate dance of religious exchange, conflict, and compromise in Hong Kong’s cross-culture setting, suggesting that such literary explorations can bridge Christianity with the socio-economic, cultural, and historical fabric of Chinese society.

Founded in 1849, St John's Cathedral is the oldest, neo-gothic cathedral in East Asia and China's oldest surviving, still-operating Anglican church. In its early decades, the cathedral was the center of Hong Kong colonial life. Today, it has drawn in other Hong Kong communities, becoming a truly international church with services in several languages. This first comprehensive history of St John's traces the cathedral's role as a colonial parish church and as a bishop's seat for a diocese stretching across China and beyond. It also discusses St John's significance as a center of modern worship.

Foreword / by Paul Kwong -- Introduction -- Genesis, 1841-1850 -- Imperial parish, 1850-1873 -- Quiescence and struggle, 1873-1906 -- The search for substance, 1902-1927 -- The making of a cathedral, 1927-1941 -- Out of darkness, 1941-1953 -- Shedding colonialism, 1953-1976 -- Towards an international church, 1976-1992 -- Into the 'Chinese century' -- Appendices -- 1. List of Chaplains, Deans and Bishops -- 2. List of Stipendiary Assistant Chaplains and Chaplains -- Notes -- Bibliography -- Index.

Also available via Gleeson Library.
Local access dig.pdf. [Wolfendale-St.Johns Cathedral HK.pdf]