The Luminous Religion: How was Christianity Translated into Chinese?

China is known for three major faith traditions: Buddhism, Daoism, and Confucianism. Did you know that there has also been a Christian presence in China since A.D. 635? Alongside traded goods, Christianity traveled into East Asia via the Silk Road. Persian monks from what is now Iraq, Syria, and Iran gained the support of Emperor Taizong and began an extensive missionary effort centered in China’s ancient capital, Chang’an.

Thanks to archaeological evidence, scholars know that this community of Christian believers prospered. Ancient texts discovered in the Dunhuang caves and a massive stone artifice called the Xi’an Stele preserved the rich theological tradition of this Christian community. These archaeological finds also document the methods the Syriac-speaking Persian monks used to translate Christian concepts and ideas into the Chinese language and culture.

In this presentation, Duffy Fellow Anastasia McGrath, FCRH ’21, will examine the lexicological meaning behind the translation methods employed in these early Chinese Christian texts and inscriptions. This critical linguistic examination will bring to life the world of medieval China and this unique era of forgotten history. McGrath studied international political economy and Mandarin.

This is a Duffy Fellows program event.