{"id":8296,"date":"2024-03-19T20:32:40","date_gmt":"2024-03-19T20:32:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/?p=8296"},"modified":"2024-03-28T18:52:50","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T18:52:50","slug":"christianizing-the-chinese-family","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/christianizing-the-chinese-family\/","title":{"rendered":"Christianizing the Chinese Family"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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With the use of Christian Posters, multiple organizations attempted to Christianize the Chinese\u00a0families who\u00a0might be interested in them. In this case, the Christianization of a family is when a Christian group attempts to have the average Chinese family take on values and practices they find more desirable. While Christianization occurred in every place where Christianity spread, it was particularly prominent in China, as\u00a0there\u00a0were many values and practices Christian organizations\u00a0wanted\u00a0families\u00a0to do, and some they wanted to change. The posters shown below are some of the ways many Christian organizations try and Christianize families, from changing how families act to changing cultural traditions.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The poster to the right, titled \u201cThe Secret of a Christian Family Lies in Behavior,\u201d shows a Chinese family becoming Christianized through\u00a0their\u00a0practices. It highlights the idea of filial piety and family. The top left image depicts a family discussing marriage with their child, which represents the role parents often have with their children\u2019s marriage. The discussion in this image says that marriage will be influenced by the partner\u2019s character and personality, implying Christian influence. This poster shows viewers that marriage will be done through love and respect, and for no other reason that could cause a marriage. It is important to know that we see depiction of children playing and respecting their seniors, which is a way to show that many cultural beliefs of the Chinese, such as the reverence one should have towards family, should not change.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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We can see similar Christianization in the Nujiang Valley, looking at the Lisu. In chapter 3 of\u00a0<\/span><\/span>The Songs of Lisu<\/span><\/i>, Arrington says that \u201cThe Lisu Christians had already done away with the custom of the bride price, but other matters relating to marriage had yet to be worked out” (Arrington 2020, 72). This excerpt exemplifies how a Christian family uses more Christian beliefs while abandoning their old ones, as the Lisu, and the family seen in this poster, focus less on what marriage could bring oneself and how they used to engage in marriage, and more on what the contemporary, Christian definition of marriage is. This altering of a process that has been done in China for so long represents the Christianization the posters display.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The poster to the right, titled \u201cIndispensable Spirit for Christianizing the Family,\u201d depicts a family acting in different ways a Christian family would. For example, we see a picture in the top right that depicts \u201choly marriage,\u201d and the words in this picture say that they should love each other, get old together, and die together. The images in this poster show families engaged in entertainment and prayer. In the bottom left of this poster is a depiction of a family donating, showing how one should \u201chelp the poor.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jonathan Chao, President of the China Ministries International in Taiwan, said, \u201cOne of the central features of Chinese culture is the centrality of the family. Within the family there is responsibility and care. In this sense there is a kind of community of love based on family relations. However, that love is graded love based on relations, and hence limited. There is no commitment of love outside the family or the guild or a special association” (Chao 2000, 103). Chao tries to make it clear that outside of the traditional Chinese view of family, the love one has for others is less than if they were Christian. While familial love and respect will continue to stay in the family regardless of religion, as it is fundamentally Chinese, helping others and loving thy neighbor is not as incentivized if a family is not Christian. Thus, the poster above makes it clear that being Christian and Christianizing one\u2019s family would involve not only loving thy family but loving and helping everyone.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The poster to the right, titled \u201cChristianize the Family Song,\u201d describes methods of Christianizing the family in the form of a song. In the song, it says one should be monogamous and love and respect thy wife, children should have filial piety, masters and servants are equal under god, families should have good hygiene, one should love thy neighbor, but most importantly, families need to worship.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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In this song, all these tenets are social reforms that many Christian missionaries try and perpetuate in new Christian families. Peter Zarrow, in his chapter \u201cSocial Reform: The Role of Christianity,\u201d said that \u201cMany missionary criticisms of Chinese culture were adopted as Chinese self-criticisms. Both Christian and non-Christian elites believed that public morality rested on improving individual private morality\u201d (Zarrow 2023, 51).\u00a0Zarrow and this poster show that a family does not need to change much in order to Christianize. Even improving private morality, with actions such as filial piety and good hygiene, are ways to do this, and could even <\/span>improve<\/span> one’s public morality. These changes are rooted in Christianity as, according to <\/span>Connie<\/span> Shemo, the connection between Christianity, health, and hygiene <\/span><\/span>has roots in Western medicine (Shemo 2023, 79).<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>

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This poster, titled \u201cChristianize Our Family,\u201d is clear in its intention towards the reader. It shows a family all praying, thinking about god together at one time. The way they pray is by holding their hands together and closing their eyes. The room they pray in is important because of what it lacks \u2013 it lacks any idols, or any ancestral tablets. What it does have is the family all thinking at once, and based on the time, before bed. This is similar to what any Christian family across the world would feel and shows that if one were to Christianize a Chinese family, they are no different from any other Christian family.  <\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Jonathan Chao claimed, in his article, \u201cBut most importantly, Christian thinking needs to be practiced between husband and wife and in relation to the children, in fact in the way they conduct their lives. Christian values will then be transmitted to the children\u201d (Chao 2000, 101). Arguably the simplest way to Christianize the family is to have them worship together, as stated above. This idea is clearly shown in this poster, with the children all thinking the same prayer as the adult in the room, showing that once the parents Christianize themselves, the children will inevitably follow suit.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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In the\u00a0<\/span>poster\u00a0<\/span>to the left titled \u201cChristmas at Home,\u201d it shows a family that has been Christianized. They are celebrating Christmas, which is an effect of Christianity. Also, instead of an ancestral tablet or idol, there is a painting of an angel revealing itself to people. The nearby banners praise God, showing who the family prays to and how, but still showing facets of traditional Chinese culture in its design\u00a0<\/span>and\u00a0how the family worships together, with the eldest leading the guiding the rest.<\/span><\/p>

Multiple posters above show children engaging in activities and <\/span>entertainment\u00a0above. This\u00a0<\/span>poster\u00a0shows them worshipping with their family, which was asserted to be a good method of Christianization. Margaret Mih Tillman made the assertion that by engaging in play, children gain good moral behavior, such as “attending a church drama rather than\u00a0<\/span>resorting\u00a0to alternatives from the non-Christian dominant culture” (Tillman 2023, 97). Looking at this poster, it\u00a0<\/span>becomes\u00a0clear\u00a0<\/span>that\u00a0this family is engaging in Christian festivities and worship rather than any alternative festivals or plays that could be taking\u00a0<\/span>place, showing Christianization.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Overall, its clear that Christianizing the family is caused by no single change in culture or tradition, but rather many small and significant changes. This could involve changing how one engages with marriage, ridding one\u2019s household of ancestral tablets, or simply worshipping Jesus and taking care of oneself. These posters showed what it would look like if a Chinese family were to Christianize.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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The Secret of Christianizing the Family Lies in Behavior<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>

Indispensable Spirit for Christianizing the Family<\/span><\/i><\/a>, National Christian Council of China<\/i><\/span><\/p>

Christianize the Family Song<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>

Christianize Our Family<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>

Christmas at Home<\/span><\/i><\/a><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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Arrington, Aminta. \u201cThe Evangelization of the Nujiang Valley.\u201d <\/span>Songs of the Lisu Hills: Practicing Christianity in Southwest China<\/i>. University Park: Penn State University Press, 2020, 65-92.<\/span>
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Chao, Jonathan. \u201cChristianization of Chinese Culture: An Evangelical Approach.\u201d Transformation<\/i> 17, no. 3, Thousand Oaks: Sage Publications, 2000, 98\u2013104. <\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Shemo, Connie.<\/span> \u201cWomen: Public Health, Hygiene, and Nurses.\u201d <\/span>Visions of Salvation: Chinese Christian Posters in an Age of Revolution, <\/i>e<\/span>d by Daryl Ireland. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2023, 75-88.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Tillman, Margaret Mih. <\/span> \u201cChildhood: The <\/span>Foundation<\/span> for True Health.\u201d Visions of Salvation: Chinese Christian Posters in an Age of Revolution, <\/i>ed.<\/span><\/span><\/span> <\/span>by Daryl Ireland. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2023, 89-109.<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/span><\/p>\n

Zarrow, Peter. \u201cSocial Reform: The Role of Christianity.\u201d Visions of Salvation: Chinese Christian Posters in an Age of Revolution,<\/i> ed. by Daryl Ireland. Waco: Baylor University Press, 2023, 33-51.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

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With the use of Christian Posters, multiple organizatioContinue reading →<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":95,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pgc_meta":"","footnotes":""},"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8296","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","no-thumb"],"meta_box":{"box-catalogue":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8296","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/95"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8296"}],"version-history":[{"count":50,"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8296\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8636,"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8296\/revisions\/8636"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8296"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ccposters.com\/tw\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8296"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}