China is a country of evolving cultural legacies and economic destinies. Weaved within this tapestry of modernization are the threads of Christianity and its fluctuating influence. One of the most unique examples of this Western religion takes place in a historic coastal city that has long been overshadowed.

The Chinese city of Dalian has gone by many names in the past one hundred years. Each title was in preference to the language used by the colonial society or occupation force that administrated the city, from Great Britain to Russia to Japan to the Soviet Union, and then finally native China. As a military port and commercial hub, Dalian was a strategic location in three foreign wars and the national civil war.

From its formal foundation in 1898, Dalian was a center for cultural exchanges. Its Christian community thrived for generations, with ties to Europe, America, and Japan. During the years of social turmoil within China, churches where closed and their congregations scattered. Yet that spiritual faith remained. These centers for worship have been restored and their congregations attract growing numbers of Chinese Christians. Dalian is also one of the few cities in China to have preserved Christian cemeteries for foreigners.

Most of these historical records and pictures have been lost, and what survives exists with little knowledge or attention. Therefore, this project will create a definitive reference source of materials that is both educational and personal.

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Tags: art, China, Dalian, discover, photo, SongLi, tour, virtual