Guizhou: The Precious Province - Book Review

Hattaway, Paul. Guizhou: The Precious Province. In The China Chronicles: Inside the Greatest Christian Revival in History. London: SPCK, 2018.

Popular author Paul Hattaway (The Heavenly Man; Back to Jerusalem; An Asian Harvest – his autobiography) plans to write one volume on the history of Christianity for each province in China. So far, he has published books on Shandong, Guizhou, Zhejiang, Tibet, and Henan. I have read all of these, and I find them to be not only most informative but also fascinating and deeply moving.

Hattaway’s scholarship is impeccable but unobtrusive, for you are caught up in the thrilling narrative of God’s work among the people of China over the centuries. “My intention is not to present readers with a dry list of names and dates but to bring alive the marvelous stories of how God has caused His kingdom to take root and flourish in the world’s most populated country” (xiii). To put it another way, he simply wants to compile “a record of God’s mighty acts in China” (xiii). In other words, the focus of these books is squarely upon God. For these stories, he has not only read more than a thousand articles and books but has also conducted “hundreds of hours of interviews . . . throughout China, with many testimonies that have never been shared in public” (xiii).

Guizhou: The Precious Province

Each volume opens with a brief description of the province under consideration.

“Guizhou” means “precious province” in Mandarin, but it can also mean “land of demons.” Indeed, the progress of the gospel in this mountainous and rainy province has been fiercely contested by the forces of evil. More than 80 different ethnic groups live in an area the size of Missouri and Oklahoma and larger than England, Wales, and Northern Ireland combined. The population is several times greater than the American states named above and 60 percent of the British kingdoms, however.

Because of the heavy, constant rains and the ubiquitous mountains, Guizhou is “indisputably one of the poorest regions of China” (6). Many people have migrated to other parts of China and countless girls are sold to human traffickers looking for brides to supply the shortage of females caused by the female infanticide and abortion during China’s one-child policy. Centuries of internecine warfare and Han Chinese aggression against the tribal peoples have left deep scars and suspicion toward outsiders.

Hattaway, an expert on China’s minority ethnic groups, pays special attention to the diversity and crucial distinctions within Guizhou’s immensely diverse population. He quotes Revelation 5:9–10 to remind us of the importance of each people group to God.

The growth of the church in Guizhou has not generally been marked by the kinds of massive revivals recorded in the volume about Shandong, but today there are about 2.7 million Christians, representing exponential increases since the Communists took over in 1949, despite all the obstacles and attacks upon Christians.

As in other books in the series, Hattaway traces the story of Christianity decade by decade, interposing chapters dedicated to a particular person or group. This book begins with a look at the mysterious origins of the Miao people, who trace their ancestry back to Adam and whose cultural memory includes a narrative of beginnings closely parallel to the one in Genesis.

Throughout the history of Christianity in China, followers of Christ have endured fierce opposition and, often, cruel persecution. In Guizhou, terrible suffering came upon believers from the beginning and continues to this day. A chief cause of hostility toward Christians was their refusal to participate in ancestor worship rituals and their unwillingness to contribute money to the many idolatrous festivals held throughout the year. In the twentieth century, the government attacked those who would not renounce their faith in Jesus.

Hattaway’s graphic stories are replete with accounts not just of cruel torture and death, but of indomitable courage and a refusal to deny Christ, no matter the cost. He does not spare us the gruesome details; these only serve to highlight the faithfulness of Christians and the power of God to sustain his people through suffering to glory.

Missionaries also suffered harsh and sometimes brutal treatment from Han Chinese literati, who feared that the new religion would diminish their cultural and political power. The first China Inland Mission (CIM) worker to be killed was William Fleming, in 1898, the victim of rumors that the foreigners were smuggling weapons to the tribal people in preparation for a revolt against the Chinese government. False stories about missionaries have continued to cause opposition throughout China, down to present day.

The first evangelical missionaries arrived in 1877 with the coming of CIM missionaries Charles Judd and his brother-in-law, James Broumton. Others from the CIM followed them, including George Clarke, “who proved to be a key instrument in bringing the gospel to the unreached minority groups of southwest China. Clarke’s wife was the first foreign woman to live in Guizhou” (36).

The first converts were women reached by CIM workers Charlotte Kerr and Jane Kidd, who had started a school for girls. They established a clinic to help opium addicts break free. These two methods – primary education and opium clinics – joined evangelism and the distribution of Christian literature as primary means for planting churches.

Hattaway does not only tell the stories of intrepid missionaries, but he brings to light the unknown sagas of Chinese Christians, who were by far the more important agents in the growth of Christianity. Chen Xiguang was the first evangelical believer and the first evangelical Chinese pastor. His story and photo remind us of the transforming power of the gospel. At least a dozen other Chinese Christians are memorialized with both words and pictures in this volume.

Though many believers stood firm despite persecution, the Hmu, who were members of the Miao people, stopped being open to the gospel after government soldiers killed many of their tribe in 1900. Thereafter, they were afraid to associate with foreigners.

Hattaway has a great burden for unreached peoples, including those numbering only a few thousand or even less. With obvious love, he tells the story of the remarkable ministry of CIM missionary James Adam to minority groups. As he got to know the Miao better, Adam noticed differences among them. One tribe, the A-Hmao, cherished an ancient legend that they once had a written language and books in that language, but that these had been destroyed. When Adam learned their language and eventually had the New Testament translated for them, their joy was immense. A powerful revival broke out and many became believers. Later, Samuel Pollard produced a translation in a script that was even easier to read and is used even today.

Within a year, Adam, Pollard, and two other missionaries died. The believers were shaken, but the Miao church survived, and now numbers over 500,000.

Later in the book, he tells us about the Ge, the Hmu, the Nosu, the Bouyei, and the Dong – all considered “Miao” by the Chinese government, but each one with a distinct language and culture. In my opinion, the story of the conversion of thousands of Nosu is alone worth the price of this book.

The 1930s

For several decades, missionaries concentrated their efforts upon these triable groups, who were much more receptive than the Han Chinese. Their outreach to Han Chinese centered upon cities. In the early 1930s, however, God began to work among Han Chinese in isolated villages. When CIM missionary Harry Taylor learned of this, he urged missionaries in the capital city of Guiyang to extend their work to villages. The movement to Christ continued to grow, and was greatly enhanced by the visit of the Bethel Band Mission in 1934.

The Holy Spirit worked through these revivalists to convict multitudes of sin, and to confess these, even the most terrible offenses, in the presence of those whom they had offended. People who had been cold-hearted for years were broken in spirit, crying out to God for forgiveness and receiving profound joy and peace. Churches were revived, families reconciled, and many new people brought to faith in Christ.

Another preaching band that made a powerful impact was composed of five men from three different tribes.

Missionaries were among those who suffered when the Communists traveled through Guizhou on the famous Long March in 1934. Rudolf Bosshardt and Arnolis Hayman were captured and forced to accompany the Reds. Though they had to endure great trials, God preserved their lives.

The 1940s

Hattaway candidly records the ups and downs of church growth in Guizhou, noting that sometimes the Christian witness seems to have almost died out.

Faithful Christians labored on, however, including the sisters of the German Friedenshort Deaconess Mission, who quietly lived among the tribes as associated members of the China Inland Mission. They demonstrated the love of Christ through medical ministry and education for the children of the impoverished tribes. Later, they reached out to lepers. Their mission to the tribes came to an end after 1949, but they had made a profound impact.

Meanwhile, Christians among the A-Hmao tribe held fast. They experienced a breakthrough when they decided to attend the large festivals with their fellow tribesmen and share the gospel with them.

In 1940, after he recovered from his ordeal, Rudolph Bosshardt and his wife returned to serve in Guizhou. They preached the gospel faithfully, seeing much fruit, until they were forced to leave China in 1951.

Nothing daunted, they relocated to Laos, where they worked among Chinese until they had to retire. After his wife’s death, Bosshardt emigrated from Sweden to England, where he founded the Manchester Chinese Christian Church.

By 1949, Christians in Guizhou numbered around 100,000, almost a fivefold increase since 1922.

The 1950s and 1960s

When the Communists came to power, they unleashed upon the Miao Christians the worst persecutions in the history of their much-persecuted church. “At this time, with all foreigners removed from Guizhou a black curtain descended, and for many years little or no news emerged from the Christians in the Precious Province” (149–150).

“Thousands of pastors and devoted believers died because they stood firm in their faith. Additional thousands were sent to prison where they suffered various forms of torture, hard labor and starvation” (150–151).

Despite extremely cruel and harsh persecution, the church in Guizhou survived, and even grew. The Word had been planted deeply and could not be rooted out. Scriptures had been widely distributed, were treasured, and were hidden in secret places until the time would come when the Bible could be read openly again.

The 1970s

“By the early 1970s, China had become a place of misery for the masses. . . In the midst of this harsh environment, the Holy Spirit was still at work in Guizhou, drawing men and women with open hearts to Jesus Christ” (155).

In the face of repeated revivals and the bold stand for Christ made by the Miao believers, murderous persecution fell upon them. On one occasion, hundreds were mowed down by army machine guns during a prayer meeting. Others were imprisoned and tortured. Nevertheless, the church continued to grow.

The 1980s

Persecution continued in the early 1980s, but the numbers of Christians among several different tribes also continued to increase. In a new development, evangelists from a large house church network in central China went to Guizhou to share the gospel. Despite danger and even death, they were able to minister with power.

Although the government-sanctioned Three-Self Church had often betrayed Christians, some churches in Guizhou decided to register with the government. In 1987, a government survey counted 100,000 believers in Three-Self congregations. The unregistered churches had about 250,000 adherents at this time.

The church grew by meeting in homes; praying for the sick and seeing many healed; casting out demons; distributing Bibles; showing love by engaging in works of practical help, such as giving money to the poor and building a road; prayer; and zealous evangelism in the face of fierce opposition.

Letters and pictures

From the beginning of the history of Christianity in Guizhou in the late 1800s, photographs illustrate this fast-paced narrative. We see the faces and dress of tribal people, Han Chinese, and foreign missionaries.

Starting with this chapter, Hattaway includes excerpts of letters from Christians in each province that have come to the outside, often to the Far East Broadcasting Company offices in Hong Kong. These letters run the gamut of joyful faith, to confusion about how to behave as a believer, to intense sadness. Many of them express the desperate need for Bibles and for trained teachers of the Word. They paint a picture of the Christians in China that cannot but move the reader.

The photographs and letters form an essential part of Hattaway’s history and are a major strength of the books in this series. The author has searched archives for older pictures, but he has added to these many more taken with his own camera and reflecting his extensive travels.

The 1990s

“Christianity in many areas of Guizhou continued to flourish throughout the 1990s. The decade saw a further softening in attitudes against the Church compared to the brute force used in previous decades, but life continued to be desperately hard for many tribal believers” (180).

Though the Communist Party strictly forbade its members from becoming Christians, this decade witnessed a large number of cadres joining the church. In another change, Han Chinese and members of other, previously unreached and apparently uninterested tribal groups began to turn to Christ.

Government pressure eased a bit during this time, but materialism started to distract people from spiritual things. Tribal Christians who moved to urban centers for better jobs often found it hard to retain their faith.

Nevertheless, by the end of the century, evangelical Christians in Guizhou were estimated to number 300,000 to 400,000, explosive growth since 1987.

The 2000s “Decade of Harvest”

Beginning in the early 2000s, foreign Christians from the United States, Singapore, Malaysia, and other parts of the world began to travel to Guizhou on short-term mission trips. Through the working of the Holy Spirit, these visits often brought the gospel to places that had never before heard about Jesus, or served to revive existing churches.

Foreigners, usually working through interpreters, shared God’s love in various ways: testimonies, teaching, Bible distribution, Christian literature, evangelistic video and audio resources, and gifts of goods and money. Hattaway reports that the Mo, the Ge, the Shui, and the Dong tribes received the good news about Christ for the first time and responded. Again, these stories demonstrate the power of God in the lives of his people when they are obedient to his leading.

At the same time, visitors were themselves blessed. As they witnessed conversions, heard stories of zeal and martyrdom, and listened to the stunning singing of tribal Christian choirs, they experienced God’s goodness in new ways.

These and previous efforts paid off. By 2010, there were about 2.6 million Christians in Guizhou.

The 2010s: “The Church Pushes Back”

The first five years of this decade were relatively calm for Christians in Guizhou, but bitter suffering was not unknown. Hattaway records several instances and tells of how the Christians began to push back by bringing lawsuits against illegal police actions.

In 2016, a storm was unleashed: After new laws against Christianity were enacted in 2015, “China dramatically reversed its policies, and full-scale persecution of house church Christians broke out in many parts of the country, including Guizhou” (214). The authorities demolished church buildings, threatened to deprive believers of their rights to pensions, and brought immense pressure upon church leaders. Pastors and others faced arrest, imprisonment, beating, and torture.

Nevertheless, the church kept growing, as Christians met in homes and in twos and threes. The Horned Miao (so called because their women wear horns on their heads) and the Hmong Shua experienced an amazing influx of new believers, for example.

“The Future of the Church in Guizhou”

No one knows exactly what will happen, but Hattaway believes that the kingdom of God will never cease its advance among the peoples of Guizhou.

While noting significant advances in the past 150 years, Hattaway concludes by saying that “dozens of small tribes remain isolated from the good news, with many groups containing no known Christians at the present time. The Hmu remain the largest unreached people group in Guizhou. . . [Finally,] less than 8 percent of the population professes to be Christians” (224–225). 

As in all the other volumes of the China Chronicles, an Appendix at the end includes a county-by-county survey of the province, showing how many professing Christians there are in each region. Hattaway explains that he has used the most rigorous and in-depth research to arrive at his numbers, and considers these appendices to be essential features of each book.

 Conclusion

With each installment of the China Chronicles, Paul Hattaway solidifies his position as one of the outstanding scholars of Christianity in China. Though not an academic, he is producing books of high academic value.

Perhaps just as importantly, he writes with clarity, vividness, balance, accuracy, and passion.

G. Wright Doyle