Author Olga Courto
The history of modern northern China, or Manchuria as the Russian called this territory, is inextricably linked with Russia. The fate of two countries is linked by the Chinese Eastern Railway (KVZhD in Russian). Torn apart by the colonial powers, China has adopted a decision to cooperate with Russia. Knowing the Russian need for an ice-free port, Chinese authorities have decided to give Russia the territory from its northern border to Port Arthur [present day Lushun] for the long-term lease. As a result, Tsar Nicholas II and viceroy Li Hongzhang of Imperial China who arrived in Russia, signed a treaty for the construction of the KVZhD - the road that was intended to connect the city of Chita and freezing port of Vladivostok to Port Arthur [1]. By agreeing to the construction, the Chinese received investment from Russia (for construction of the KVZhD, the Russian treasury has generated 500 million), and protection from the Japanese (to protect Port Arthur and the city of Dalny [present day Dalian] arrived fifty thousand Army Corps). Moreover, Russian founded a strategically important city of Harbin. Planned by a talented architect Adam Shidlovsky, the city in the XXI century also is developing by the project, designed for hundreds of years ahead. And engineering thought of Prince Michael Hilkov, who worked on the construction of KVZhD, still does not know any analogs in the world. For example, a triple loop of railroad in the region of Greater Khingan allows to reduce the speed of a moving train to the required speed [2].
Time passed. Russia shuddered under horror of the revolution. The fate of thousands of people was crippled by Civil War. It affected also KVZhD. Gotten by such a high price, the road along with more than forty thousand personnel were not needed anymore. And with them were not needed dozens of Russian-built villages (Dragotsenka, Popiraj, High-Cooley, small village Caravan). But Manchuria did not abandon Russians. Thousands of Russian fled here from the cruelty of the Red Terror. Some of them, upon arriving in Harbin, hurried to move to Shanghai, from where hundreds of ships took Russians to Australia, Paraguay, Brazil - where it seemed they could find peace and happiness. Some Russians when the Communist Party came to China went back to Russia, where "the non executed whites" were given their sentences, often more than one. And others - settled on the Chinese territory. These were the remnants of Kolchak's, Ungern's, Semenov's armies, and also priargunsky's Cossacks who came here once upon a time. The representatives of the latter, third group formed in China, the new minority - Russian.
Till the end of the 1960s in China, lived the old, pre-revolutionary Russia. Without exaggeration we can say that the development of north-east China is beholden mainly to Russians. We have brought here the elegance of architecture, cutting-edge science and technology, music, painting, ballet, literature. Ruthlessly destroying today in Harbin Russian architectural heritage, the Chinese deny the city of uniqueness and diversity, transforming it into a faceless town of glass and concrete. In addition, the main decoration of the whole of Manchuria certainly was the temples, where thousands of Russian people found comfort and solace. During the Cultural Revolution, virtually all of them were razed to the ground, the ones that survived - were desecrated. This state, with our acquiescence persists to this day.
And about 10 years ago on the territory of present China's Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia in the city of Labdarin a miracle happened - the Chinese authorities had built an Orthodox church in honor of St. Innocent of Irkutsk. This event is historically remarkable, because earlier on the territory of the so-called "Trehrechja"(Three Rivers) Russian have built 19 churches and 1 monastery, destroyed by order of the Chinese leadership during the Cultural Revolution. Saving icons from the nightmare of the 1960s people buried them in the ground, daring to reach them only two decades later [3]. However, the Russian villages, cut off from their roots, all these years, continued to live, preserving their traditions and faith. It is under pressure from the local Russian inhabitants that the atheistic Chinese leaders agreed to build a temple. It remains a wonder how people deprived of priestly support and any other spiritual support were able not only to harden their heart during the years of deprivation, but also to preserve the Orthodox tradition, to fast and keep the family icons. With God's help, the situation began to change. And now again Russia is trying to help the Orthodox flock in China. However, to provide this assistance has turned out to be very difficult.
Constructing the building of the temple, the Chinese leadership did not allowed to bring from Russia the iconostasis. Only four years after the completion of the building the iconostasis was allowed to pass through the customs post on the Russo-Chinese border. It would seem that the case was moving forward. But … the temple was still closed. What are the reasons? Not clear.
Once again, a miracle happened. On August 30, 2009 at 8 am Beijing time, avoiding all the obstacles and difficulties, the doors of the temple opened for worship, and an elderly Fr Michael has glorified the name of the Lord at the Divine Liturgy. Fr Michael in his 86th year of age probably is the last person in China, who is still allowed to conduct services in Orthodox churches of the country. In China Russian priests are not liked. Even the young Chinese, who had been educated in Russian seminaries, are not permitted to serve by the decision of the government.
The joy of the Russian population in China knew no boundaries! But this joy was overshadowed by the environment, in which the first service in nearly half a century was conducted in Trehreche. Two days before the opening of the temple, no one was sure that this will happen. Opening date was kept secret. Three days before the opening of the temple it was filled with mountains of debris (for 10 years they did not have time to make repairs!), and the workers were rejoicing by darting from the church windows to the yard. Personally, I learned about the opening of the church in secret, promising to keep the source anonymous. In general, the Chinese leadership clearly did not want anyone from the "non-Chinese" Russians to learn about it.
The divine service itself also reminded a play. The fact that Fr Michael, quite old, not very healthy, was brought from Shanghai, though on such a joyous occasion not to attend the service, but to carry it out, is somewhat surprising. At the same time the service was attended by the archpriest, dean of the community of St. Apostles Peter and Paul in Hong Kong Fr Dionisy Pozdnyaev, who would not be allowed to participate in the service as a representative of another country. One of the three individuals, who participated in the commission of worship, was a man who practically did not know the liturgical rubrics. A Chinese man Sasha came to Russia to learn Russian, several times visited the temple and became a believer. In itself, this event is very happy, but was he baptized?
The area around the temple was cordoned off by police and the countless number of men in stern suits. They stood on the perimeter of the church, both inside and outside, as well as in a ring around the entrance to the temple. Several people with photo camcorders and cameras carefully photographed all who went in and out of the temple. They were photographed several times and from different angles, from near and afar. Moving away from the temple, I noticed how from the cars parked nearby, through a crack of slightly open tinted glass the camera lens looked at me. Russian woman, fluent in the language, was talking to the Fr Dionisy. But how did she learn about the opening of the church? One by one and together, different people approached me, asking my name, address, place of study, and asked to write it all down on paper. And then other people came and asked: "So your name is so and so? And you are from there? "At the window, closest to the altar, stood a serious-looking man, and every time when Fr Michael went to the altar part of the temple, bend in half and looked to the Southern gate, checking, apparently, that he does not manufacture there an explosive device. Doubly amusing was to meet among the "men in civilian clothes", those who every Sunday you could see in the Pokrov church in Harbin who were unique and especially "dedicated" parishioners. During the service "to people in civilian clothes" women, apparently, secretaries, brought some printouts, after which the structure of the placement of staff in the temple changed.
The service itself lasted for two hours. Fr Michael in his whole appearance inspired the congregation to be strong and stable, although it was obvious how hard it was for him to stand on his feet, how he stumbled, going to the altar, and nearly dropped the chalice, how difficult it was for him to read the texts of worship. It was difficult. But parishioners were happy, no matter what! They were only bothered that they have not been able to bring from Russia a large crucifix! After the service Fr Michael was given the text of the official speech, and he, in the spirit of the party meeting, thanked everyone for attending and expressed hope for peace and friendship between countries. Then at the entrance to the temple another official part took place. Bright red bows were attached to participant's clothes; China's leaders made solemn speeches, from the church plaque they removed its covering fabric and made a common "party" photograph.
Applause. Recent photos with Fr Michael and Fr Dionisy. The doors of the temple were closed. The congregation began to disperse. And Chinese workers hurriedly rolled up a joyous poster about the opening of the temple. The opening ceremony of the temple was carried out at a high level and in a civilian mode.
And temple? But whether the temple will be now open for parishioner's access - is not clear. Perhaps … On Sundays … The authorities have not decided yet! And will there be services conducted in the church? Definitely not! There is no priest in China. Fr Michael is too old and Russian priests are not allowed. So it happened that people who came to the temple in the hope of receiving communion and to baptize children, again left the church with nothing. It is surprising that even in an atmosphere of secrecy after the service, more than 80 people came to venerate the cross. So they learned of the opening of the temple! They came! Only "zealous" Harbin parishioner Vasya, who somehow found himself among "people in civilian clothes", told me that the temple is not needed, because the congregation is small.
Bibliography:
[1]Sizov M. "Handful of Russian earth" / newspaper "Faith" - "Eskom"; 12.08.2004./ http://www.pravoslavie.ru/arhiv/5254.htm
[2] Rylsky V. "On the Russian cemetery in Harbin" / http://www.bgpu.ru/almanah/2003/3_72.html
[3] Pozdnyaev D. "Three days in Trehrechja" / January 28, 2001/Pravoslavie.ru