English Machine Translation of http://www.rusca.ru/ocrumaterials03.htm To a problem of distribution of Orthodoxy among Chinese in Russian empire * K.I.N. V.G.Datsyshen Krasnoyarsk An interesting problem in history of Orthodoxy in the East is distribution of christianity among Chinese ** in territory of Russia. In second half XIX century there were, apparently, favorable conditions for creation of the Chinese orthodox community. This was promoted by a number of factors: Russian Orthodox church had experience of missionary work both in China, and among peoples of the Far East of Russia; due to missionaries-Catholics the Chinese Christian communities have appeared in Manchuria and Xinjiang; Russian state has declared a christening as an obligatory condition of acceptance of Chinese in the Russian citizenship; specificity of the Chinese mentality and religious system of peoples of the Far East did not create serious barriers to real or formal acceptance of christianity. Despite of these favorable factors, in the East of Russia of the Chinese orthodox community has not developed, that has led to occurrence of false representation about hopelessness of orthodox missionary activity among Chinese. At close examination of the set forth above factors it is visible, that they could not render serious beneficial effect on process of creation of an orthodox Chinese community. The Russian Spiritual Mission in Beijing practically was not engaged in actually missionary activity. Only during 16-th Mission headed Flavianom, (1878-1884) For the first time began divine service in the Chinese language, and the first Chinese has been imposed in priests. With Russian Catholics in External China practically had no contacts before revolt ihetuanej in 1900. Russian authorities and a society did not welcome acceptance by Chinese of the Russian citizenship, and Orthodoxy did not define the given problem. As to mentality Chinese accepted Orthodoxy, as well as other values and attributes of other world when considered, that in that world is to them better, than houses, and there accept them. But in Russia, by virtue of economic, political and prirodno-climatic conditions, Chinese seldom saw advantages before the native land. After some shy attempts of the organization of missionary and cultural and educational work among " zazejskih the manchurian " in 60th years of XIX century, the Church did not undertake attempts of purposeful work among the Chinese population in Russia. Missionary societies were not engaged in it, has not been organized for work among Chinese of special missions or missionary stanov. The main obstacle for mass (even and formal) acceptances by Chinese of Orthodoxy in Russia was the requirement of refusal not only of traditional values, but also external Chinese attributes. For example, when per 1902 the application on acceptance in Russian citizenship the Chinese married to the Chinese woman has submitted, the general-governor has rejected the application, having answered, that under the law to accept it is possible only those Chinese who will accept Orthodoxy and " Russian customs " [i]. The example of known businessman Tifontaja is indicative. It did not accept originally Orthodoxy because in 1888 general-governor A.N.Korf has caused acceptance of christianity by trimming kosy. Tifontaj was afraid to incur heavy losses in trade in China and it asked to allow to be christened without trimming kosy, that to it have not resolved. It christened children, and for the works has been awarded with a medal " on department of orthodox creed " [ii.] On the Far East in second half XIX century there were cases of acceptance by Chinese of Orthodoxy, but it was done by those who accepted Russian way of life and usually entered marriages with Russian women. For example, the Chinese in settlement Cedar Ussurijskogo the Cossack army of 20 years has lived with kazachkoj, has accepted its surname, since 1891 itself began to count itself the cossack. At the end of XIX century about Vladivostok was available fanza (farm) kreshchenogo Chinese Zharikov. It is necessary to note, Chinese, as a rule, at a christening did not pursue the purpose of acceptance of the Russian citizenship. For example, N.P.Sunfu has accepted Orthodoxy in the middle of 80th years, and it has received the Russian citizenship only in March, 1900 when the question on citizenship has been lifted at the device of the son in a grammar school. Chinese citizen G.P.Podobin was christened in Khabarovsk in 1890, but the invitation to an oath after acceptance in citizenship has received only in 1899. It agrees to the data of researcher E.I.Nesterovoj [iii], orthodox have named itself about half of the Chinese submitted to second half XIX century the application on acceptance in Russian citizenship. These Chinese accepted Orthodoxy within 10 years of residing in Russia, and then the majority of them within 5 years expressed desire to become Russian citizens. To the beginning of XX century on the Far East have accepted Orthodoxy some tens Chinese. N.E.Nesterov has counted 46 orthodox Chinese in Seaside area, from among submitted the application on acceptance in Russian citizenship [iv]. In the Amur area census of 1897 had been fixed 8 souls (including 5 men) orthodox manchurians, living in Russian villages [v]. Before revolution of 1917 essentially the situation and has not changed. Interesting and insufficiently studied experience of acceptance by Chinese of Orthodoxy is the example of transition in the Russian citizenship of refugees from China in 60th years of XIX century. The part of refugees, 210 families of Kalmyks (739 souls) and 73 families "solon-daurov" (298 souls), have declared desire to accept the Russian citizenship and Orthodoxy [vi]. On other data, 800 person from among penalties-Kalmyks, chahar, daurov, solonov, sibo, and the Chinese who have arrived per 1867 in Dug manchurians, have attributed to village Sarkanskoj [vii.] At this time the idea of the invitation in Russian limits of Chinese-farmers was popular, contemporaries marked: " But for roadside settlements there is a favourable and safe colonization: Chinese, pereshedshimi in edge Semirechensky, and in set accepting Orthodoxy " [viii.] However the given experience of attraction of Chinese in Orthodoxy appeared unsuccessful. In 1885 about 60 families, mainly sibo, ran different ways to China. Among them and prosperous cossacks, even the church head. However the reasons were at all in sphere of religious-ideological or political contradictions. Russian population, to be exact representatives just generated Semirechenskogo the Cossack army, have not wanted to recognize natives of China as equal to. Contemporaries wrote: " In spite of the fact that they were registered on Christians and in all had the equal rights with other population, Russian cossacks, at any opportunity, tried to humiliate them and " a smelly dog " they heard an epithet very much frequently ", even in church [ix]. To the beginning of XX century in adjoining to areas Sintszjanu small groups of the orthodox population, natives of China were registered. However in Turkestan and Steppe edge of Chinese (han and representatives znamennogo estates) constantly or temporarily lived very little. In itself Xinjiang orthodox missionary work it was not carried out. { [ix] } A little bit other picture of distribution of Orthodoxy among Chinese was observed in Siberia, in areas removed from the Chinese borders. The great bulk of Chinese and there was time workers and did not refuse traditional values and a way of life. But the percent of orthodox Chinese here was higher, that was caused by weaker communications with the native land. The first orthodox Chinese are fixed in region from the end of XIX century. Among them were as kreshchennye before arrival to Siberia, and accepted Orthodoxy on a place. After the termination of the Russko-Japanese war to Russia the profit many Chinese serving in Russian armies in Manchuria. For example, Liu-Kit-he *** has lodged in Krasnoyarsk in the house protodjakona and has addressed to the governor with the request of acceptance in Russian citizenship and has expressed desire to accept Orthodoxy [x]. Representatives of the Chinese intelligency settled in Siberia, for the different reasons not desiring to come back home. In January, 1910 the military doctor Nikolay Spiridonovich Van-chaolin marrying then on the widow of the priest [xi] has accepted a christening. From Arkhangelsk there has arrived to Siberia the native of Shanghai TSaj-ju-ho, on a christening Andrey [xii.] In Siberia, as well as as a whole across Russia (except for boundary settlements), were christened those Chinese who has lived long time among Russian and planned to connect the further life with Russia. Frequently it has been connected to a marriage on Russian women. The given tendency was kept and within Civil war, for example, on May, 25, 1919 in Krestovozdvizhenskoj churches of Irkutsk 9 marriages with Chinese [xiii] have been made out. The typical case is reflected in message Usinskogo of the boundary chief (former mukdenskogo politsmejstera) by A.H.Chakirova: " on May, 15 at me on r. Begrede the Chinese, the eleventh year consisting at me in usluzhenii " [xiv.] Has been christened The data across the central Siberia where the Chinese community always was not numerous are indicative. In the Yenisei province cases of a christening among Chinese were individual, but they were marked everywhere. Chinese citizen Izhan-Chan-Chun, on a christening Vasily Lamidze, besides not knowing Russian, veins in Achinsk. In Minusinsk orthodox Chinese Feodor Andreevich Tundo worked as the translator (Tun De), it come from Beijing. In 1914 in Nizhne-Ingashskoj churches Kanskogo of district the 33-years worker from Shandong, working on lesopilnom a factory of peasant Pastuhova has accepted christening He-chun-baoo. After a christening it has accepted a name Andrey Chenfu. In Achinsk from the beginning of 1916 the 27-years orthodox Chinese from Shandong Andrey Sjuzosin (Sjuj-So-Si) which has taken in the wife 17-oe years A.M.Bojchenko lived. In 1916 in province of veins 39 years orthodox Chinese-dealer Chi-Zun-du with the Russian wife. Most of all orthodox Chinese, obviously, lived in Irkutsk that was caused by specificity of structure of the population and culture in this city. Documents of 1905 have fixed Chinese citizen Lju-juj-si (in a christening Vasily Ivanov). In 1914 in Irkutsk orthodox Chinese were not a rarity, in archive documents of some of them were kept: unskilled worker Lju-chun-laj, on over. To Christening Innokenty, 24 years; Khan Dy Lin on over. To the Christening Sergey, the dealer; Lju-ten-ho Vasily, 25 years, the cook; Jan Tso Po Nikolay, working, 26 years; Van Hun Tin Vladimir Nikolaevich, 28 years, the translator; Van Jing-and, 25 years, the worker [xv]. Many orthodox Chinese in the beginning of XX century lived in Transbaikalian area. Cases when Chinese Alexey Egorovich Korenevsky having the house and family in Ust-Urove lived in village Olochinskoj kreshchenyj were typical. Kreshchennyj the Chinese married on kazachke, lived in Nizhne-Veree. Many orthodox Chinese married on kazachkah, lived in Manchuria where worked as translators for the Chinese officials or salesmen at Russian merchants. There were orthodox Chinese and in Western Siberia. In Tomsk province already on census of 1897 from 7 person, specified as native the Chinese language, two men and the woman have been specified as orthodox [xvi]. The bases to believe, that the question is about dunganah, a little, obviously it there were Chinese. In documents of the beginning of XX century quite often there are the Chinese having Russian names that allows to assume about their accessory to Orthodoxy. However there are examples when Chinese with orthodox names, for example, Nikolay, in the column "creed" specified themselves Buddhists. There are examples when the Chinese has lived some tens years and as itself wrote in documents in Russia, " has got used to Russian customs ", " has got used to Russian people " and " was engaged in peasantry ", but Orthodoxy did not accept [xvii.] The Russian society as a whole indifferently concerned to the facts of acceptance by Chinese of Orthodoxy. Representations took place, that Chinese were christened from mercenary interests, first of all for reception of the consent to a marriage with the Russian woman. Contemporaries wrote: "... In priargunskih settlements not a rarity to see kazachek is married to the rural kupezoj-Chinese who frequently has accepted Orthodoxy, naruzhno, certainly, under the insisting of the bride. Such marriages generally terminate is sad for fine half: rastorgovavshis, kupeza leaves to itself home in CHifu, leaving in a consolation to the time girlfriend prizhityh with it of children " [xviii]. Presence of significant number kreshchennyh Chinese in a frontier strip, besides supporting close contacts to the Chinese boundary officials, periodically caused alarm in Russian authorities. In the spring of 1908 the chief of Nerchinsko-factory district reported the military governor of Transbaikalian area: " From its part I report, that the big harm to us and the big advantage to Chinese will be brought by those kreshchennye Chinese who live in ours priargunskih settlements and the some people even are married on kazachkah " [xix]. It suggested all kreshchennyh Chinese to move to Manchuria and to not start up on border. Negatively known scientist V.K.Arsenyev concerned to orthodox Chinese on the Far East, marking: " I never saw obrusevshego the Chinese, I saw kreshchennyh Chinese, but not obrusevshih ". Whether - tan-kuj it resulted as an example kreshchenogo the Chinese (Alexey Gorshkova) known for punishments above nanaians [xx.] { [xx] } { [xix] } In the areas remote from border such moods expressed less often. The christening did not bear seen political benefits, more often Chinese even in some years after acceptance of Orthodoxy could not or were not going to accept the Russian citizenship. In Siberia cases of acceptance of Orthodoxy the Chinese-unskilled workers remaining further single were not rare. Not only the population, but also authorities did not see any distinction between orthodox and other Chinese. For example, Chinese Vasily Ivanov during war with Japan 1904-1905 " has been moved from city of Irkutsk in limits of the European Russia under the order of the Main Chief of Edge, as zheltolitsyj " [xxi.] Thus, considering a problem of acceptance of Orthodoxy Chinese in Russian empire, it is possible to draw some conclusions. Cases of a christening of Chinese were not so are rare, as it is usually represented. Orthodoxy Chinese more often accepted, predpolagavshie to marry the Russian woman and for a long time to remain in Russia, but not it is not enough among them was both single, and keeping communications with the native land. Among orthodox Chinese there were representatives of the most different layers of the Chinese community - contractors, unskilled workers, dealers, representatives of intelligency. Chinese at acceptance of Orthodoxy were guided by the most different incentive motives. The reasons concerning weak distribution of Orthodoxy among Chinese in Russian empire were almost full absence of support of it on the part of Orthodox church and the state, preservation of strong communications Chinese othodnikov with the native land and the Chinese culture, and also unwillingness of Russian society prinjatja Chinese in the environment and integration with the Chinese culture. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ** Chinese are meant concept not all natives from territory of China (chzhungozhen), but also not only representatives of a nationality han, and all carriers of traditional Chinese culture and religious system. *** Names of Chinese are given in the original document. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- [i] the Russian state historical archive of the Far East (RGIA DV). O.1. Ii.1. D. 5757. [ii] RGIA DV. F. 702. Op. 1. D. 158. L. 6. [iii] Nesterov E.I. Chinese in Primorski Krai: some aspects of social adaptation (kon. XIX - nach. XX centuries) // Adaptation of ethnic migrants in Primorski Krai in XX century - Vladivostok, 2000. [iv] In the same place. With. 78. [v] Patkanov S.Opyt of geography and statistics of Tungus tribes of Siberia. ch. II. SPB., 1906. With. 17. [vi] Russian state military-historical archive (RGVIA). F. 400. Op. 1. D. 105. L. 38. [vii] Zakrzhevsky R.Kratky a sketch of northern slope Dzungarian Ala Tau // the Note of Western-Siberian department IRGO. Kn. XV. Vyp. I, Omsk, 1893. With. 23. [viii] Severtsov N.Puteshestvija on Turkestani edge. SPb., 1873. With. 94. [ix] Zakrzhevskij R. Tsit. soch. With. 25. [x] the State archive of Krasnoyarsk region (GAKK) F. 595. Op. 7. D. 253. [xi] GAKK. F. 595. Op. 3. D. 1733. [xii] GAKK. F. ?-1813. Op. 1. D. 61. L. 61. [xiii] Romanov N.S.annals of city of Irkutsk for 1902-1924. Irkutsk, 1994. With. 352. [xiv] the State archive of Irkutsk area (GAIO). F. 25. Op. 11. D. 26. L. 32. [xv] GAIO. F. 91. Op. 2. D. 1965. [xvi] the First general population census of Russian empire by 1897 LXXIX.Oiineay province. 1904. With. 75-78. [xvii] GAKK. F. ?-49. Op. 3. D. 19. L. 523. [xviii] Bolotov A.A. Amur and his pool. Harbin, 1925. With. 12. [xix] GAIO. F. 25. Op. 11. D. 16. L. 104 about. [xx] Arsenyev V.K. Chinese in Ussuriisk edge. Khabarovsk, 1914. With. 196. [xxi] GAIO. F. 32. Op. 8. D. 462. L. 1.