Study on Christian Stone Architecture of Song and Yuan Dynasties in Quanzhou

Abstract:

During the Song and Yuan Dynasties, with the increasing flourished overseas transportation, large numbers of foreign merchants swarmed into Quanzhou, bringing rich exotic cultures and religions, including Nestorian Christianity and Franciscan Christianity. Christian stone architecture began to emerge in Quanzhou. A general understanding of the spread of Christianity at that time can be obtained through the analyses of the existing Christian stone tombs, gravestones and debris of stone buildings in Quanzhou. Since Christianity was not truly supported by the locals in Quanzhou during the Song and Yuan Dynasties, the waves of foreign merchants left Quanzhou due to the tumultuous wartimes in the late Yuan Dynasty and the xenophobic atmosphere in the early Ming Dynasty resulted in the rapid decline of Christianity and Christian stone architecture.

• Periodical: Advanced Materials Research (Volumes 671-674)
• Pages: 2318-2323
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMR.671-674.2318
• Online since: March 2013
• Authors: Ai Bin Yan, Hui Zhong Bin
• Keywords: Christianity, Franciscans, Nestorianism, Quanzhou, Stone Architecture

References

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DOI: 10.1111/j.1095-9270.1992.tb00345.x

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