Hou Sangyu Village Catholic Church

Hou Sangyu Village Catholic Church

Hou Sangyu Village Catholic Church is the oldest church preserved in the Beijing area. It is located in Hou Sangyu Village, Zhaitang Town, Mentougou District. During the Yuan Dynasty, foreign missionaries were already practicing medicine and preaching here. The villagers of Hou Sangyu are Catholic believers, which is quite rare in the Beijing area.

Sangyu Village is a place where the entire village follows Catholicism. Before the Ming Dynasty, Sangyu Village was once called “San Yu Village.” Later, due to the dense groves of mulberry trees surrounding the entire village, over time “San Yu Village” evolved into “Sangyu Village.” With the eastward spread of Western religion, a Catholic church appeared in Hou Sangyu. This also marked the origin of the division between front and back sections of Sangyu Village. Later, villagers divided into separate settlements based on differing beliefs, forming what are now known as Qian Sangyu Village and Hou Sangyu Village. In 1979, the two villages were merged into one, collectively referred to as Sangyu Village. However, people seem accustomed to the old names and still refer to them as front and back to this day.

Location

Hou Sangyu Village, Zhaitang Town, Mentougou District, suburban Beijing (near the 929 Bus Branch Junxian Station)