Queshi Christian Church

Queshi Christian Church

Queshi Christian Church is a cultural heritage site protected at the provincial level in Guangdong Province.

The Queshi Christian Church is located in Queshi Community, Queshi Subdistrict, Haojiang District, Shantou City. It was built in 1860 when the American Baptist Church relocated from Matsu Islet to Queshi, marking the beginning of foreign missionary activity in the area, and is still in use as a church today.

The Queshi (pronounced "què") Christian Church is located on Queshi Mountain in Shantou, Guangdong. The name “Queshi” means “rocky land by the sea.” Dong Biwu once wrote a poem: “Gazing across the sea at Queshi, I see towering, rugged peaks; beyond the ocean lies a place of abundant beauty,” specifically praising the mountain’s scenery. After more than 80 years of transformation, the church stands amidst the blending of sea and sky, surrounded by greenery, narrating the history of Christianity in the Chaoshan region.

The church was completed in 1930, originally named the “70th Anniversary Memorial Church of the Lingdong Baptist Convention.” In 1958, it was renamed to its current title. The Queshi Church is renowned for its unique architecture. Its design combines elements of traditional Chinese architecture—especially those of the Lingnan region—with Western church features (such as reinforced frame structures and stained-glass windows), making it a chapel that perfectly blends Chinese and Western styles.

The church’s roof features a traditional Chinese hip-and-gable roof with double eaves, covered with green glazed tiles and adorned with dougong brackets and upturned eaves. The main entrance porch is supported by six granite columns, while the main structure and porch adopt the Western Doric column style.

Three purely Western-style stone-framed arched doorways represent the Christian doctrine of the Holy Trinity. According to Reverend Qiu Zhentai of Queshi Church, the three-tiered Chinese roof and the six porch columns also subtly reflect the ancient Chinese symbolism of “three-three” (life and continuity) and “six-six” (limitless abundance), exemplifying typical Lingnan architectural style.

The church’s exterior walls are built from locally quarried granite slabs, designed with considerations for acoustics, lighting, and ventilation. The windows and door frames feature Western architectural styles, decorated with stained glass imported from the United States. The roof and interior beams and pillars are made of high-quality, termite-resistant timber originally imported from Europe. Despite being over 80 years old, they remain in excellent condition.

Historically, Queshi Church served as the center of the Lingdong Baptist Convention. As early as 1860, the American Baptist Church appointed Rev. James E. Talmage as a special envoy to oversee missionary work in Shantou. In 1863, he established churches across Shantou, including Queshi Church. Initially built on Greater Queshi as a simple single-story house, it later relocated to Lesser Queshi in 1930 due to growing congregation numbers and limited space, becoming the church we see today.

Soon after its establishment, Queshi Church began founding schools and hospitals, contributing to the development of education and healthcare in Shantou at the time. For example, in 1873, it officially opened the “Mingdao Women’s School,” the first women’s school in East Asia, pioneering women’s education in the region. The medical clinic founded in 1878 marked the beginning of the church’s medical services. Over time, it expanded significantly, training a large number of doctors and nurses proficient in Western medicine.

The church’s activities were interrupted after the Japanese occupation of Shantou in 1939, with both the school and hospital forced to close and the church unable to operate normally. It wasn’t until after the founding of New China that normal religious activities resumed. In 1952, the church hired Rev. Huang Honglie to lead its work, embarking on a path of self-governance, self-support, and self-propagation, as well as patriotism. The annual conference of the Lingdong Baptist Convention also resumed at Queshi Church. In 1958, during the citywide unification of church services, Queshi Church was retained as one of three churches and renamed accordingly.

Queshi Community: Introduction to Queshi Community

Queshi Community is located in the southern part of Shantou City and is a purely residential community, with a permanent population of 1,379. The community has 22 Party members, 5 staff members, including 4 members of the two committees.

4 people.

The community is divided into two areas: Greater Queshi and Lesser Queshi. Greater Queshi mainly includes Hongcuo Street's Left First, Second, and Third Lanes, Straight Street, Seaside Road, and “Doctor’s Top,” serving as the hub for commerce and transportation in Queshi. Lesser Queshi, built later than Greater Queshi and covering a smaller area, is commonly referred to as “Houshan Ding Queshi Zai,” hence its name. In 2007… Detailed information about Queshi Community++

Further Reading:

· Ninth Batch of Guangdong Provincial Cultural Heritage Protection Units