Chengzi Scenic Area on Weizhou Island

Chengzi Scenic Area on Weizhou Island

Chengzi Scenic Area on Weizhou Island is a national AAA-level tourist attraction.

Chengzi Scenic Area is located in Chengzi Village on Weizhou Island. Its core structure, the Church of Our Lady, was built in 1880 by French missionaries over the course of two years. The church features the style and characteristics of a small Gothic church typical of European rural architecture during the French Romantic period, and it is also one of the earlier churches in China’s southern Leizhou/Lianzhou region.

Similar to the Catholic Church in Tongshengtang, the Church of Our Lady in Chengzi is also one of the material evidences of the introduction of modern French Catholic churches to Weizhou. It is a national key cultural relics protection unit. The architectural layout of the Church of Our Lady consists of a three-story square bell tower at the front, followed by a rectangular main hall and a two-story priests' building. The church covers a construction area of approximately 774 square meters and is built using coral stone, clay tiles, and timber. In addition, most of the ancient dwellings in Chengzi Village are constructed from coral stone and volcanic rock, featuring both uniquely Chinese architectural styles and Gothic elements influenced by Catholicism. Coral sandstone has countless tiny pores, making houses built from it cool in summer and warm in winter—an exceptionally rare building material. As the state has now banned the mining of coral, these ancient homes are even more precious, possessing high ornamental, recreational, historical, cultural, and scientific value.

Chengzi Scenic Area on Weizhou Island boasts a long history and profound cultural heritage. During the Qing Dynasty, the Qing government issued a “permanent ban” on Weizhou Island, citing that it was “isolated in the vast sea and highly susceptible to harboring evildoers.” In the sixth year of the Tongzhi reign (1867), the Qing government “reopened the island ban.” Taking this opportunity, the Paris Foreign Missions Society of France sent French priests to the island to preach and constructed the Church of Our Lady as a place for religious activities. Despite suffering some impact during the turmoil of the Cultural Revolution, the church has largely retained its original appearance. After the reform and opening-up, the Chinese Communist Party implemented the policy of freedom of religious belief. The church received government funding for repairs, as well as donations from patriotic associations and devout parishioners across the country, allowing religious activities to resume.

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Currently, one-third of the island’s residents practice Catholicism, and most villagers in Chengzi Village are Catholic believers. November 1st each year is the “Tomb-Sweeping Day” for Catholics on Weizhou Island, when believers working elsewhere return to the scenic area to pray for their ancestors. Every Sunday, parishioners attend Mass at the church. On Easter, Pentecost, the Assumption of Mary (August 15th in the Gregorian calendar), and Christmas (December 25th in the Gregorian calendar), Weizhou’s Catholic community holds grand celebratory events. Catholic culture is well preserved within the scenic area.