Dapingzi, la première chrétienté au coeur du Yunnan (1835-1925)

Abstract

Catholicism was introduced from southern Sichuan to the northeastern reaches of Yunnan in the late 18th century. Following the settlement of a few rare Christian communities in the regions close to Sichuan, Dapingzi was the first “Christianity”, according to the term used by the missionaries, to be established in interior Yunnan in a more central position, north of Dali. It was also here that the first large western-style church in the province was built. The article focuses on the ninety years of this Christianity under the administration of the Fathers of the Missions étrangères de Paris (MEP), from its foundation in 1835 until its transfer in 1925 to the Betharramites or “Priests of the Sacred Heart of Betharram”. This period is characterised by the development of the missions in a multi-ethnic land on the margins of the Chinese empire and by the expansionist policy of the MEP, which went hand in hand with French colonisation. After locating the exact position of Dapingzi and other toponyms used for this same Christianity, this research highlights two phases in the evolution of Dapingzi, the clandestine (1835-1873) and then the expansion (1873-1925), as well as its strategic and multifunctional position in the foundation of the missions in Western Yunnan and Tibet. In addition, the collective contribution of the missionaries to the introduction of exotic plants is presented, especially the vine and coffee tree. Finally, the article presents the particular character of the evangelisation of the native populations, the establishment of the educational system and the fabrication of “miracles” around the water from Lourdes during the plague epidemic in Dapingzi, which lasted several decades during the time of the MEP missionaries.