Editor’s note: This December, we are finishing our year of prayer for Chinese cities by praying for Xiamen, a beautiful (and expensive!) coastal city in eastern China. Xiamen has a population of about 4 million, and has a long history as an important port city for China. It sits just across the strait from Taiwan, and is known within China as a famous tourist destination. Although it is a lovely city with an enjoyable atmosphere, Xiamen’s high cost of living makes it difficult for young people to settle down and build their lives there. Today, four Xiamen pastors introduce us to their home.

China Partnership: What makes Xiamen unique among Chinese cities?

Famous Island City

Wei Yan: Hi, my name is Wei Yan. I’m in my mid-30s, and have been in full-time ministry since my late-20s. Our church is small and mainly young people, mostly singles and newly married couples.

As for Xiamen, the city is a coastal, island city. You often hear the slogan, “The city is in the sea, and the sea is in the city.” There aren’t many cities in China on islands – maybe just Xiamen and Hong Kong. On the mainland, Xiamen is quite a famous tourist city. It is a top tourist destination by the sea, with a pleasant climate and beautiful environment. The city draws many tourists from all over China.

Because of its comfortable and beautiful environment by the sea, Xiamen is a good place to retire. In recent years, though – maybe always – Xiamen has not been a good place for young people to build a career. It seems people in Xiamen are more laidback or less ambitious, especially compared to the neighboring city of Quanzhou, which has many large enterprises.

Xiamen is quite a famous tourist city. It is a top tourist destination by the sea, with a pleasant climate and beautiful environment. The city draws many tourists from all over China.

This connects to the third point: why is it so difficult for young people to build a career here? Because of another characteristic: extremely high housing prices! In the past few years, Xiamen has ranked fourth nationwide in high prices, just behind Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen. At one point, it even surpassed Guangzhou.

Rich in Spiritual Resources

Huang Minzhu: I pastor a church in a district just outside of Xiamen Island. My congregation has people of all ages, and we have about 150 members.

The housing prices here are not proportional to income, and the cost of living is relatively high.

I think Xiamen has many spiritual resources. Outside the city, we have a good spiritual reputation. When people in our province talk about Xiamen, they think of it as a good place with many resources and much theological depth. But within Xiamen itself, it feels like everyone is just living their own lives, attending services and gatherings, and that’s it. The spiritual environment is obviously relaxed, and it does not live up to the city’s reputation.

Although ministries in Xiamen are flourishing, right now the ministries are weak due to lack of stamina and depth. Believers in Xiamen have high theological literacy, but their lives are inconsistent with the truth they have received. They know more than they do.

Xiamen has been the center of a lot of persecution, and churches often have to change the location of their meeting place. But Xiamen is not truly spiritually strong, and the persecution outpaces its true spiritual life.

Christian History

Jin Dajun: I’m a local, born and raised here in Xiamen. I’ve been married over a decade, and have two children. I’ve been in full-time ministry for more than 15 years. My church began with mostly young people, but now we have members ranging from people in their 80s to newborns. We have a wide range of ages and social backgrounds: from the very poor to people living in mansions; from illiterate aunties to former university professors. Our church has about a hundred members.

In the past decade, our church has seen quite a few young people leave because they felt they couldn’t settle down, afford a house, and make a living here.

One thing that’s unique about Xiamen is that it is a famous tourist city. When I was in elementary school, I remember that my English textbook even had a passage about a place in Xiamen! Early on, when China was being invaded and colonized, Xiamen was an open port. Many different countries came into China through Xiamen, making it a very important port.

Xiamen has the first church which was built in China for Chinese worshipers. This building is known as the “First Holy Church in China.” That church was built in 1849 by an American Reformed pastor named Abdeel, and has quite a history. In Xiamen church history, there was also a wonderful movement of unity among Presbyterian churches around the world. Although the churches came from different nations and various Presbyterian denominations, in Xiamen, they united and established a system to support the local Presbyterian church.

As for the city, in addition to having China’s fourth-highest housing prices, the cost of living is also around seventh or eighth nationwide. If you want to spend money, Xiamen is a very comfortable place. However, it’s not a place to make money. The pressure of living here is pretty high, and there aren’t many opportunities, especially for young people.

In the past decade, our church has seen quite a few young people leave because they felt they couldn’t settle down, afford a house, and make a living here.

Warm People

Zu Dong: I’ve lived here 10 years, and have been pastoring for about five years. Our church is mostly made up of young people, millennials and Gen Z. About half are married and half are single. I’ve been married for 10 years, the same time I came to Xiamen.

Xiamen gives people of being a refined and beautiful small town. Of course, as the other brothers mentioned, housing prices and the cost of living are very high.

Because of its artistic atmosphere, many young people still like Xiamen. It’s small, not like other first- and second-tier Chinese cities. It is convenient to get around Xiamen, and you can quickly reach any destination. Xiamen gives people of being a refined and beautiful small town. Of course, as the other brothers mentioned, housing prices and the cost of living are very high.

Still, I think Xiamen has a unique atmosphere. I live in a community where many of the people moved here from Gulangyu Island. When I go to the market in Xiamen, I still feel like the people have a certain warmth in how they treat others. Whether its elderly in the community or vendors at the market, you can have a conversation with others, and they are very willing to share with you.

Wei Yan, Huang Minzhu, Jin Dajun, and Zu Dong are all pseudonyms for house church pastors in Xiamen.

Pray that the beautiful coastal city of Xiamen will be a place from which God’s name and goodness is proclaimed to all the earth.