Editor’s note: Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian Province, on China’s eastern coast, just across the strait from Taiwan. To help us pray for Fuzhou, several local pastors talk about what makes the city special, and how they hope the people of their city can bring the gospel to the world as they spread out around the earth
Meeting Fuzhou Pastors
Shi Heping: I was an English major in college, and missionaries preached the gospel to me while I was in university. After graduating I became an English teacher. Then I quit my job and worked with a missions group before going full-time in a church. I’ve been doing that nearly a decade now.
Our church has about just under 50 people, and a large percentage of young children. Most of our congregation are young adults, born in the 1980s and 1990s. There are a few elderly and some people born in the 1970.
Gao Yile: My hometown is in northern China, but my wife is from Fujian Province [the province of which Fuzhou is the capital]. I came to faith while studying at a university in my home province. A student group founded by Korean missionaries shared the gospel with me, and I believed.
Many people from Fuzhou emigrate overseas – to Southeast Asia or North America or Europe.
Now I have been working nearly two decades in full-time ministry. My church here in Fuzhou was also originally established by Korean missionaries working on a university campus.
My wife and I homeschool our elementary-aged children. Although our church began with university students, there are no more college students left. The church is now composed of mainly young professionals. It’s about the same size as Shi Heping’s church, and also has many children.
Preacher Yu: I just began full-time ministry last autumn – but to be honest, I don’t know if the church defines my role as that of a preacher or a volunteer. Our church is a bit larger than the other two churches, but still small.
I’m from Fuzhou, and have been in this church many years. I am married and have several children.
Emigrating Across the Globe
China Partnership: What is unique about Fuzhou among other Chinese cities? What is special about the city’s local culture?
Shi Heping: Fuzhou is a provincial capital, but unlike other capitals, it is generally considered a second-tier city – not a first-tier city. The population is about 8 million, and there are some ethnic minorities here. The main ethnic minority is the She people; there are about 50,000 She [in Fuzhou].
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In Fuzhou, we often compare ourselves economically to Xiamen or Quanzhou [other large cities which are also in Fujian Province]. It’s a bit awkward that Fuzhou is the capital of Fujian, although the overall economy isn’t as good as Quanzhou, and the per capita income isn’t as good as Xiamen. In Fuzhou, people make about 2,000 renminbi less than they would make for doing the exact same job in Xiamen. So, it’s not easy for Fuzhou to retain professional brothers and sisters. The average housing price is 25,000 renminbi per square meter, although prices have been falling continuously since the pandemic.
A very important characteristic of Fuzhou is emigration. Many people from Fuzhou emigrate overseas – to Southeast Asia or North America or Europe. Emigration is extremely common, especially from the surrounding counties. In the past, people might emigrate illegally via “snakeheads,”[1] but now people do what they call “zouxian.”[2]
People from Fuzhou are willing to go all over the world to make a living. They will run all over the world for money! At the mission agency, we hoped that the people of this city could also run all over the world for the gospel.
In 2023, in a single part of a small county like Lianjiang, 100,000 people emigrated to the U.S. In one village, there are almost no middle-aged people left. [Lianjiang County is on China’s eastern coast and the county is one of six counties which are considered a part of the city of Fuzhou.]
Many young people feel they have no way to get married, have children, and support a family. Their only way out is to emigrate. It costs around 150,000 to 200,000 RMB [$21,000 to $28,000 USD] to zouxian. They’ll spend that amount just to be able to get married, have children, and survive. They are incredibly determined.
People from Fuzhou are willing to go all over the world to make a living. They will run all over the world for money! At the mission agency, we hoped that the people of this city could also run all over the world for the gospel. The mission agency saw Fuzhou as very strategic, because they saw that Fuzhou people were willing to go everywhere.
The Tea Culture of Fujian
Gao Yile: I used to live in the north. One thing I have noticed is that the local culture here in Fuzhou is very much about tea. There is a lot of drinking tea and brewing tea. Wherever you go to chat, you have to brew tea. Every household brews tea, and every shop brews tea. Whether they sell curtains, houses, or anything else, they all brew tea. The tea culture is very strong.
There are many Three-Self churches in Fuzhou. In the north, there were very few Three-Self churches. But Fuzhou has many. Fuzhou also has Three-Self “meeting points” – branches of the Three-Self church which are actually located in storefronts on the street. This is quite different from other cities.
There is a lot of drinking tea and brewing tea… Every household brews tea, and every shop brews tea. Whether they sell curtains, houses, or anything else, they all brew tea.
China Partnership: Why do you think there are more Three-Self churches in Fuzhou than in other cities?
Gao Yile: It’s probably because the gospel and the missionaries came to Fuzhou early, and they built many churches. Later, after the Liberation [this is the phrase used to refer to the 1949 Communist victory] and during the church demolitions, perhaps not as many of those church buildings were torn down.
[1] “Snakehead” is a common Chinese term for human smugglers who organize illegal immigration. The name evokes the image of a snake leading a line of people. The operations often involve great financial cost and personal risk for the migrants.
[2] Zǒuxiàn (走线) means “walk the line.” It is a recent term for migrants who come to the U.S., usually through South and Central America. This phenomenon reflects the desperation among young Chinese people who see no future in their home country.
Shi Heping, Gao Yile, and Preacher Yu are pseudonyms for house church pastors in Fuzhou.
Pray for the people of Fuzhou to take the gospel with them as they spread out across the world.
