A Lianjiang church in Fuzhou, Fujian, invested nearly 800,000 yuan to repair the original site of a primary school built by missionaries.
John Richard Wolfe (1832-1915), an Irish missionary, began preaching in 1864 in Lianjiang and served as vice-president of the Church Missionary Society (CMS) in Fuzhou. Zhenli Church was founded as the first church in Lianjiang County three years later. In 1898, CMS purchased and rebuilt a garden in the county, which had pavilions, terraces, storied buildings, storied pavilions, fishponds, and rockeries, providing housing for British missionaries.
In 1898, the first western medical clinic was set up in the county by a missionary from England. In the same year, the church founded an old-style private school for girls in the garden, which was the beginning of girls’ schooling in the city. In 1913, the second year of the Republic of China, it was renamed Yuxian Girls’ Primary School (transliteration). With the new name of Taoying Primary School (transliteration) in 1931, it enrolled both boys and girls. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, it became military barracks. After the garrison was withdrawn in 1980, the headquarters of a bridge in Lianjiang was set up in the cottage. After the bridge was completed, a secondary school tutoring institute was established there in 1990.
As a result of prolonged typhoons and heavy rains, the roof tiles and internal wooden structure of Yangzhuo Cottage were seriously damaged.
As a traditional building in the late Qing Dynasty, the cottage is of great significance to the study of the spread and development of Christianity in Lianjiang. In 1984, it was rated as a cultural relic protection unit of the county.
After a year of repair, this 120-year-old building has been completely restored and has now been handed over to the church.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
