NO. 2 FOLK RELIGION IN SOUTHWEST CHINA — GRAHAM 65 



and published the Bible in Chinese in 1824. His first convert was 

 baptized in 1814, and jVIorrison died in 1834. 



In later years other missionary societies sent missionaries from 

 Europe and from the United States. Many missionaries retired be- 

 cause of ill health, and many others died. Until the opening of Hong- 

 kong in 1 84 1 and of the five treaty ports in 1843. it was not possible 

 for them to enter or to live in China proper. In 1865 the number 

 of missionaries was 112, and of Chinese converts 3,132 (Couling, 

 1917, p. 463). By the treaty of Tientsin in 1858 foreigners were al- 

 lowed to travel in the interior, and by the treaty of Peking in i860 

 they were allowed to reside, purchase property, and erect buildings 

 throughout China. Since these and other concessions were obtained 

 by military force, it was natural for the Chinese to regard the mis- 

 sionaries as agents of foreign governments and to resent their being 

 in China. The superstitions of the masses and the conservatism of 

 the educated Chinese resulted in much opposition to the activities of 

 the missionaries. Any natural calamity might be blamed on them and 

 result in riots and in persecution. They opened churches, chapels, 

 schools, hospitals, and dispensaries, and often took a prominent part 

 in famine relief. At the time of the third missionary conference in 

 Shanghai in 1890, there were 1,296 foreign missionaries in China, 

 and 17,287 church members. But smoldering suspicion and opposi- 

 tion broke out early in 1900 in the Boxer Uprising, which was en- 

 couraged by the Manchu rulers, the object being to drive all the 

 foreigners and their agencies out of China. Much mission property 

 was destroyed, and it is estimated that 212 missionaries and 1,909 

 Christian Chinese were killed. 



Prior to the Boxer Uprising, most of the contacts of the Protestant 

 missionaries were with uneducated Chinese and had for their pri- 

 mary object "the saving of souls." Notable exceptions, and there 

 were others, were the activities of Timothy Richard and Gilbert 

 Reid, who profoundly influenced the young emperor Kuang Hsit, re- 

 sulting in his reform movement of 1898. By a coup the Empress 

 Dowager put a stop to the proposed reforms and thus helped to bring 

 on the Boxer Uprising. 



The defeat of the Boxers, the punishment of the guilty officials, 

 and the imposing of exorbitant indemnities awakened in the Chinese 

 a keen desire to strengthen China by the acquisition of Western learn- 

 ing. The missionaries began to place a stronger emphasis on educa- 

 tional and medical work and on various forms of social service. Wise 

 planning there was to a degree from the time of Robert Morrison, 



