State Rule, Local Politics and Christianity in Wenzhou

State control of religion is a dominant theme in the study of religion in China. During the revival of religions in the post-Mao period, the rapid expansion of Christianity has been politically sensitive because it is regarded as a "foreign religion" and some fear what they call "Christianizing China". In 2003 and 2009, I conducted 18-month fieldwork in Wenzhou. By reviewing how Christianity was introduced, promoted, suppressed and revived in Wenzhou, I intend to understand how sociopolitical conditions shape the religious meanings and the representation of Christianity in the local community; how the post-Mao state changed the way it exercised its control over religion, and to what extent the Christians' practices transformed the relationship between the church and the state.;In contrast to previous studies that treat the state as a static entity often perceived as government, this study attempts to show the complexity and dynamics of the state rule. To understand how the state controls religion, I propose three dimensions of the state: state as an actor, as a symbol, and as a discourse. The state as an actor is complex because central level and local level cadres have different interests and concerns. The state is also a symbol of power and legitimacy, one that church members use to try to create space for their rituals and community. The state is also discourses, ideologically shaped categories and ways of thinking about the "right" position and engagement of church in our society. Understanding Christianity in these three dimensions helps us see that the post-Mao state has in fact intensified its control over Christianity. In addition, the freedom of Christianity in Wenzhou was related to the marginality of Wenzhou in national politics. It was not the result of Wenzhou's remoteness or distance from the political center, but an effect of businesspeople's involvement and the community-based church organization, which made the churches less politically sensitive to the local cadres.