From Strictly Prohibited To Tolerance: The Evolution Of The Christian Religion Policy Of The Qing Government (1840-1874)

After the opium war, especially this period of time of the20th year of Daoguang emperor to the13thyear of Tongzhi emperor, is most intense period when the Christian religion policy is changed in the qingdynasty. During this period of time, the qing dynasty, defeated in two opium war, have to sign a series ofunequal treaties with western powers. The unequal treaties mainly includes the following two contents: one isthe treaty, and the second is missionary. As for missionary, it is to point to spread Christianity. According tothe Chinese and foreign first batch of unequal treaties and Daoguang emperor of two imperial edict, duringthe time form the20th year of Daoguang emperor to the24th year of Daoguang emperor, The qing dynastyChristian religious policy was changed from the policy of forbidden to limited. The so-called limited policy, itis to point to allows the Christian religion in China’s spread and development of the policy with limitation. Thelimitation of the spread of Christianity development of The Qing government mainly take the two bigaspects of measures, catching the preacher who entered the mainland and hitting the religious Chinese andother measures from the two big measures extended.Although these measures didn’t stop missionaries to China and learning mission of the Chinese people,but stopped the Christian religion ’s rapidding propagation in China. Policy with limitation has been carriedout before The1861Coup, namely to gambling, before the new management team such as the Cixi、PrinceGong、Gui-Liang、Wen-Xiang ledding on the stage. Faced with fail of the second opium war and highlycomplicated situation of the The Taiping Rebellion, In order to maintain the rule, the new management teamhave to take measures under its western powers. Therefore, Tongzhi emperor practice policy of tolerancemissionary. It is a policy of Christianity ’s communication and development of giving more tolerance in China.The tolerance policy of Christianity spread and development of Tongzhi Emperor primarily reflected in thetreatment of Church case..In handling Church case, the qing government pathogens often patch up a quarrel and reconcile theparties concerned, flat Church and suppress people, which is leading to the church and "behavior of thechurch more and more arbitrary, and the emotion of Church people more and more indignation, andultimately turned to beating cases again and again, and a vicious circle.Tolerance missionary policy of Tongzhi emperor, although there making no domestic stability, but it ishelpful for maintaining the peace of the foreign relations. In Tongzhi emperor there is no a major Chinese and foreign war because of the church case, is the best proof, In addition, for the tolerant missionary policyitself, is also in constant changed. The general trend is that, the attitude for the Christian religion spreading andthe developing in China was more and more tolerant. And at the same time, the characteristic of tolerancemissionary policy is negative. As for this kind of negative condition, it lasts to a bigger change till BoxerProtocol was signed.