Xishiku church

Xishiku church

Located at 33 Xishiku street, Xicheng District, Beijing, Xishiku church, formerly known as the Savior's church, is a Catholic Church. It opened in 1703. It used to be the Bishop's Cathedral of the Catholic Diocese of Beijing for a long time. It is one of the largest and oldest churches in Beijing.

Xishiku church was listed as a key cultural relic protection unit in Beijing in 1984 and the Sixth Batch of national key cultural relic protection units in June 2006.

Historical evolution

The history of cishku Catholic Church can be traced back to the 42nd year of Kangxi (1703 AD). Because two Catholic priests Hong Ruo and Liu Ying cured Emperor Kangxi's disease, they were granted a piece of land of canchikou generation in the gate of the imperial city Xi'an to build a church. This church is the predecessor of today's Xishiku church, which is called Salvation Church. In the middle of the Qing Dynasty, there was constant friction between the anti Catholic forces and the Catholic Church. In 1827, the Qing government seized canchikou Catholic Church and confiscated all its religious property.

After the second Opium War, the Qing government returned the land of the church to the church. In 1868, bishop Meng Zhensheng presided over the construction of a tall Gothic building in the original site of Beitang. Because the entrance of canchikou was close to the Royal forbidden area, the tall bell tower caused the displeasure of Empress Dowager Cixi and Tongzhi emperor. After negotiations with the Holy See and the French government, the church agreed The church was moved to Xishiku, and the new church building was funded by the Qing government. In 1888, the new building was officially completed.

On the evening of June 15, 1900, a boxer group led by Duan Wang Zaiyi began to attack Xishiku church. From June 17, the Qing army also took part in the attack. But the church still sticks to it. Due to the lack of food, after half a month's siege, all the staff in the church ate up the mules and war horses, and began to eat the bark and weeds in the courtyard. The commander and deputy commander of the garrison and the bishop of the church died one after another. On August 16 of the same year, a special rescue team was set up after the Allied forces of eight countries captured Beijing, which ended the sensational xishku church incident. After the peace negotiation, the Qing government paid compensation to rebuild the seriously damaged xishku church building, forming the present xishku church complex.

In 1958, the sishku church was handed over to the state. The church books collected by the church, the early printed books in various languages and a number of rare documents were transported out of the church and handed over to Beijing Library for collection;

In 1985, China allocated funds to renovate and restore normal religious activities.

Xishiku church was listed as a cultural relic protection unit in Beijing in 1984 and the Sixth Batch of national key cultural relic protection units in June 2006.

architectural composition

Sishku church is a building with Chinese and Western walls. The main building of the church is a three story Gothic building, with 11 spires at the top. The building plan is cross shaped, with a building area of about 2200 square meters and a height of 16.5 meters. The top of the bell tower is about 31 meters high. It used to be the tallest single building in the inner city of Beijing. There are three spire arched entrances on the front of the church building, and there are sculptures between the entrance arches There are four statues of Saint John and Saint Paul. The doors and windows on the facade of the building are decorated with white marble carvings. There is a magnificent circular rose window on the main span of the main door, and there are 80 glass flower windows of different sizes around the chapel.

Around the Gothic church building is the traditional Chinese platform, surrounded by white marble railings, railings and balustrade decoration are traditional Chinese design. In front of the hall, there are two stele pavilions on the left and right sides, which are designed for the top of the yellow glazed tile double eaves. In the court, there are two steles written by Emperor Qianlong. Inside the stele pavilions are four Chinese stone lions and a pair of stone offerings.

Main buildings

North Hall

The building area of the North Hall is about 2200 square meters, the height is 16.5 meters, and the height of the bell tower spire is about 31 meters. There is a platform in front of the hall, and there are white marble railings on three sides. The front of the hall is inlaid with white marble and engraved with the holy image of Jesus. On both sides of the main entrance of the hall, there are two Chinese style architectural stele pavilions. In the pavilions, there are the steles of the order of the Catholic Church's relocation in 1889 and the steles of the main hall of man and Han Dynasties.

In the hall, there are thirty-six bright pillars, with the top of the pillars carved with isatis leaf shape, and the height of the pillars is four feet and nine feet. The main hall has a sacrificial platform and a matching platform. The main door of the hall has a chanting hall, and the plane of the hall is in the shape of a cross. Gothic architecture is characterized by the use of pointed arches in order to make the house straight up. To the north of the main altar in the hall is the suffering hall. Fan Guoliang's tombstone is inlaid on the west wall of misery hall. In the construction of the xishikubei church, there were also the Bishop's office, the monastery, the nursery and so on.

Beitang is a typical Gothic building. Its four high minarets, three pointed arches and the rose window in the middle of the main span create a dignified and beautiful facade. Surrounded by green pines and cypresses, it looks more and more white and straight. The plane of the hall is in the shape of a cross, with a building area of 2200 square meters and a height of 16.5 meters. The height of the tower is about 31 meters. On the left and right sides of the hall, there are pavilions with sharp yellow glazed tiles on the four corners of Chinese style. Inside the pavilions are stone tablets inscribed by Emperor Qianlong himself. One west, one middle, one high and one low, ingenious collocation, it is amazing. The statues of saints on both sides of the main entrance are unique in Beijing churches. In 1985, the church was renovated and became the most splendid Church in Beijing.

Ancillary buildings

In addition to the main building, sishku church also has a large area of ancillary buildings, including library, back garden, printing factory, orphanage, hospital, Guanghua women's middle school, sister Joseph's home and Catholic North China diocese Bishop's office. Nowadays, most of these ancillary buildings are occupied by other units, only sister Joseph's home is still reserved and located in the northwest side of the church.

Church activities

There will be mass activities on Sunday and weekdays. The holy sacrifice of mass is the most noble sacrifice of Catholicism. The holy body and blood of Jesus Christ becomes a real sacrifice by consecrating on the altar, which is a repetition of the cross sacrifice. It is a religious ceremony of Catholicism to commemorate the sacrifice of Jesus. There are usually songs, blessings and so on. Every Christmas, there are large church activities.

Travel Tips

Opening Hours

5: 00 ~ 18:00 (except special festivals)

Types of scenic spots

Religious places

admission ticket

Free Admission

traffic

Bus routes

Take subway line 2 at Beijing station, pass 4 stops to Xuanwumen Station, take subway line 4 at Beijing station, pass 3 stops to Xisi station, walk about 210 meters to Beijing Xishiku church.

Self driving line

From Beijing station to due north, drive 380 meters along Beijing Station Street, turn left into Jianguomen inner street, drive 790 meters along Jianguomen inner street, go straight into East Chang'an Street, drive 1.9 km along East Chang'an Street, go straight into West Chang'an Street, drive 1.8 km along West Chang'an Street, and turn right into Xidan North Street Drive 1.3km along Xidan North Street, go straight into Xisi South Street, drive 420m along Xisi South Street, turn right into Ximen street.

Address: 33 Xishiku street, Xicheng District, Beijing

Longitude: 116.37865394354

Latitude: 39.924025478212

Tel: 010-66175198

Chinese PinYin : Xi Shi Ku Jiao Tang