Overview

Originally named “Trinity Church” (三一圣堂), the Kunming Trinity International Protestant Church was established in 1903. In 1963, the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of Christianity (云南省基督教三自爱国运动委员会) was founded, with its office located within the church. The original church was restored in December 1984 and became the office location for the Yunnan Christian “Two Associations” (云南省基督教“两会”) in 1986. However, in February 1997, the original Trinity Church was demolished to make way for urban development in Kunming.

On June 22, 2003, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new church complex took place, and the name was changed to “Trinity International Protestant Church” (三一国际礼拜堂). The church was completed in December 2004, and the opening service was held on December 12.

Architectural Features

The church complex features Gothic architectural style and covers a total area of 4,018 square meters. The new church is situated on the first to third floors of the complex, occupying 2,000 square meters. The fourth to seventh floors serve as the ministry center for the Yunnan Christian “Two Associations.” The total investment for the church complex was 15 million yuan.

Key Information

• Type: Architecture
• Completion Date: December 2004
• Building Area: 2,000 m²
• Established: 1903

Historical Context

The original Trinity Church was located at 218 Wucheng Road (原武成路218号) in Kunming. After its completion, it became the center for the activities of the “Inland Mission” (内地会) in Yunnan Province. The church featured a worship hall facing the street, with living quarters for clergy in the backyard. The building had three stories, with the first floor serving as a corridor, the second floor housing two offices and a meeting space accommodating thirty to forty people, and the third floor designated as additional office space. The main worship hall had a capacity of four to five hundred people.

In 1963, the Yunnan Provincial Committee of the Three-Self Patriotic Movement of Christianity was established within the Trinity Church. The church resumed services in December 1984. By 1986, it had become the office for the Yunnan Christian “Two Associations.” However, in February 1997, the church was demolished to facilitate road expansion as part of urban construction in Kunming.

After the demolition, the congregation faced nearly eight years of challenges, temporarily holding services in various venues, including the Wuyi Cinema, Yuantong Cinema, Daguan Cinema, Gordon Building, and outdoors at the church site. During this difficult period, many believers prayed in tears, eagerly anticipating the construction of a new church.

With the support and care of the provincial government, relevant departments, and various communities, the groundbreaking ceremony for the new church complex was finally held on June 22, 2003. It was announced that, with approval from the Provincial Religious Affairs Bureau, the church was renamed “Trinity International Protestant Church.” After one and a half years of hard work, the new church was completed in December 2004, and an opening thanksgiving service was held on December 12.

Community Impact

From 1984 to the end of 2006, over 10,000 believers were baptized at the Kunming Trinity International Protestant Church. Currently, more than 4,000 participants attend Sunday services regularly. In 2005, 500 individuals were baptized, followed by another 400 in 2006. The church has eight full-time staff members, including three pastors, four preachers, and one accountant. The number of congregants continues to grow as the church develops.

The new Trinity International Protestant Church is blessed with abundant grace from the Lord, welcoming new missions in the 21st century. The congregation strives to unite in love and work together to revive the holy work of the Lord. May this sanctuary be wholly dedicated to Jehovah as holy; may each person entering the temple be like living stones, built into a spiritual house, serving as a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (提摩太前书2:50). May the Lord’s grace, peace, and blessings be abundant for us.

Contact Information

• Address: 188 Renmin Middle Road (人民中路188号), Kunming (昆明), Yunnan Province (云南省)

Overview

The Kunming YMCA (昆明基督教青年会旧址) is a designated cultural heritage site in Yunnan Province (云南省). The YMCA was established on September 15, 1931, and completed in October 1933. Initially located on Wanzhong Street (万钟街), it moved to No. 4 Dingxin Street (鼎新街) in 1935. The facility consists of three buildings, with a central tower flanked by U-shaped structures.

The architectural style is a blend of Chinese and Western elements. The doors and windows exhibit traditional Chinese design, topped with European-style stone window and door frames. The roofs are tiled, and the interior features a mix of traditional Chinese wooden partition walls and European-style plastered wooden divisions.

Historical Significance

During the 1930s and 1940s, the Kunming YMCA was renowned for its tutorial school, which was led by Ye Chongji (叶崇基), a local from Kunming. The school employed teachers from various high schools and colleges in Kunming, offering high-quality education at reasonable fees with convenient accommodations. It provided assistance and tuition reductions to the underprivileged, attracting many students from diverse backgrounds, including those who were unemployed, out of school, or working.

This tutorial school was the largest and most comprehensive in Kunming from the 1930s to the late 1940s. It specialized in subjects like English and commercial accounting and gained a reputation both locally and beyond due to the involvement of teachers from Southwest Associated University (西南联大) and students who worked part-time or sought additional English training at the school.

In late 1958, following the merger of the city’s Christian associations, the YMCA site on Dingxin Street was handed over to the Municipal Housing Management Bureau, transforming it into the Kunming Youth Palace (昆明市少年宫). After the relocation of the Youth Palace, the site was converted into residential housing.

Cultural Heritage Status

Due to its unique architectural style and historical significance in the spread of Christianity in Kunming, the building was designated as a district-level cultural heritage site in 2002. It was upgraded to a municipal cultural heritage site in 2011 and further recognized as a provincial cultural heritage site in 2012.

Contact Information

• Address: Old YMCA Building, No. 4 Dingxin Jie (鼎新街4号), Kunming (昆明)
• Phone: (0871) 65181933

Overview

Beijing Road Catholic Church (昆明市北京路天主教堂) is located on Beijing Road (北京路) in Kunming (昆明市). The reconstruction site of the church is situated at the intersection of Beijing Road and Jinbi Road (金碧路). The original church, known as “Teresa Church” (德肋撒堂), was built in 1935. In 1980, it was renamed “Sacred Heart of Jesus Church” (耶稣圣心堂). Due to years of disrepair, the church had become a dangerous structure. In 2007, the Yunnan Provincial Catholic “Two Associations” (云南省天主教“两会” ) obtained approval from the Yunnan Provincial Party Committee and the provincial government for reconstruction.

Location

• Chinese Name: 昆明市北京路天主教堂
• Location: 北京路, 昆明市 (Beijing Road, Kunming)

Investment and Construction Details

The total investment for the new Beijing Road Catholic Church is expected to exceed 150 million yuan (15000万元). It will cover an area of 25,000 square meters (25000 m²). As of February 24, the foundation pile work at the construction site has been completed. Comprehensive construction of the main structure is expected to begin after the rainy season in 2011, aiming for completion of the main project by the end of 2012.

This construction is significant for promoting the development of the Catholic Church in China and fostering harmonious development between religion and society in Yunnan Province (云南省).

Kunming Saint John Gospel Church (昆明圣约翰堂) is one of the two Christian churches currently open in Kunming. This church features the traditional architectural style of the Reformation period, with a rectangular auditorium oriented north-south. It has no columned aisles and features arched windows on both side walls. The pulpit is located at the north end of the main hall, with the choir situated on the west side of the pulpit.

Historical Significance

An inscription is embedded in the wall at the entrance of Saint John Gospel Church, located at No. 12 Dongfeng West Road, Wuhua District. The inscription is made of marble and features two large marble tablets, inscribed in both Chinese and English, which read: “This hall is dedicated to God and commemorates the allied soldiers who died in China, 1937 to 1945.”

The church was built in 1915, based on the original Anglican Church established on Wanzhong Street. During the Anti-Japanese War, some “Anglican” believers from the American forces stationed in Kunming would come here for weekly worship.

When the renovation of the church was completed in 1946, urns containing the ashes of 17 Flying Tiger (飞虎队) pilots who sacrificed their lives during the Anti-Japanese War were hung on both sides of the church (these urns were taken away by the American consul when he left Kunming in 1948). In 1947, the original wooden structure of the church was dismantled, and a new brick and wood structure was built to accommodate hundreds of worshippers.

After its completion, the church was named the “Memorial Hall for American Troops Assisting in the War” (来华助战美军纪念堂). In 1948, the church on Wanzhong Street was transformed into a cathedral, named “Saint John Church.” The church follows the traditional architectural style of the Reformation period, featuring a rectangular auditorium oriented north-south, no columned aisles, arched windows on both side walls, a pulpit at the north end of the main hall, and a choir on the west side of the pulpit.

In 1958, the Anglican Church merged with other denominations, and Saint John Church was no longer used as a church. After 1962, Saint John Church was closed. In 1986, it was returned to the Christian “Two Associations” in Kunming and was later rebuilt.

Current Status

Currently, it is designated as a district-level cultural relic protection unit in Wuhua District.

Contact Information:

• Phone: 0871-63661235

Estimated Visit Duration:

• 1-3 hours

Admission Fees:

• Please consult the scenic area for specific details.

Opening Hours:

• 08:00 AM to 06:00 PM (January 1 – December 31, Monday – Sunday)

Location:

• No. 12 Dongfeng West Road, Wuhua District, Kunming, Yunnan Province (云南省昆明市五华区东风西路12号)

The XiAn Christian Church (基督教“锡安圣堂”), located at No. 26 Jinbi Road, Kunming, was founded in 1922, making it over a century old!

Historical Background

The church is situated on Jinbi Road. In 1921, the newly established Southwest District of the Christian Church in Kunming purchased property and land on Guangju Street (now Jinbi Road) to build a church. After the land transaction, the design of the new church was entrusted to the British missionary Yilifan (易理藩). Following a careful survey of the terrain and meticulous drafting of plans, Yilifan completed the architectural drawings. He then traveled to London to report to the General Assembly of the Christian Church, presenting the plans and discussing the construction. After reviewing the drawings and hearing Yilifan’s presentation, the General Assembly allocated the necessary funds for the construction. A year later, in 1922, Yilifan returned to Kunming, and construction of the church officially commenced.

Architectural Features

After two years of construction, the church was finally completed. Its architecture includes:

• An iron gate
• A street-facing building
• A chapel that can accommodate thousands
• A garden
• Residential quarters for the clergy

The layout of the church is rigorous and reasonable, creating a religious atmosphere that evokes a sense of solemnity and seriousness. Upon completion, the church was initially unnamed, with the words “Christian Worship Hall” (基督教礼拜堂) inscribed on the stone gate to the west of the iron gate. It was officially named “Zion Church” (锡安圣堂) in 1935, with “Zion” derived from the Bible, meaning a beautiful and blessed place.

Significant Events and Influence

Before it was destroyed, Zion Church had considerable influence in Kunming. Many influential figures and celebrities residing in Kunming chose to hold Western-style weddings at Zion Church. Notable weddings held there include:

• Nationalist general Wei Lihuang (卫立煌)
• Southwest United University beauty Gao Xunquan (高训铨) and Jin Lizhu (金丽珠)
• Talented woman Lu Baohua (卢葆华)
• Famous chemist Chen Ruyu (陈茹玉)

In addition to hosting weddings, the church established several private schools and kindergartens before the liberation. For instance, Tian Nan Middle School (天南中学), which gained some fame in Kunming during the 1940s, was initially located within the church from 1939 to 1945. The church also founded En Guang Private Women’s School (恩光私立女中), which merged with Kunming No. 3 Middle School after liberation. The predecessor of Kunming No. 3 Kindergarten (昆明市第三幼儿园) was the affiliated kindergarten of En Guang Private Women’s School.

Challenges and Renovations

During the Cultural Revolution, all religious activities at the church were halted, and the property was repurposed for factory use. In 1981, Zion Church reopened. However, in February 1990, a fire caused by aging electrical wiring destroyed the entire building. Following the destruction, the Christian community in Kunming actively donated funds and designed a new church, which was completed on June 20, 1993. This is the church we see today.

Current Status

The new church features a reinforced concrete structure with a building area of 1,500 square meters, oriented south to north. Architectural features include:

• A three-opening entrance, decorated with a Lombard-style portico featuring a semicircular arch and two corresponding decorative columns.
• Three elongated decorative windows made of blue glass in the portico.
• An interior layout consisting of three levels: the first level includes an entrance hall with stairs; the second level is a meeting room; the third level contains storage and a warehouse.
• Decorative columns topped with conical embellishments, showcasing Gothic architectural characteristics. The chapel’s southern end features a four-story structure.

Originally, Zion Church was planned to be demolished and rebuilt in 2005, but various reasons have delayed the project. Although the church is currently mostly unused and has not engaged in any religious activities, and the entire building appears somewhat old, its century-old history and unique architectural style continue to make it a distinctive landmark in Kunming!

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