Jake Sanders
In 1625, towards the end of the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), a remarkable archaeological discovery was made in the western part of Xi’an City, Shaanxi Province. An ancient stone tablet, known as the Monument to the Nestorian Church in China, was unearthed in a remarkably well-preserved state. The tablet’s inscriptions and carvings remain clear and legible, offering a valuable glimpse into China’s historical religious landscape. It stands approximately 2.36 meters tall, 0.68 meters wide, with a thickness of about 0.25 meters, and weighs around two tons.
The monument is intricately carved with religious symbols and inscriptions. At its pinnacle, a cross is prominently engraved, flanked by lotus flowers and clouds, symbolizing spiritual themes. The main inscription spans 36 lines with a total of 1,695 Chinese characters, meticulously carved into the stone. Along the margins and at the end of the inscription, names and titles of various individuals associated with the church are inscribed, each presented in both Chinese and Syriac script. These include titles such as primate, Chinese godfather, presbyter, Xiangzhu (a head priest of a township), friar, priest, and doctor, reflecting the diverse roles within the Nestorian Christian community.
The epigraph was composed by a person self-identifying as Monk Jingjing of the Nestorian Church, with the actual inscription written by Lü Xiuyan, a local official from Taizhou. According to the inscription, the monument was erected in the year 781 during the Tang Dynasty, a period known for its openness to foreign cultures and religions. This ancient relic stands as one of the four most famous stone carvings globally and holds immense historical significance as the earliest and most compelling evidence of the spread of Christianity in China.
The discovery of this tablet offers invaluable insights into the history of religious exchange along the Silk Road and the presence of Nestorian Christianity in ancient China. It highlights the profound cultural interactions between China and the wider Christian world and underscores the deep historical roots of Christianity in Chinese history. As a treasured relic, the Nestorian Monument continues to attract historians and scholars, serving as a testament to China’s diverse and multicultural past.