Abstract

The American missionary movement in China played an important role in the history of Sino-American relations. By establishing a large number of educational, medical, and charitable institutions, the West Christian missionary societies, particularly the American Christian missionary societies had a huge social impact in China. It constituted an important part in the cultural and social areas of the Sino-American relations; the missionaries were regarded as the “spiritual bonds” between China and America. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, as Western churches and missionaries left China, casting shadows on the Sino-American relations. By virtue of the Christian missionary movement, religion had become a regular and emotional factor in Chinese relations with the outside world, and was described as the thermometer or vane of Sino-American relations.

After the departure of Western churches from China, religion is once again becoming an important factor in Sino-American relations 60 years later. As far as Sino-American relationship is concerned, the “spiritual medium” or “religious bridge” between the two countries is no longer confined to the missionaries whose role has diminished significantly, and the immediate purpose of religious communication is not spreading Christianity. The religious communication between China and the West or America has entered into a “post-missionary era”, seeing more diversity than ever before.

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