Welcome to the Sheng Lu Shan Gong Digital Archive

These two booklets, published in 1931 and 1932 respectively, provide a rare glimpse into the localization of Catholic devotional practices in China during the early twentieth century. While both booklets share the same title, they were published by different dioceses and reflect different characteristics in the way the text is written and the spiritual content. These booklets together represent the dialogue between Chinese cultural practices and universal Catholic spirituality. This content provides a means of accessing the materials and engaging in a study and interactive analysis of this unique phenomenon.

"Sheng Lu Shan Gong" is a Chinese text that translates into English as "Good Works of the Holy Way." This text represents the Stations of the Cross devotional exercise practiced by Catholics worldwide. This exercise is a meditation on the fourteen key events in the Passion of Christ. Through prayer and meditation, the faithful are encouraged to spiritually participate in the sufferings of Jesus Christ. While the title of this text is similar to that used by St. Aloysius Gonzaga, it cannot be construed as a text written by him. It is instead a text written to provide guidance to the faithful in the practice of this devotional exercise.

In the 1930s, individual Catholic publications within China were often produced locally by various religious orders or dioceses. This caused differences in the way the text was translated and the format used. "Sheng Lu Shan Gong" represents the typical localization phenomenon. These booklets represent the vitality of Chinese Catholicism during the Republican period and the resourcefulness of the faithful in prayer.

Acquisition Note:

The Fuzhou Edition (1932)

This edition of "Sheng Lu Shan Gong" was included in the archive due to the acquisition of a collection of old Chinese books from an online vendor specializing in rare and religious texts. The booklet was found among other publications without prior knowledge of its historical value.

The ink date "1950" on the cover initially misled the research team on the publication date of the booklet. After thorough examination and understanding of the fonts and ecclesiastical stamps on the cover, it was established that the booklet is a Fuzhou Edition published in 1932 under the authority of the Catholic Vicariate at that time. Despite its age and the political unrest that characterized mid-century China—a period during which Catholic devotion publications were destroyed, concealed, and disseminated—this booklet is in a relatively good condition. This allowed for a comprehensive scan of the booklet, thus making it possible to analyze it within the larger historical context of Catholic devotion publications in China.

This object is not only a reflection of the devotion of Catholics in Republican China but also a reflection of the endurance of religious publications in China during the period of political unrest.