This is St Michael’s church. Michael was one of the angels and warriors to protect the people. During the war, like many other churches, this church was attacked.

Western invasion won Christian freedom to establish churches, but also induce anger towards white invaders. Churches became the target of local resistance. That was the fate of the St Michaels on the eastern diploma alley.

Fire, war and natural disasters destroyed churches in Beijing again and again. Most of them experienced several times reconstruction. The best example is the famous four churches in the capital city. East, west, north and south.

South Church

1605 Built by Ricci

1712 Rebuilt the first time

1720 Destroyed by earthquake

1721 Rebuilt the second time

1730 Destroyed by earthquake

1775 Destroyed by fire

Rebuilt the fourth time

1900 Destroyed by the Boxers

1904 Rebuilt the fifth time

East Church

1655 Built at Wang Fujing

1662 Rebuilt the first time

1712 Rebuilt the second time

1720 Destroyed by earthquake

1807 Destroyed by fire

1884 Rebuilt the third time

1900 Destroyed by the Boxers

1904 Rebuilt the fourth time

West Church

1722 Built at Xi Zhimen

1811 Destroyed

1867 Rebuilt the first time

1900 Destroyed by the Boxers

1912 Rebuilt the second time

North Church

1703 Built at Chan Shikou

1730 Destroyed by earthquake

1827 Destroyed

1866 Rebuilt

1886 Moved to Xi Shiku

1900 Attacked by the Boxers

1902 Rennovated

the year 2004, high-tech companies are just as many as restaurants and bars in the Beijing city. The boss of this Sino information company is a couple; both of them are history doctors of Chicago University. They told me there is something special about their office.

Underneath the floor, there is a pit, actually a baptize pit.

From clips of last century’s US newspaper, one can see how the church used to be when American Elder Association built it in the year of 1911. And of course, the red star stood for the ages during the cultural revolution, when the church was used as a warehouse. And then the restoration of Sino company, and it regained all its glory.