Church of the Immaculate Conception, Beijing
VATICAN CITY, 1990, 3rd centenary of the Beijing-Nanking Diocese, Scott 862The Church of the Immaculate Conception is commonly known as the South Church. In May 1601 a Chinese Imperial decree gave Matteo Ricci and his Jesuit confreres land and funds for a chapel and permanent residence in the South Gate district of Peking. This is where the first church, that of the Immaculate Conception, was built. It is now known as Nan tang or the Southern Church. Ricci put up a building in 1605. In 1650 Adam Schall von Bell expanded it to its present size. Two tablets granted by the emperor are along the east and west walls in front of the church. The church has suffered from fire and has been rebuilt.
Church of the Holy Redeemer, Beijing
VATICAN CITY, 1990, 3rd centenary of the Beijing-Nanking Diocese, Scott 864The Church of the Holy Redeemer or Savior is commonly known as the North Church (Beitang). This site was given to the Jesuits by the Qing Dynasty Kangxi Emperor as a token of gratitude to the Jesuits Jean de Fontaney (1643-1710) and Claude de Visdelou (1665-1737) who had brought about his immediate recovery from a malaria attack through the use of western medicines. The church took four years to build and was dedicated in 1703. When the Jesuits were suppressed in 1773, the church was taken over by the Lazarists until it was seized by the government in 1827.
