After more than four years of construction, Tulou Church in Hukeng, Yongding District, Longyan City, Fujian Province, held its dedication ceremony and thanksgiving service on March 14.
The church, which incorporates traditional Hakka tulou architectural elements (a Hakka-style rural earth building in an enclosed rectangular or circular configuration in the mountains of southeastern Fujian), was largely completed in early 2025, though its third floor remains unfinished. The new building replaces the original Hukeng Church, which had deteriorated over time, raising safety concerns.
During the ceremony, which was also attended by believers from Xiamen, Quanzhou, Longyan, and surrounding areas, Que Jinfeng, chairperson of the Yongding District Three-Self Patriotic Movement (TSPM), recounted the challenges of the church's construction. The project, guided by the principles of the sinicization of Christianity, began on December 31, 2020, covering 2,651.5 square meters. Once fully completed, the facility will provide a safer worship space and alleviate overcrowding in the previous church building.
As part of the event, Rev. Lin Liangguang, a pastor and calligrapher from Julong Town Church in Quanzhou, presented a calligraphy piece inscribed with "Immanuel." Yongchun Church in Quanzhou also gifted a traditional Chinese painting.
The thanksgiving service featured a sermon by Rev. Chen Meiman, vice chairperson of the Fujian Provincial Christian Council, based on Nehemiah 2:11-20 and titled "Let Us Rise and Build." She urged the congregation to not only construct a physical place of worship but also to strengthen their faith and spiritual community. She emphasized the importance of working in unity, encouraging believers to "work together, think together, bear the yoke together, and serve together."
With its distinct Chinese architectural design, Tulou Church has become a new landmark in Yongding, a region famous for its historic tulou structures. It also stands as a model of Fujian Province's ongoing efforts to integrate Christianity with Chinese cultural heritage.
(Originally published by the Gospel Times, the article has been edited under permission and the author is a believer at a church in Fuzhou, Fujian. )
- Edited and translated by Poppy Chan
