Bian Boze used to be vice chairman of CPPCC in Huize County, Yunnan Province. He visited different places of interest and natural scenes in Huize after retiring.
Bian wrote eight books about local history, culture and geography. What' more, he has learned much about the history of Christianity in Huize. He talked about the story of Pastor Berger and Dongfeng Primary School.
"Common people couldn't imagine what difficulties Pastor Berger had met when he was evangelizing in Guizhou Province." Bian said with admiration.
Bian's family members all graduated from Dongfeng Primary School and they have special feelings with this church school set up by Pastor Berger.
In the early times, people in Huize County were afraid of talking about religions. Bian doesn't believe in any religion but he began to study the five main religions in the world at that time.
Bian said the church school built by Pastor Berger had a profound influence in Huize County. He brought about western thoughts of fraternity, democracy and freedom. Bian mentioned Tang Jiyao, a famous military leader in the history of Yunnan Province. He criticized feudalism and contributed to building a democratic republic state in China. "In my personal opinion, Tang was affected by the foreign missionaries." Bian said.
Berger and Frank Dymond started working on education after they arrived in the southwest of Yunnan. They set up a mixed school where boys and girls had lessons together, totally different from ancient Chinese schools of Qing Dynasty. In addition, this is a bilingual school teaching Chinese and English at the same time.
Bian recalled his mother, a Christian. He said his mother learned basic oral English in Dongfeng Primary School. In addition, she was freed from footbinding with the church's help. Ancient Chinese thought a woman's feet should be small. Footbinding makes a woman's feet no longer grow. However, women had to suffer great pain and could not walk fast any longer. The church abolished this bad habit. Bian's mother went to many places with her husband because she had healthy and normal feet.
Bian's brothers and sisters are well-educated, too. Some of them achieved a master degree in the USA. Some of them achieved a doctor degree in Japan. Bian attributed these to her mother's education in the church school.
The missionaries also set up clinics in Huize County, spreading advanced medical knowledge. They advocated new and scientific way of delivering the baby. They often carried out free treatment activities for local residents.
Bian said that many Chinese people couldn't understand Pastor Berger's behavior at that time. However, Hu Jintao, the last general secretary as well as chairman of China, used to make such a speech when referring to Pastor Berger:
"A British missionary came to Shimenkan or Stone Gateway in Guizhou Province. He built schools, football field and a swimming pool on the poor and desolate land. He even wrote textbooks teaching students patriotism. He provided free education for poor children. He stayed to look after his Chinese students when other local adults fled during a plague. Finally, the plague took up his life."
According to the religious affair bureau of Huize County, 3.06% of the population in the county believes in religions. They respectively belong to Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism and Christianity.
The current Jinzhong Christian Church in the county used to be a folk house. In 1997, approved by the people's government of Huize, the folk house successfully entered the registration. Bian was vice chairman of CPPCC in Huize County at that time. He made many efforts to promote the development of the church. He occasionally attends the church's Christmas party now.
Bian used to visit the grave of Berger in Shimenkan of Guizhou Province. He met an old man there. The old man said that his grandfather had received help from Pastor Berger. His grandfather picked up gafeira and was quarantined. Pastor Berger adopted him and cured his disease in the hospital set by the church.
One of Pastor Berger's children was born in Huize County. His offspring attended the 100th anniversary memorizing Pastor Berger's death. Local residents in Huize gave them gifts with Miao ethnic group characteristics and took photos with them.
Pastor Berger also carried out various kinds of sports, literary and artistic activities in Huize County. Bian recalled that in the 1930s Berger brought about western movies to the church. The church became the earliest cinema in Huize.
Seeing people walking and talking on the screen, residents in Huize were amazed because they had never seen it before. They warmly discussed the movies in the church.
Bian's whole lifetime was full of obstacles. Bian's parents went to Taiwan when he was four years old. He was separated from his mother for 30 years without hearing from her.
In 1988, Mainland China and Taiwan became interlinked. His mother sent a letter to him. He could do nothing but cry when receiving the letter. He still remembers the contents of the letter clearly now.
Then Bian wrote back to his mother. Shortly afterwards Bian's sister who was studying in Japan also sent letters home. Bian's life has been changed since then.
Although Bian was not a Christian, he would like to write the story of how his family benefit from the church school, hoping to promote the spirits of Christianity.
