Dear readers, at the first beginning, we’d like to thank you all for your continuous attention to our institute in the whole year of 2019. In this year’s final issue of the Chongqing Stories, we will continue to explore churches in Chongqing, hoping to provide a church map of Chongqing for everyone who’s interested in learning more about Catholicism, Christian culture, and the atmosphere of Christmas through churches.

In the previous issue, we explored several churches in Yuzhong and Nanan district. Now let’s turn our eyes to other parts of Chongqing. Facing Chaotianmen across Jiling River, the Central Park in CBD of Jiangbeizui is home to the St. Teresa Church, which is the first church in Chongqing to be relocated as a whole. Originally built in the 5th year of the Qing dynasty (1855 AD), the church was first rebuilt in the 7th year of the Qing dynasty (1881 AD) and again in the 16th year of the republic of China (1927 AD). In 2005, Chongqing municipal government decided to reorganize Jiangbei district and build central business district in Jiangbeizui . Therefore, the St. Teresa Church was enlarged and relocated but to the same proportion of its original shape, the whole process of which was completed in 2008.

Not far from St. Teresa hall sits the grandest Gothic church in Chongqing——Christian Gospel Church. Like St. Teresa Church, Christian Gospel Church was relocated, which was originally situated at no.164 center street, Jiangbei district. At the beginning, American missionaries bought a shop on Jiangbei Academy Street and preached in the name of practicing medicine. After a conflict between local residents and the American missionaries, an indemnity was paid to the missionaries, which was used to build this church in 1894.

In Jiulongpo district lies a centennial church——the Tongguanyi Catholic Church. Tongguanyi,  (“铜罐驿” in Chinese, literally means “bronze pot courier station”), named for an ancient bronze pot dug up here in the early years, is a courier station on the water in the upper reaches of the Yangtze river. It was built by French missionaries in the 24th year of the reign of Emperor Guangxu of the Qing dynasty (1898) and repaired in the 13th year of the republic of China (1924). This is a grand church covers an area of 3647 square meters, equipped with a chapel, a harp tower, a clock tower, the priest floor and a well. All the cultural relics are well preserved, including 14 oil paintings brought by French missionaries, an alloy clock bought from France and donated by local Chongqing people in 1924, and aged cactus and Chinese redbud tree grew in the same year of the church. During the war of resistance against Japanese aggression, Mingcheng middle school in Yuzhong district was moved inside this church to escape the bombardment. After the establishment of the People’s Republic of China, another middle school——Baxian No.1 middle school was run here in the church for nearly 40 years.

Besides these three churches built in nineteenth century we introduced above, there are more churches and chapels in other areas of Chongqing. We found there are 18 altogether as follows:

1. 重庆基督教圣爱堂（Christian Holy Love Church），重庆市渝中区民权路55号（No.55 Minquan Rd., Yuzhong Dist., Chongqing）；
2. 重庆天主教若瑟堂（Saint-Joseph Catholic Church），重庆市渝中区民生路若瑟堂巷1号（No.1 Ruosetang Lane, Minsheng Rd., Yuzhong Dist., Chongqing；
3. 重庆解放西路基督教礼拜堂（Jiefangxilu Christian Church），重庆市渝中区解放西路73号（No.73 Jiefangxi Rd., Yuzhong Dist., Chongqing）；
4. 重庆江北德肋撒教堂（St.Teresa Catholic Church），重庆市江北区桂花街41号（No.41 Guihua Street, Jiangbei Dist., Chongqing）；
5. 重庆江北基督教福音堂（Christian Gospel Church），重庆市江北区桂花街47号（No.47 Guihua Street., Jiangbei Dist., Chongqing）；
6. 重庆南岸一德堂（Yide Hall Christian Church），重庆市南岸区弹子石老街13号（No.13 Danzishi Old Street, Nan’an Dist., Chongqing）；
7. 重庆南岸慈母堂（Cimu Hall Catholic Church），重庆市南岸区鸡冠石正街（Jiguanshi Zheng Street, Nan’an Dist., Chongqing）；
8. 重庆基督教马鞍山教堂（Ma’anshan Christian Church），重庆市南岸区海棠溪新街69号（No.69 Haitangxi Xin Street, Nan’an Dist., Chongqing）；
9. 重庆南岸基督教救主堂，重庆市南岸区黄桷垭文峰段30号（No.30, Huangjueya Wenfengduan, Nan’an Dist., Chongqing）；
10. 重庆南泉基督教礼拜堂（Nanquan Christian Church），重庆市巴南区南泉路7号（No.7 Nanquan Rd., Banan Dist., Chongqing）；
11. 重庆鱼洞基督教福音堂（Yudong Christian Gospel Church），重庆市巴南区鱼洞新市街商业院13号（No.13 Shangyeyuan, Xinshi Street, Yudong, Banan Dist., Chongqing）；
12. 重庆大渡口基督教礼拜堂（Dadukou Christian Church），重庆市大渡口区马王街28号（No.28 Mawang Steet., Dadukou Dist., Chognqing）；
13. 重庆沙坪坝歌乐山基督教蒙恩堂（Gele Mountain Meng’en Hall Christian Church），重庆市沙坪坝区歌乐山正街106号（No.106 Geleshan Zheng Street., Shapingba Dist., Chognqing）；
14. 重庆沙坪坝基督教圣恩堂（Sheng’en Hall Christian Church），重庆市沙坪坝区天星桥正街42号（No.42 Tianxingqiao Zheng Street, Shapingba Dist., Chongqing）；
15. 重庆杨家坪基督教恩典堂(Endian Hall Christian Church)，重庆市九龙坡区直港大道30号（No.30 Zhigangdadao, Jiulongpo Dist., Chongqing）；
16. 重庆九龙坡基督教圣一堂（Shengyi Hall Christian Church），重庆市九龙坡区华福大道北段16号（No.16 Huafudadao Beiduan, Jiulongpo Dist., Chognqing）；
17. 重庆九龙坡基督教西彭礼拜堂（Xipeng Christian Church），重庆市九龙坡区西彭镇二环路东段（Erhuanlu Dongduan, Xipeng Town, Jiulongpo Dist., Chongqing）；
18. 重庆铜罐驿天主教堂（Tongguanyi Catholic Church），重庆市九龙坡区铜罐驿镇陡石塔村（Doushita Village, Tongguanyi Town, Jiulongpo Dist., Chongqing）。

Thanks again for your support to the Galileo Galilei Italian Institute and your attention to the Chongqing stories. We wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy New Year!

See you in 2020!