Original Articles

Response of Indigenization and Globalization in the Changes of Villages: Contabescence and Renascence of Gospel Villages in Shenzhen

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  • 1. Geography and Planning School of Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China;
    2. The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong; China;
    3. Geography School, South China Normal University, Guangzhou 510631, China

Received date: 2008-10-26

  Revised date: 2009-03-15

  Online published: 2009-08-20

Supported by

National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40771067; No.40601033; The Key Grant of Social Science of Guangdong Universities, No.05ZD790008; The Talent Support Project in New Century of the Ministry of Education, China, No.NCET-07-0889

Abstract

Gospel village refers to a kind of special settlement with more than half of the Christian villagers. Like the other villages in the Pearl River Delta, the old gospel villages in Shenzhen, China, with a history of the Christian church development over 100 years, have witnessed rapid industrialization, urbanization and modernization since the reform and opening up. Along with this process, mode of production, rural landscape and people's way of life all have undergone great changes. In these gospel villages, Christianity is producing less and less effect on the local villagers, yet it is getting revival among the immigration. Through a case study of Sanzhuli gospel village in Shenzhen, this research analyses the dynamic development process of Christianity in this village--the process of its extinction and renascence and further investigates the role that globalization plays in the development of Christianity. Research into gospel villages will not only help enlarge the knowledge of religious geography and rural geography which are unsubstantially developed in China, but also exert great influence on the adjustment of life style, the organization of harmonious society in rural areas and the promotion of healthy religious activities of citizens.

Cite this article

SHU Hong, GUO Chun-Lan . Response of Indigenization and Globalization in the Changes of Villages: Contabescence and Renascence of Gospel Villages in Shenzhen[J]. Acta Geographica Sinica, 2009 , 64(8) : 967 -977 . DOI: 10.11821/xb200908008

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