Christianity and Female Empowerment: The American Presbyterian Mission Schools in Weixian, Shandong Province (1883-1920)

摘要

Between the arrival of Robert Morrison in 1807, the first Protestantmissionary to China, and the expulsion of Western missionaries in the early1950s, one important area of missionary work for Chinese women was theestablishment of schools at the primary, secondary and university levels.This education work afforded girls and young women opportunities foradvancement not provided under the existing patriarchal society. Thisarticle focuses on the development of the American Presbyterian primaryand secondary schools for girls in the rural area of Weixian in Shandongprovince. The Presbyterian station in Weixian played a leading role inestablishing primary and secondary schools for girls throughout itsmission field. Although the missionaries began with a conservative agendaof creating good Christian households at the time, the local populationeventually embraced the schools. These girls’ schools not only trainedfemale students to become professional teachers but also enlightened andempowered them in the local cultural sphere.