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Finding God in Ancient China: How the Ancient Chinese Worshiped the God of the Bible
While many consider early Chinese history to be composed of myths, fables, and legends, in Finding God in Ancient China author and scholar Chan Kei Thong believes that the language, stories, and rituals actually occurred during this time period and honored a creator who has since been forgotten in modern Chinese culture. According to Thong, after the division of nations at the Tower of Babel one of the groups journeyed across the Asian continent and settled in what is today the region of China. It was this group of people who established the first Chinese culture known as the Long Shan. And from this culture the first ruling dynasty, the Xia Dynasty, would emerge. Thong claims that the writings, beliefs, actions, and language conventions that were employed by the Xia Dynasty all point to a belief in the one true God; the same God who confused the languages at Babel and is today the God of the Christian faith. "Finding God in Ancient China is a remarkable achievement, a profound examination of China's cultural origins and history as a reflection of a continuous Chinese cultural sense of a connection with the divine. This book is already having a profound impact in China in a Chinese version. Everyone interested in Christianity in China should read it."
352 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2009
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About the author
Chan Kei Thong
3 books8 followers"Chan Kei Thong was born in Singapore, educated in Singapore and the United States, and has lived in China for more than 20 years. He is president of LDi, Inc., which provides executive coaching, leadership training and operates five international schools." - Back leaf, Faith of Our Fathers.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
October 12, 2014
A more in depth look at Chinese history and culture than Discovery of Genesis which focuses on the written symbols only. There are striking similarities between ancient China and ancient Israel and history taken from the book of Genesis that only makes sense if the first Chinese were one of the groups of people disbursed by God after the Tower of Babel or since there are so many similarities maybe they were one of the few who voluntarily disbursed as God wished.
The authors provide a plethora of evidence to suggest just such a scenario. Their overarching theme is that the ancient Chinese were monotheists who worshiped Shang Di also called Tian by later dynasties. This worship of Shang Di starts around 2,500 BC which corresponds to a time shortly after Noah's Flood receded and the Tower of Babel.
Interesting facts I learned:
1.) The word for murder is an X with lines on the left, right and bottom. The author says this may have been the mark God personally placed on Cain's head.
2.) The 'di' root word (as in Shang Di=God) is found in many ancient languages even unrelated ones and isolates. This word always refers to God, god, something holy, sacred or as on honorary title to ancestors or kings. The authors don't say this, but my thought is that after God confused man's language into many languages he retained the same word for himself. I'm not sure how this would fit into ancient Hebrew as I cannot think of a 'di' or 'ti' sound that refers to God. This 'di' sound is present even in our English today via Latin in the word Deity.
3.) Royal astronomers record witnessing a comet originating in the direction of the star Altair (Bull in Chinese) in 5 or 4 BC. They assigned meaning to this by stating this was the sign that something big was going to begin. a new era or a new chapter in history. This comet had such a big impact on society that they changed their calendar system to reflect this. They ended up changing it back later the same year. They authors think the wise men from the East who visited Jesus were Chinese.
The authors provide a plethora of evidence to suggest just such a scenario. Their overarching theme is that the ancient Chinese were monotheists who worshiped Shang Di also called Tian by later dynasties. This worship of Shang Di starts around 2,500 BC which corresponds to a time shortly after Noah's Flood receded and the Tower of Babel.
Interesting facts I learned:
1.) The word for murder is an X with lines on the left, right and bottom. The author says this may have been the mark God personally placed on Cain's head.
2.) The 'di' root word (as in Shang Di=God) is found in many ancient languages even unrelated ones and isolates. This word always refers to God, god, something holy, sacred or as on honorary title to ancestors or kings. The authors don't say this, but my thought is that after God confused man's language into many languages he retained the same word for himself. I'm not sure how this would fit into ancient Hebrew as I cannot think of a 'di' or 'ti' sound that refers to God. This 'di' sound is present even in our English today via Latin in the word Deity.
3.) Royal astronomers record witnessing a comet originating in the direction of the star Altair (Bull in Chinese) in 5 or 4 BC. They assigned meaning to this by stating this was the sign that something big was going to begin. a new era or a new chapter in history. This comet had such a big impact on society that they changed their calendar system to reflect this. They ended up changing it back later the same year. They authors think the wise men from the East who visited Jesus were Chinese.
March 21, 2013
Outstanding! This is the most interesting history book I've ever read.
The concept/premise of this book is based on the historical fact that the ancient Chinese worshiped a monotheistic God called: 'Shang Di' (Lord of Heaven). The book parallels the attributes of Shang Di with those of the Hebrew God Yahweh (or Jehovah), and reveals in a very conclusive way that the two are one and the same God.
I first became aware of this correlation when I stumbled across some literature concerning some of the earliest characters in the Chinese written language. Upon close observation of the earliest forms of the pictographic language, certain words visually tell biblical stories. It is clear from studying the early characters that the ancient Chinese believed many of the same stories from the book of Genesis that are taught in the bible. This book touches on the pictographic writing, but its core focus is the entire gamut history regarding Shang Di, from the writing, to in-depth description of the 'border sacrifice' (the annual sacrifice to atone for the sins of the nation), to Imperial and missionary history, and even much of the history behind the Chinese culture finally turning from Shang Di to totem dragon worship, and into many other religions.
Sometimes reading this book (particularly the first few chapters) felt a bit dry and monotonous - as it is written as a history book - yet as the story of China's history through a 'Christian' worldview slowly unfolded it became more and more intriguing, until it felt like I was reading more of a drama than a history book.
Not only was this the best history book I've ever read, it also has filled me with a desire to much more research into China's amazing history and culture.
The concept/premise of this book is based on the historical fact that the ancient Chinese worshiped a monotheistic God called: 'Shang Di' (Lord of Heaven). The book parallels the attributes of Shang Di with those of the Hebrew God Yahweh (or Jehovah), and reveals in a very conclusive way that the two are one and the same God.
I first became aware of this correlation when I stumbled across some literature concerning some of the earliest characters in the Chinese written language. Upon close observation of the earliest forms of the pictographic language, certain words visually tell biblical stories. It is clear from studying the early characters that the ancient Chinese believed many of the same stories from the book of Genesis that are taught in the bible. This book touches on the pictographic writing, but its core focus is the entire gamut history regarding Shang Di, from the writing, to in-depth description of the 'border sacrifice' (the annual sacrifice to atone for the sins of the nation), to Imperial and missionary history, and even much of the history behind the Chinese culture finally turning from Shang Di to totem dragon worship, and into many other religions.
Sometimes reading this book (particularly the first few chapters) felt a bit dry and monotonous - as it is written as a history book - yet as the story of China's history through a 'Christian' worldview slowly unfolded it became more and more intriguing, until it felt like I was reading more of a drama than a history book.
Not only was this the best history book I've ever read, it also has filled me with a desire to much more research into China's amazing history and culture.
December 13, 2014
This book is so great it should be required reading in all Christian universities!
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews