When I look out of my window in my study I can see China's biggest cathedral far below me (I live next to it on the 28th floor). The Xujiahui Cathedral (officially called St. Igantius Cathedral) was built between 1905 and 1910 by French Jesuits. It is not only the biggest cathedral in China, but apparantly even in the whole Far East. One other reason it became famous was because of its stained-glass windows. However, during the cultural revolution the red guards destroyed all of these windows. Since the cathedral reopened it has only had normal windows (see pictures).
 
But now Bishop Jin has started a project to restore the stained-glass windows. Not in the original state, but with Chinese elements in a Western religious context. Some of the windows contain bible texts in Chinese character and classical Chinese pictures for example. Also the traditional Western religious symbol of the white lily has been replaced by a Chinese lotus. The whole restauration will take approximately five years. The Westin Shanghai Hotel currently has an exhibition of some of the stained-glass windows (until Dec. 31, 2004).
Source: Shanghai Daily
12:15:34 AM 
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