ChristianityWhen Marco Polo visited the Mongol ruled China, he never wished to impose his religious beliefs onto the Chinese. But, as with other "pagan" continents, the Europeans tried to convert the Chinese to Christianity. The fanatical Jesuits tried to convert the Kublai Khan and his senior officials to Christianity but all they wanted were the exquisit European crafted clocks.In the 19th century, merchants penetrated China after the gunship treaties that ended the Opium War. The missionaries followed the merchants into China. Many young men and women from America, Great Britain, Germany, Italy, France, and Scandinavia set up churches and hospitals along the coasts. This mass construction seeped into China and lead a scramble to try and convert people to the different sects of Christianity. This was not true conversion since the Chinese only followed the people that gave them the best offer, and not for worshiping the religion. An example of this selling out are the so called Rice-Christians. These converts were desperate to feed their children and have food in times of famine. They would follow Christianity for the food rather than the promise of an afterlife. The missionaries did not preach, they set up the hospitals, schools, and universities. The missionaries were eventually kicked out and their institutions were run by the Chinese government. The Chinese that converted to Christianity were ostricized by the Chinese that stayed with the old ways. They were also "easy" targets during times of strife; much like the Romans persecuted the Christians. Now, Christianity is getting a stronger foothold in China especially in the younger population.
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