Rubbings of the Nestorian Stele “Eulogizing the Propagation of Nestorian Church in China”

In 428 A.D., the Church of the East, also referred to as Nestorian Church, became independent of the church structure of the Roman Empire. Since then, Nestorian doctrines were propagated eastwards and were gradually well-received by people in West Asia and Central Asia. It was introduced to China in the ninth year of Zhenguan Reign (635 A.D.) in Tang dynasty. The script of this stele was composed by a Nestorian monk, Jingjing. It describes the propagation of basic Christian doctrines and the Nestorian Church in China during the reign of Emperor Taizong and Emperor Dezong for over 140 years. This stele provides valuable information for the study of cultural and religious exchange between China and the Roman Empire in Tang dynasty, and the study of the communication and transportation between China and the west world in history. It also reflects the features of China in Tang dynasty when it boasted strength and wealth, with an open heart to the outside world, and showed great lenience to different religions.