| Summary/Abstract |
One feature of Chinese Catholicism, as identi ed by o cial Chinese
investigation, is that most Chinese Catholics belong to traditional
Catholic families and communities, which include generations of
believers. is is a relatively stable religious population, whose growth
depends largely on the continuity of the family and the community. To
explore the origins of this legacy, this article studies the formation and
early development of Chinese Catholic communities in Northeast
China and their models of religious governance. It argues that the widespread Catholic missions since the 19th century diffused not only
religion but also notions of autonomy and models of local governance
among Chinese Christians. Based on archival research and eldwork,
the article focuses on two Catholic communities in Northeast China.
ese two cases demonstrate that the early development of Northeast
Catholic communities was largely due to immigration and the absence
of the state. e growth of the community coincided with the formation
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