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Stone Gateway

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Shimenkan: the Stone Gateway that Leads to the Former Center of Hmong Christian Culture

---Writen by Rober Lin

11-9-2006. I was finally on my way to Shimenkan (literally the stone gateway) in the southwestern Guizhou, China — a place that I had read and heard so much about while preparing my film project about a Hmong personality.

The name of this small town (once just a village) that could only be found in the military map certainly sounds strange to most of Chinese ears, let alone the westerners. However, in the early part of last century, this place was once hailed as the center of the Hmong Christian culture, a region that had the highest civilization in the southwestern China.

Many Christians overseas called Shimenkan the Paradise in the East. The place is located at the high mountains, which had been and is still poverty-driven.

So what had happened here starting some one hundred years ago? What has happened since then? How has the Christian belief among Hmong people survived the socialist China? I had some answers from my research by the time I embarked on this trip. Still, I was excited as I was going to witness a legend, an old glory, and a part of history.

I will share some of my discoveries with you through my camera as well as my brief notes.

11-10-2006. After several hours’ drive from Zhaotong, a city close to the border of Guizhou and Yunnan, we finally found the street sign that shows the direction to our destination.

The mountain region in southwestern Guizhou is famous for its foggy weather. This photo was taken through our jeep’s windshield — the local farmers were on their feet or sitting on the horse cart — still considered a valid transportation means in the area these days.

Despite the foggy weather and slippery road, the pretty mountain view is certainly refreshing to someone from NYC!

Here we are! The view of Shimenkan from a distance did not impress me that much as the sign of poverty and remoteness was certainly seen everywhere.

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