October 22 – Ancient Chinese Knowledge of the Creator
Did you realize the Chinese have known about a single Creator God for more than 4000 years? From the beginning of their history, the ancient Chinese worshipped a being they called “ShangDi” and acknowledged Him as the Creator of the universe and all life. ShangDi means “God above” or “Most High God.”
For more than 4000 years ago, the Chinese emperors also sacrificed an unblemished bull to ShangDi. Once a year, the emperor would sacrifice an unblemished bull in a ceremony accompanied by prayers and hymns of praise. This was called the border sacrifice. This sacrifice was originally done on the eastern border on top of Mount Tai in Shan-Dong. In the 15th century it was moved to Beijing, and the Temple of Heaven Complex was built for this purpose. (Today, the Altar of Heaven complex is a prime tourist attraction, and few people concern themselves with its origin and meaning.) Do you see the parallel with the practices of the ancient Israelites? Where did Adam make an offering to God and teach his sons to do the same? It was likely at the border of the Garden of Eden that they were forbidden to enter. Why sacrifice a perfect (unblemished) bull? This pointed to the sacrificial death of Jesus. The emperors continued doing this for thousands of years without realizing the significance of their actions. They had not been told that the sacrifice of the sinless Son of God (Jesus) had already taken place as a once-and-for-all payment for their sins. It was not until 1911 when the last emperor was deposed that the annual border sacrifices were stopped.
How did the Chinese know about a righteous, just, Creator God who required payment for their sinfulness? After the Flood of Noah’s day, people began to multiply on the Earth. After the Flood, the people built a tower, the Tower of Babel. God confused their languages and scattered them abroad. As the ancestors of the Chinese left the Tower of Babel, they settled in China, but they brought with them the same knowledge of God that the Hebrews had learned from their common ancestor – Noah. The ancient Chinese worshiped the God of the Bible; it was the faith of their fathers.
Leviticus 4:13, 15
Reference
Nelson, Ethel R., Richard E. Broadberry, Ginger Tong Chock. 1997. God’s Promise to the Chinese. Read Books Publisher, Dunlap, TN.
Learn More
The Original ‘Unknown’ God of China
Recommended
Book: God’s Promise to the Chinese, ER Nelson, RE Broadberry & G Tong Chock