What if Jesus had been born and raised in China? What might it have looked like to see him as a Chinese man performing miracles in a Chinese context?
Well, wonder no further, because here is an imaginative, illustrative rendering!
It’s mesmerising. I love it so much. It’s playful, yet faithful and reverent. As soon as I discovered this homemade ang pao entitled ‘Miracles of Jesus’ by ChezHemdi, I immediately ordered a pack and got my parents to ship it over from Singapore (that’s my excuse for this post coming so late after Chinese New Year).1
[Edit on 15/3/24: Since I shared this post, it’s come to my attention that some people – perhaps the more traditionally Chinese – might be gravely offended at receiving this ang pao because its depictions of death (e.g. Lazarus in grave clothes) and disrepair (e.g. broken roof) can be perceived as bad luck. My advice is to be wise and selective if you are giving them out.]
There are a whopping 37 miracles(!!) depicted on the red envelope – front and back – explained in full detail here. The large-fonted phrase says ‘Blessings in the world / blessings to all’, and there are four other phrases on building signs and banners: ‘The Lord’s grace overflows’, ‘Emmanuel’, ‘The Lord gives peace’, ‘The Lord gives grace’.
Jesus is in a white robe and red sash as usually envisioned, but also with a beard and hair bun like a Chinese man. All the people are in traditional Chinese dress (hanfu) – from long scholarly robes to shorter commoner garb – standing with sleeve-covered hands together, or bowing and kneeling in petition. They have different hairstyles (e.g. hair buns, hair pins, queues) and wear different hats (e.g. bamboo hats, head scarfs). They carry items like oil-paper umbrellas, fireworks and walking sticks. And of course the architecture (e.g. temples, pavilions, pagodas) and decorations (e.g. glazed tiles, red lanterns).
Here are close-up shots and some of my favourite details. What else can you spot?
Jesus Entering Jerusalem on a Donkey: Jesus comes through a Chinese gate, welcomed by people with palm leaves and trumpets, but also carrying oil-paper umbrellas and banging traditional drums.
Jesus Healing Peter’s Mother-in-Law: On the top floor of a Chinese pavilion with traditional furnishings. (Don’t remember the story of needing to rescue a cat from atop the roof in the gospels lol.)
Jesus Turning Water into Wine: The guests sit around a circular dining table like at Chinese restaurants (no lazy Susan though!), and wine is poured from what looks like a gourd.
Jesus Healing the Roman Centurion’s Servant: The Roman centurion and his men dressed like traditional Chinese soldiers. (Imagine Jesus appearing in Red Cliff like he does in Ben Hur!)
Jesus Healing the Blind Man: The blind man wearing a tree on his head (lol), which represents how the first time Jesus touches his eyes, he’s partially healed, but he still sees people as if they were walking trees. (He subsequently gets touched by Jesus again, and gets fully healed after a two-step process.)
Jesus Healing the Paralysed Man Lowered Through the Roof: The house decorated with red lanterns and chunlian, and the roof made of green tiles.
Jesus Resurrects Jairus’ Daughter: Resting on a daybed in a room adorned with branch decor.
Disciples Catching Boatload of Fish: The disciples with their traditional hats on a traditional boat under a traditional bridge.
Jesus Casting Out Demons into Pigs: The story is gnarly, but the pigs are cute lol.
On a somewhat related Chinese New Year note, my parents discovered this shop in Singapore which sells Christian-themed decorations and scrolls containing scriptural passages, words and blessings in both Chinese and English. It’s a great example of contextualisation.
And finally: entirely tangential, but I also recently discovered this book… the crossover I never knew I needed! I grew up reading Mr. Men, so to see the two cultures overlapping is such a delight. This is the kind of cross-cultural exchange I want more of, especially in the West.
Here’s the official description. ‘Unwrapping the Miracles of Jesus: Hidden within this ang pao is more than just good fortune; it’s an invitation to explore the miracles performed by Jesus Christ. Let’s journey together through these miracles, discovering the profound love and power that define the extraordinary life of Jesus. Each miraculous moment is a testament to His boundless compassion, limitless power, and divine purpose.’
Thanks for introducing us to the truly cool Christian ang pao! What a delight to go over each depiction slowly and muse with Jesus about how he is being interpreted :)