CHAOTUNG, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — It is located in that north-eastern part of the civil province of Yunnan (China) which juts between Szechwan and Kweichow. It was erected on 8 April 1935 from part of the territory of the Apostolic Vicariate of Yunnanfu and entrusted to the Chinese secular clergy.
It has an area of 5,000 sq km. The total population is about 2,000,000 inhabitants, mostly Chinese from Szechwan, but there are also numerous aboriginal Miao and Lolo. As of 30 June 1947, Catholics numbered 8,147, with 12 Chinese secular priests and 7 foreign priests (Italian Camillians), 5 foreign lay religious and 6 sisters, of whom 4 were Chinese. Among the works of the mission are the preparatory and minor seminary, 4 orphanages and 2 hospitals.