CHENGTU, DIOCESE of. - The civil province of Szechwan, in western China, separated from the diocese of Nanchino, was erected into an apostolic vicariate on 15 Oct. 1696 and entrusted to the Société des missions étrangères de Paris.
On 2 Apr. 1856 the mission was divided into two vicariates: that of northwestern Szechwan and that of southeastern Szechwan. The former continued to have its seat at C. and on 3 Dec. 1924 took its name from this city; on 2 Aug. 1929 it gave rise, by division, Shunking (v.); on 11 Apr. 1946 it was elevated to a diocese, suffragan of Chungking.
Within its present boundaries, C. has an area of 86,000 sq. km. The population, on 30 June 1947, was approximately 16 million, of whom 38,894 were Catholics and 1,469 catechumens. There were 31 foreign missionaries and 48 Chinese; 50 Chinese nuns and 21 foreign ones. There were 7 orphanages, 4 hospitals, and 5 medical dispensaries.