HUNGTUNG, DIOCESI di. - In the civil and ecclesiastical province of Shansi, in northern China. It was erected as an apostolic prefecture on 17 June 1932 from territory detached from the mission of Lunn and entrusted to the Chinese secular clergy; on 18 Apr. 1950 it was raised to a diocese, suffragan of Taiyuan.
It covers an area of approximately 16,000 sq. km. As of 30 June 1946, out of a total population of 1,300,000, there were 12,396 Catholics and 699 catechumens. The missionary personnel consisted of 28 Chinese and 2 foreign priests, assisted by 11 catechists, 28 teachers, and 92 baptizers. There were 15 pupils in the preparatory seminary, 18 in the minor seminary, and 12 Suanhwa (v.), which some years ago was transferred to H. The canonically organized territory had 8 quasi-parishes; in the remaining part there were 6 primary and 3 secondary stations. There were 5 churches and 5 chapels. The institutions included 1 dispensary and 1 orphanage with 35 girls. The three elementary schools educated 314 children, and the sole secondary school had 120 pupils. The attendees at the 8 schools of prayer and elementary instruction numbered 292.
The first Christians in the territory of H. date from 1760; in 1881 the first house was purchased to serve as a chapel and residence. But Catholicism made no visible progress there until after the persecution of 1900: in the following year there were 2,186 Christians. The mission suffered greatly during the Sino-Japanese war and subsequently during the Communist civil war.