NANCHANG, ARCHDIOCESE OF. — On 19 Aug. 1879 the Apostolic Vicariate of Kiangsi, which included the civil province of the same name, was divided into the Apostolic Vicariates of Northern Kiangsi and Southern Kiangsi. The former (28 Aug. 1885) was further divided, giving rise to that of Eastern Kiangsi (see YUKIANG); on 25 Aug. 1920 it ceded 2 civil subprefectures to the present mission of Kian (see KIAN) and took the name of Apostolic Vicariate of Kiukiang, from the principal city, seat of the Ordinary; on 3 Dec. 1924 it received the name of N., from the city to which the Apostolic Vicar had meanwhile transferred his see. On 11 Apr. 1946, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, N. was raised to the rank of metropolitan archdiocese with the suffragan dioceses of Kanchow, Kian, Nanchang and Yükiang. It has been entrusted, from the beginning, to the Congregation of the Mission.
It covers an area of 46,000 sq. km.; on 30 June 1948 it had about 5,000,000 inhabitants, of whom 29,717 Catholics and 1,217 catechumens; about 850 Protestants and 1,200 Muslims. The missionary personnel, besides the archbishop, consisted of 20 Lazarists and 17 Chinese secular priests; 60 sisters.