SIANGTAN, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE OF. — In the central-eastern part of Hunan province, in central China.
It was erected on 10 July 1937 with 6 civil sub-prefectures detached Changsha (v.) and entrusted to the Order of Friars Minor, who, for missionary work, send there the religious of the regular province of St Catherine in Bologna.
It covers an area of 21,335 sq km. As of 30 June 1947, out of a total population of about 4,000,000 inhabitants, there were 5,073 Catholics and 46 catechumens; 9 priests, all Chinese; 1 major seminary; 4 sisters. Among the works were 1 hospital, 1 oratory, 2 dispensaries; 1 school with 25 pupils.
In the city of Siangtan there were already 2 churches in 1689; there is also the grave of Giovanni In, the first priest of the Chinese College, inaugurated in Naples on 25 July 1732 by the Venerable Matteo Ripa. Despite many persecutions, the Catholic faith remained alive: there are still today faithful descendants of those ancient Christian communities. In 1936, the year before the erection of Siangtan, there were 3,190 Catholics and 432 catechumens in this territory.