Diocese of Tatung
In the north-eastern part of Shansi province, in northern China.
It was erected as an apostolic prefecture on 14 March 1922, comprising six civil sub-prefectures of the Apostolic Vicariate of Northern Shansi (see TATUVAN), and was entrusted to the Congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (Scheut). On 17 June 1932 it was elevated to an apostolic vicariate, and on 11 April 1946, with the establishment of the episcopal hierarchy in China, to a suffragan diocese of Taiyūan.
It covers an area of approximately 20,000 km². As of 30 June 1947, with a total population of about 1,000,000 inhabitants, there were 8,000 Catholics; 32 priests, of whom four were from the Chinese secular clergy; and two major seminarians. Among its institutions were three orphanages, five dispensaries, one hospice for the elderly, and four schools. In T. the first regional seminary in China was established in 1921 for major seminarians of the missions entrusted to the religious of Scheut, and it was precisely to facilitate the foundation and life of this pious institute that the Apostolic Prefecture of T. was erected and entrusted to the Scheutists.
Tattooing
The Mangaya chief with raised tattooing (chelodi) of the Budja tribe, Yaundi village in the territory of Bumba (Belgian Congo).
During the Boxer persecution (1900), the city of T. had several martyrs, including the Chinese priest YANG; however, evangelization of the territory was greatly hindered by a lack of personnel. At the time of its creation, the apostolic prefecture had only three residences: in T., Hunyuan, and Kwangling. In the first five years of its independent existence, five more were founded: Tienchen, Lingkui, Yangkao, Yulin, and Sitchaitien. In subsequent years, missionary activity was further intensified and yielded abundant fruit. — See plate CXXX.