YUNGPING, DIOCESE OF
In the northeastern part of the province of Hopeh (northern China).
It was erected on 23 December 1899 under the name of Eastern Celi, by division of the apostolic vicariate of Northern Celi (or Peking), and entrusted, like the mother mission, to the Lazarists of the Dutch province. On 3 December 1924 it received its present name of Y. and on 11 April 1946 it was raised to the status of a suffragan diocese of Peking.
Area approximately 42,000 sq. km., with approximately 4 million inhabitants, of whom 35,405 are Catholics; priests 43 (20 Chinese); sisters 47 (43 Chinese); 1 hospital, 3 dispensaries, 3 orphanages, 5 schools (30 June 1947).
The evangelization of Y. dates back to about 1670, but persecutions prevented the stable formation of Christian communities; the dispersed faithful were later sought out and gathered by the missionaries of Peking. At the time of its erection, Y. counted 3,200 Catholics.