# Alopen

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First Christian missionary to China

Alopen The name "Alopen" (阿羅本) in the Xi'an Stele. Traditional Chinese 阿羅本 Simplified Chinese 阿罗本 Transcriptions Standard Mandarin Hanyu Pinyin Āluóběn IPA [á.lwǒ.pə̀n] Middle Chinese Middle Chinese alapuənX

**Alopen** ([Chinese](/source/Traditional_Chinese_characters): 阿羅本, fl. AD 635; also "Aleben", "Aluoben", "Olopen," "Olopan," or "Olopuen") is the first recorded [Christian](/source/Christianity) [missionary](/source/Missionary) to have reached [China](/source/China), during the [Tang dynasty](/source/Tang_dynasty). He was a missionary from the [Church of the East](/source/Church_of_the_East),[1] and probably a [Syriac speaker](/source/Syriac_language) from the [Sasanian Empire](/source/Sasanian_Empire) or from [Byzantine Syria](/source/Roman_Syria#Syria_in_the_Byzantine_Empire).[2] He is known exclusively from the [Xi'an Stele](/source/Xi'an_Stele), which describes his arrival in the Tang capital of [Chang'an](/source/Chang'an) in 635 and his acceptance by [Emperor Taizong of Tang](/source/Emperor_Taizong_of_Tang). His is the earliest known name that can be attached to the history of the [Church of the East in China](/source/Church_of_the_East_in_China).

## History

Detail of the [Xi'an Stele](/source/Xi'an_Stele) artifact, mentioning Alopen

Alopen's name is known only from the Chinese of the [Xi'an Stele](/source/Xi'an_Stele). This may be a transliteration of the Semitic "Abraham"[3] or *aloho punoya,* "the conversion of God."[4] Amy Chua posits that his name could be a transcription of "Ruben",[5] Alexis Balmont rather advocates for Ardaban.[6]

According to the Stele, Alopen and his fellow missionaries came to China from [Daqin](/source/Daqin) (or Ta Tsin – the [Byzantine Empire](/source/Byzantine_Empire)) in the ninth year of [Emperor Taizong](/source/Emperor_Taizong_of_Tang) (Tai Tsung; 635), bringing sacred books and images.[7] He would have come to China via the [Silk Road](/source/Silk_Road). The Church of the East mission benefited from Taizong's policy of [religious tolerance](/source/Religious_tolerance), which reversed measures his father [Gaozu](/source/Emperor_Gaozu_of_Tang) had taken against [Buddhism](/source/Buddhism) and other foreign religions and influences.[1] Many of the religions that were tolerated entered through the Silk Road: [Zoroastrianism](/source/Zoroastrianism), [Manichaeism](/source/Manichaeism), [Judaism](/source/Judaism), [Islam](/source/Islam), and [Christianity](/source/Christianity). Taizong appreciated [Jesus](/source/Jesus) as another [sage](/source/Junzi#Confucianism), and Christian doctrines as being profound and promoting peace, and therefore welcome to be preached throughout the Empire.[5]

太宗文皇帝，光華啓運，明聖臨人，大秦國有上徳曰阿羅本，占青雲而載真經，望風律以馳艱險。貞觀九祀，至扵長安。 In the time of the accomplished Emperor Taitsung, the illustrious and magnificent founder of the dynasty, among the enlightened and holy men who arrived was the Most-virtuous Olopun, from the country of Syria. Observing the azure clouds, he bore the true sacred books; beholding the direction of the winds, he braved difficulties and dangers. In the year AD 635 he arrived at Chang-an.

— Extract from the [Xi'an Stele](/source/Xi'an_Stele), about the arrival of Alopen.[8][9]

According to the Stele, Taizong welcomed Alopen and arranged for the translation of the holy writings he had brought with him at the Imperial Library. Upon studying them, Taizong, a great scholar and patron, found them most acceptable and arranged for their dissemination. Indeed, four [documents](/source/Jingjiao_Documents) from the early period of Christianity in China date to around Alopen's time.[1] Three years later, in 638, Taizong issued an official declaration protecting the Church of the East. He erected China's first Christian church and recognized twenty-one priests, likely all Persians, to administer it. Under Taizong's son and successor [Gaozong](/source/Emperor_Gaozong_of_Tang), who continued this policy of toleration, Alopen's status expanded even further, and he was appointed [bishop](/source/Bishop) over the many churches built by the emperor.[10]

After Alopen's time, the Church of the East was prominent in China for the remainder of the Tang Dynasty's power. Different emperors treated it differently, with some showing it the tolerance it received in the early decades, and some openly persecuting it. The Church of the East disappeared with the fall of the Tang Dynasty in the early 10th century. It did not return for three centuries, when it was reintroduced by the [Mongols](/source/Mongols).[1] The story of Alopen became prominent again in the 17th century, when the [Xi'an Stele](/source/Xi'an_Stele) was rediscovered and the Chinese were surprised to find that the "new" religion being preached by the missionaries, had actually been in existence in China more than 1,000 years earlier.

## See also

- [Adam (monk)](/source/Adam_(monk))

## References

[Library resources](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:The_Wikipedia_Library) about
 **Alopen**

- [Resources in your library](https://ftl.toolforge.org/cgi-bin/ftl?st=wp&su=Alopen)

- [Resources in other libraries](https://ftl.toolforge.org/cgi-bin/ftl?st=wp&su=Alopen&library=0CHOOSE0)

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-Moffett_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-Moffett_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-Moffett_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-Moffett_1-3) Anderson, Gerald H. (1999). [*Biographical Dictionary of Christian Missions*](https://books.google.com/books?id=oQ8BFk9K0ToC&pg=PA14). Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. p. 14. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-8028-4680-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-8028-4680-8).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Yeung, Daniel H. N. (2018). ["The Multiple Identities of the Nestorian Monk Mar Alopen: A Discussion on Diplomacy and Politics"](https://books.google.com/books?id=HIR1DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA39). In Huang, Paul Z. (ed.). *Yearbook of Chinese Theology 2018*. Brill. p. 39. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-90-04-38497-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-90-04-38497-2).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [Saeki, PY](/source/P._Y._Saeki) (1951), *The Nestorian Documents and Relics in China* (2nd ed.), Tokyo: Academy of Oriental Culture.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** Ethridge, J.W (1846), [*The Syrian Churches*](https://books.google.com/books?id=WKkAAAAAcAAJ&lpg=PA85), London: Longman, Green, Brown & Longmans.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-:0_5-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-:0_5-1) Chua, Amy (2007). [*Day of Empire: How Hyperpowers Rise to Global Dominance–and Why They Fall*](https://archive.org/details/dayofempirehowhy0000amyc/page/71/mode/1up) (1st ed.). New York: [Doubleday](/source/Doubleday_(publisher)). p. 71. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-0-385-51284-8](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-0-385-51284-8). [OCLC](/source/OCLC_(identifier)) [123079516](https://search.worldcat.org/oclc/123079516).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-:1_6-0)** Balmont, Alexis (2025). *Le christianisme chinois du haut Moyen Âge* (1st ed.). Paris: [Cerf](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=%C3%89ditions_du_Cerf_(publisher)&action=edit&redlink=1). p. 323. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-2204168694](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-2204168694).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Ding, Wang (2006). "Remnants of Christianity from Chinese Central Asia in Medieval ages". In Malek, Roman; Hofrichter, Peter (eds.). *Jingjiao: the Church of the East in China and Central Asia*. Steyler Verlagsbuchhandlung. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-3-8050-0534-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-3-8050-0534-0).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** Holm, Frits Vilhelm. ["The Nestorian Monument: An Ancient Record of Christianity in China"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/The_Nestorian_Monument:_An_Ancient_Record_of_Christianity_in_China/Translation_of_the_Nestorian_Inscription).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Wikisource"](https://zh.wikisource.org/wiki/%E5%A4%A7%E7%A7%A6%E6%99%AF%E6%95%99%E6%B5%81%E8%A1%8C%E4%B8%AD%E5%9C%8B%E7%A2%91%E9%A0%8C).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-10)** ["Nestorian Tablet: Eulogizing the Propagation of the Illustrious Religion in China, with a Preface, composed by a priest of the Syriac Church, 781 A.D."](https://sourcebooks.fordham.edu/eastasia/781nestorian.asp) *East Asian History Sourcebook*. www.fordham.edu/halsall. Retrieved January 28, 2010.

## External links

- [Early Christianity in China](https://web.archive.org/web/20120206012925/http://www.christianityinchina.org/Common/Admin/showNews_auto.jsp?Nid=304&Charset=big5)

- Samuel Hugh Moffett, "[Alopen](http://bdcconline.net/en/stories/alopen)," *[Biographical Dictionary of Chinese Christianity](/source/Biographical_Dictionary_of_Chinese_Christianity).*

v t e Christianity in China Denominations Catholic Church in Sichuan in Shaanxi in Tibet Protestantism in Sichuan Orthodox Church Terms for God Tianzhu Shen Shangdi Bible translations (list) Chinese Contemporary Bible Chinese New Living Translation Chinese New Version Chinese Standard Bible Chinese Union Version Chinese Union Bible with New Punctuation Revised Chinese Union Version of the Bible Delegates' Version Hakka Bible Pastoral Bible Studium Biblicum Version Today's Chinese Version Hymns Hymns of Universal Praise Chinese New Hymnal Canaan Hymns Mission history Church of the East Xi'an Stele Jingjiao Documents Mogao Christian painting Murals from the Christian temple at Qocho Alopen Adam Catholic Franciscan missions (Yuan) Jesuit missions (Ming) Foreign Missions Society John of Montecorvino Odoric of Pordenone Giovanni de' Marignolli Francis Xavier Matteo Ricci Joachim Bouvet Angelo Zottoli Frédéric-Vincent Lebbe Chinese Rites controversy Martyr Saints of China St. Paul's College, Macau Protestant Agencies Medical missions in China Robert Morrison Karl Gützlaff Divie Bethune McCartee Hudson Taylor Lottie Moon Timothy Richard Jonathan Goforth Cambridge Seven Eric Liddell Gladys Aylward List of Protestant missionaries in China By province and region East Christianity in Anhui Christianity in Fujian Christianity in Jiangsu Christianity in Jiangxi Christianity in Shandong Christianity in Shanghai Christianity in Zhejiang West Christianity in Chongqing Christianity in Gansu Christianity in Guizhou Christianity in Ningxia Christianity in Qinghai Christianity in Shaanxi Christianity in Sichuan Christianity in Tibet Christianity in Xinjiang Christianity in Yunnan Central Christianity in Henan Christianity in Hubei Christianity in Hunan North Christianity in Beijing Christianity in Hebei Christianity in Heilongjiang Christianity in Inner Mongolia Christianity in Jilin Christianity in Liaoning Christianity in Shanxi Christianity in Tianjin South Christianity in Guangdong Christianity in Guangxi Christianity in Hainan Christianity in Hong Kong Christianity in Macau Chinese Christians (by period of prominence) Ming Candida Xu Xu Guangqi Yang Tingyun Qing Hong Xiuquan Liang Fa Xi Shengmo Republic T. C. Chao Chiang Kai-shek Cheng Jingyi Deng Yuzhi (Cora Deng) Feng Yuxiang Francis Hsu Jia Yuming Lu Zhengxiang Ma Xiangbo Watchman Nee Mary Stone (Shi Meiyu) John Sung Sun Yat-sen Tseng Pao-sun Wang Ming-Dao Francis C. M. Wei Paul Wei John Ching Hsiung Wu Wu Leichuan Wu Yi-fang Y. C. James Yen Ying Lianzhi Dora Yu Paul Yu Pin David Z. T. Yui People's Republic Joseph Gu He Guanghu Aloysius Jin Luxian Ignatius Kung Pin-Mei Samuel Lamb Lin Shengben Liu Xiaofeng Lü Xiaomin Matthias Lu K. H. Ting Wang Weifan Wang Yi Y. T. Wu Allen Yuan Zhao Fusan Church-state relations in the People's Republic Ad Apostolorum principis Catholic Patriotic Association Underground church The Christian Manifesto Protestant Lianghui Three-Self Patriotic Movement China Christian Council Seminaries House church Pope Pius XII and China Events Anti-missionary riots in China Juye Incident Rites controversy Century of humiliation Opium Wars Taiping Rebellion Yangzhou riot Boxer Rebellion Tianjin Massacre Xinhai Revolution Anti-Christian Movement Nanjing incident Chinese Civil War Second Sino-Japanese War Denunciation Movement Cultural Revolution Boluan Fanzheng Impact Science and technology Anti-sex-selective abortion Anti-footbinding campaign Anti-opium campaign Chinese Roman Type Cantonese Roman Type Chinese Christian Colleges Manchurian revival Sino-Christian theology Interdenominational organisations China Christian Council National Christian Council of China Related Antireligious campaigns in China Bixie jishi Gelaohui Freedom of religion in China Heterodox teachings Holy Spirit of Blood and Water Church Marxism and religion Mentuhui Religion in China Sanban Puren Pai Taiping Heavenly Kingdom World Elijah Evangelical Mission

v t e Syriac Christianity West Syriac, legacy of the Church of Antioch Eastern Catholic Maronite Church (685) Syriac Catholic Church (1662) Oriental Orthodox Syriac Orthodox Church (512) East Syriac, legacy of the Church of the East (the "Nestorian Church") (410–1552) Eastern Catholic Chaldean Catholic Church (1552) Nestorian Assyrian Church of the East (1552) Ancient Church of the East (1968) Protestant (Eastern Protestant) Assyrian Evangelical Church (1870) Assyrian Pentecostal Church (1940) Saint Thomas Christians, legacy of the Malankara Church (active 1st century–1601) in Kerala, India Eastern Catholic Syro-Malabar Church (East Syriac) (1665) Syro-Malankara Catholic Church (West Syriac) (1932) Oriental Orthodox Jacobite Syrian Christian Church (1665) Malankara Orthodox Syrian Church (1912) Malabar Independent Syrian Church (1772) Nestorian (Assyrian Church of the East) Chaldean Syrian Church (1701) Protestant (Eastern Protestant) Mar Thoma Syrian Church (1852) St. Thomas Evangelical Church of India (1961) Believers Eastern Church (2017) Key figures Ephrem the Syrian Aphrahat Nestorius Jacob Baradaeus Jacob of Serugh Narsai Severus of Antioch Paul the Jew Maron Philoxenus of Mabbug Thomas of Cana Isaac the Syrian John Maron Mar Sabor and Mar Proth Dionysius bar Salibi Barhebraeus Shimun VIII Yohannan Sulaqa Abraham of Angamaly Gregorios Abdal Jaleel Thoma I Abraham Koorilos I Ignatius Andrew Akijan Cyril VI Tanas Elias Mellus Dionysius of Vattasseril Geevarghese Ivanios (Syro-Malankara) Coorilos Paulose Thoma Darmo Baselios Paulose II Languages Sureth Turoyo Bohtan Neo-Aramaic Garshuni Hertevin Koy Sanjaq Christian Mlaḥsô Senaya Syriac Malayalam Syriac (Liturgical) See also Assyrian people Assyrian genocide Assyrian nationalism Assyrian homeland Assyrian independence movement Proposals for Assyrian autonomy in Iraq Assyrian diaspora Terms for Syriac Christians Arameans Phoenicianism Malankara–Persian ecclesiastical relations Syriac sacral music * Defunct with schism of 1552 Christianity portal

v t e Church of the East in China Context and origin Thomas the Apostle Nestorius and Nestorianism Church of the East Peshitta Nestorian cross Silk Road and Sino-Roman relations Tang dynasty Clergy Patriarch Ishoyahb II Alopen Adam Artifacts Murals from the Christian temple at Qocho Xi'an Stele Nestorian pillar of Luoyang Mogao Christian painting Pearl Temple Daqin Pagoda (speculated) Writings Jingjiao Documents Yishenlun [zh] Sutra of Hearing the Messiah Nestorian Gloria in excelsis Deo [zh] Zunjing [zh] Related Emperor Taizong of Tang Three Persian religions of the Tang dynasty Guo Ziyi Emperor Wuzong of Tang Huichang persecution of Buddhism Yuan dynasty Clergy Simeon Rabban Ata Rabban Bar Sauma Patriarch Yahballaha III Sites Cross Temple, Fangshan Related Christianity among the Mongols Sorghaghtani Beki Marco Polo John of Montecorvino John of Marignolli By region Shaanxi Sichuan Xinjiang Beijing Fujian Related modern people Paul Pelliot Arthur Christopher Moule Reginald Johnston Haneda Toru [ja] P. Y. Saeki Chen Yuan F. S. Drake Patriarch Gewargis III Martin Palmer Patriarch Awa III

v t e Notable foreigners who visited pre-Qing China Pre-Yuan Kumārajīva (344–413) Dharmakṣema (385–433) Prabhakāramitra (564–633) Alopen (7th c.) Śubhakarasiṃha (637–735) Vajrabodhi (671–741) Peroz III (7th c.) Narsieh (7th c.) Ono no Imoko (7th c.) Takamuko no Kuromaro (7th c.) Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas (7th c.) Bodhisena (704–760) Amoghavajra (705–774) Sugawara no Kiyotomo (770–842) Abe no Nakamaro (8th c.) Awata no Mahito (8th c.) Kibi no Makibi (8th c.) Yamanoue no Okura (8th c.) Hyecho (8th c.) Abu Zayd Al-Sirafi (9th c.) Ch'oe Ch'i-wŏn (9th c.) Egaku (9th c.) Sulaiman al-Tajir (9th c.) Vairocanavajra (12th c.) Yuan dynasty Ajall Shams al-Din Omar (1211–1279) Niccolò and Maffeo Polo (1230–1309) Ahmad Fanakati (1242—1282) Araniko (1245–1306) John of Montecorvino (1247–1328) Marco Polo (1254–1324) Odoric of Pordenone (1286–1331) Dhyānabhadra (1289–1363) Giovanni de' Marignolli (1290–1353) Sa'id of Mogadishu (1301– ? ) Ibn Battuta (1304–1369) Ming dynasty Sahajaśrī (d. 1381) Śāriputra (1335–1426) Kenchū Keimitsu (15th c.) Ghiyāth al-dīn Naqqāsh (fl. 1419–1422) Galeote Pereira (1549–1553) Jorge Álvares (16th c.) Fernão Pires de Andrade (16th c.) Tomé Pires (1465–1540) Leonel de Sousa (16th c.) 'Ali Akbar Khata'i (fl. ca. 1500–1516) Matteo Ricci (1552–1610) Johann Adam Schall von Bell (1591–1666) Ivan Petlin (17th c.)

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Alopen](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alopen) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alopen?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.