China's Dedication

Though there have been dedicatory prayers for the preaching of the gospel  in China on four occasions (including Victoria’s Peak overlooking the city of Hong Kong and at The Grand Hotel in Taipei), the first dedicatory prayer was given by David O. McKay inside the walls of the Forbidden City.

“In January 1921, Elders David O. McKay and Hugh J. Cannon arrived in Beijing for the purpose of dedicating China for the preaching of the restored gospel. Prior to that time there had been only one effort by the Church at missionary work in China. For four months in 1853, three elders had worked in Hong Kong, but they had been defeated by the strange language, the inhospitable climate and food, and other discouragements.

“Elders McKay and Cannon were not insensitive to the problems of China. They observed the large numbers of Japanese soldiers along China’s railways, the famine and unrest stalking the land. Elder McKay, in dedicating the land, prayed that these burdens would be lifted and that the government would be stabilized. “In this land there are millions . . . who are bound by fetters of superstition and false doctrine.” While praying that the missionaries would “have keen insight into the mental and spiritual state of the Chinese mind”, he pleaded that the “tradition-steeped people” of China would be led “out of the darkness of the past.” Less than six months after this dedicatory prayer, the Chinese Communist Party was formed.” (Ensign 1971)

In his writings of later years, Elder McKay noted that superstition was the greatest obstacle to the preaching of the gospel in China. It is interesting to look back through the windows of time, and see how “many superstitions and traditional practices were stamped out during the 1966-76 Cultural Revolution, because the Communists frowned on them as relics of China's feudal past. During this time period, there were many attempts by the Communist government to eradicate ‘superstition.’” (Chinaconnection.com)

 “In 1955-56 the Church resumed missionary work in Hong Kong and Taiwan, and this time a more permanent foundation was established. The Church has grown rapidly in both areas. Chapels have been erected, temples have been built, and the scriptures have been translated into Chinese. As the Church has prospered, so have Taiwan and Hong Kong. Both areas now enjoy a prosperous living standard in Asia second only to Japan” (Ensign 1971).

Visiting this location was spiritual experience for me today. As I stood next to this tree, I couldn’t help but think about certain investigators I had taught on my mission. I thought about the words of the dedicatory prayer given by David O. McKay here, over ninety years ago as he stood next this this same tree. I thought about China and the work of the Lord that will one day take place here. It was an experience I hope to never forget.

Instructions on how to find the dedication site:

(Email from President Michael A. Hoer)

At the time of the dedication, the Forbidden City encompassed much more than it does today. The communist leaders commandeered a huge section for themselves, and another part of the Forbidden City was turned into Zhong Shan public park, which is just west of the Forbidden City and where the dedication site is located.  

You go into the main entrance from Tiananmen Square and head to your right or east of the park.  You will want to find the sidewalk that runs along the side of the wall.  You keep walking north along the inside of the wall (when you come across the northeast side entrance to Zhongshan Park just outside the Forbidden City entrance, you are on the right track).  After a couple hundred meters (measuring from the park entrance), you will come to a moat, which marks the north boundary of the park (and the northeast corner of the park).

 At the moat, you turn left or west along the sidewalk that runs along the side of the moat.  You will notice large and very old cypress trees are planted at about 10m intervals along the sidewalk.  If you walk the entire distance of the sidewalk (maybe about 30 trees), you will come up against a brick wall.  Counting back from this wall, the dedication site is the 8th tree back from this brick wall.  It has a small plaque on it saying something about a Mr. Zhu that takes care of the tree.  This has been put there recently and probably is a member that has volunteered to look after the tree.  Also, this tree is one of the most unhealthy looking trees in the row of trees and has a lower limb near the ground that has been cut off so only a stump of the limb remains”