1900 - Blind Chang

July 22, 1900

Chaoyang, Liaoning

Blind Chang.

One of the greatest examples of God’s saving grace is found in the extraordinary life and death of Blind Chang. Chang’s full name was Chang Shen, but he became universally loved and known simply as ‘Blind Chang.’

In April 1886 the missionaries in northeast China were feeling discouraged at their lack of progress when a 36-year-old “poor ragged blind man”[1] found his way to the gate of the Mission hospital at Shenyang. His appearance was described as

“destitute and desolate, with scarcely any clothes left upon him, and in the last stages of dysentery…. The beds were all full, but so great was the compassion awakened in his behalf, that the native evangelist gave up his own couch, that Chang might be provided for. He received the best care and nursing, and before long his health was restored.”[2]

The hearts of the hospital staff melted when they heard Blind Chang’s story. He had walked almost 120 miles (194 km) to visit them, and along the way had been attacked and robbed of all his money and warm clothes. Chang had belonged to a notorious Buddhist sect known as the Vegetarians, due to their abstinence from eating meat. This zealous sect had caused much trouble in China and was not afraid to use violence as a means to achieve their goals. In 1895 the Vegetarians were behind the massacre of 11 missionaries at Gutian in Fujian Province. As a young man Chang could see, but while he was swindling people of their money as a fortune-teller he lost his sight. Chang was well-known throughout the entire region as a drunkard, womaniser and gambler,

“and a man of such immoral life as to be a by-word, and that in a land where such lives are not uncommon. He made his living by acting as a sort of official and using his self-assumed power to prey upon the people who feared him. His only child, a daughter, he turned out of doors, to be forced into beggary and a life of shame. Not long after he drove his wife from home. Seventeen days after the wife had gone he became totally blind.”[3]

Locals even called Chang Wu so pu wei te, meaning ‘one without a particle of good in him.’ When he was stricken blind his neighbours said it was the judgement of the gods for all his evil doing.

The missionaries allowed Chang to stay on their premises for free. While he was there he attended the chapel services and heard the gospel for the first time. Immediately, and without reservation, he gave his life to the Lord Jesus Christ. Dugald Christie said, “Never had we a patient who received the Gospel with such joy, and the rapidity with which he grasped the leading truths of Christianity was remarkable.”[4] Another missionary, Rev. Inglis, described Blind Chang as “A remarkable man, with a soft voice and mellow beyond any Chinese I have ever met. He speaks with great rapidity, his words seeming to flow from his lips like the ceaseless murmur of a brook.”[5]

A month after becoming a Christian, Chang decided to return home to his remote village (in today’s Siping County, Jilin Province), and asked to be baptized before he left Shenyang. The missionaries, however, told him to wait because they wanted to test the sincerity of his faith over time. This upset Chang, but he decided to return home anyway. He explained, “None of my people have ever heard even the name of Jesus, or of His offer of the gift of eternal life; and do you think that I can keep that to myself any longer? I do wish for baptism, but I cannot delay my return.”[6] When Blind Chang started proclaiming the gospel in his home village of Taipinggou (‘Valley of Peace’), the people laughed at him. They mocked his new faith, saying, “It is all very well for him to reform, for he cannot gamble without his eyes.”[7]

Despite this opposition Blind Chang remained steadfast in his commitment. Initially without a church or any other Christian fellowship, God stepped in and provided comfort directly. On one occasion “He dreamt he saw the Saviour coming toward him in glowing white. He had a book in His hand, and a crown was upon His brow. As He handed him the book, He smiled down upon him and then vanished.”[8]

As the weeks and months rolled by it became obvious to the villagers that a dramatic change had taken place in Chang’s heart and his character had been radically transformed. Villagers often sat in the shade of a large spreading elm tree near the village on hot summer days. Chang also sat under the tree every day, as it afforded him the best opportunity to share the gospel with people. The elm tree, along with the house next to it, was later purchased by the mission and became the site of the first church and school in the area.

In October 1886, missionary James Webster visited Chang’s home to check if he had remained true to the faith. Instead of finding just one poor blind man to baptize, Webster reported “there was quite a company of believers and enquirers; and the visible church in that neighbourhood was founded by the baptism of nine. There have been great advances since then, and the church in [Blind Chang’s village] and the villages round, now numbers two hundred.”[9] Webster learned that Chang had

“gone forth on his daily occupation, itinerating from village to village, unhindered by the muddy swamps, rugged hills, and crooked paths, which even to those who had sight proved so wearisome and difficult…to tell the people about his Saviour and Lord…. Public opinion was divided, some blessing and some cursing, but still he kept on in his blessed work, living for God and walking in His fellowship, praying in faith for help from above, and singing the one hymn that he had learned in the hospital:’”[10]

After baptizing Chang and the eight other new converts, Webster was overjoyed. He wrote,

“I have seldom had more satisfaction with [baptism] candidates than with these men. I have never witnessed a more interesting scene, nor joined in a more solemn and joyful sacramental service. The nine men were headed by their blind guide, who had to be led by the hand to receive the sacred rite. Professing to come to Christ and to believe in Him, and to venture their all in thus believing, they declared their intention to forsake the idolatry of their fathers, casting it forth root and branch; expressing their desire through grace to turn from evil and serve the living God—and all this with a warmth of purpose impossible to describe.”[11]

Blind Chang proved to be an evangelist without parallel. Everywhere he went he testified to the power of a changed life through Christ, and such was the notoriety of his past life of vice that nobody could question that his testimony was true. After his remarkable visit, James Webster wrote:

“One thing of which I am well assured, is this: Blind Chang, of Taipinggou, with little knowledge, but with a heart thrilled to the core with the truth which he knew, had in these months done more work and better work for the Kingdom of Heaven than half-a-dozen foreign missionaries could have done in as many years. And this is one of many proofs that China must be evangelised by the Chinese.”[12]

With the use of a staff, Chang made his way around dozens of villages. His preaching was always with great power and authority. The spectacle of a blind man giving his testimony and exhorting people to repent and believe never failed to gather a crowd. After a while the missionaries told Chang about a school for the blind in Beijing. Amazed by the news that he could learn to read God’s Word by Braille, Chang set off for the nation’s capital, where he received a warm welcome from missionary W. H. Murray. Within three months Chang had mastered the art of reading and writing. Murray wanted him to stay longer, but Chang was again anxious to return home and share the blessings he had received. He recommenced his daily preaching, reading the Word of God to crowds of amazed people, who were surprised to see a blind man read with his fingertips.

Within a few years he had memorized the whole New Testament, the Psalms, and several other Old Testament books. It was said of Blind Chang, “Missionaries followed after him, baptizing converts and organizing churches.”[13] By 1895 Chang had more than 500 converts under his care, many of whom had been the worst of society—among them highway robbers, opium addicts, and prostitutes.

Chang possessed a stubborn streak, which could on one hand was a character flaw, but on other occasions proved to be an asset for God’s kingdom. Burdened by the state of his unsaved sister’s soul, Chang went to her house, sat down, and went thirty days without food, “stating that no food would cross his lips until she became a believer. And a believer she did become, moved thereto by the dread of being the cause of her brother’s death by starvation.”[14]

When the Boxer Rebellion commenced, Blind Chang was away visiting the Christians at Deshengguo. The believers there knew Chang would be a prime target, so they hid him inside a cave, hoping the threat would soon pass. At the same time, some 125 miles (203 km) across the province at Chaoyang, a group of Boxers

“rounded up about fifty Christians for execution. ‘You’re fools to kill all these,’ a resident told them. ‘For everyone you kill, ten will spring up while that man Chang Shen lives. Kill him and you will crush the foreign religion.’ The Boxers promised to spare the fifty if someone would take them to Chang. No one volunteered. Finally, when it appeared the Boxers would kill the fifty, one man slipped away and found Chang to tell him what was happening.”[15]

When the man arrived and told his story to Chang, “the blind evangelist listened silently through it all, while a look of strange eagerness came over his face, and as the man finished, without a sign of doubt as to what he should do, Blind Chang reached out his hand, saying: ‘I will gladly die for them. Take me to them for it is better that it be so.’”[16] For days the duo travelled along the stony paths towards Chaoyang, praying that the Boxers would not lose patience and slaughter the captured believers before they arrived. When they reached the city on July 19th, Blind Chang was arrested and bound. Three days later he was taken to the temple of the god of war. Chang calmly yet firmly explained his faith in the following conversation between the blind disciple and the Boxers:

“‘I worship Jesus, the Saviour of the whole world. I refuse to deny Him. If you kill my body, today my soul will be with Him in Paradise.’

‘Unless you renounce Jesus and burn incense to Buddha, you must die.’

‘I am quite willing to die,’ answered Blind Chang. ‘I do not believe in Buddha.’

‘Kneel down, then,’ commanded the Boxer judge.

While the executioner’s blunt sword was making three cuts at his neck, he kept on praying—‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’

Then a strange thing happened. When Blind Chang’s head rolled on the ground, the Boxers threw away their weapons and fled in fear, no man pursuing!

‘We have killed a good man,’ they cried, as they vanished conscience-stricken, leaving the other Christians…unhurt.”[17]

The Boxers refused to let the local Christians bury Chang Shen’s body. They had heard a rumour that he would rise from the dead, so they forced the believers to buy oil and incinerate the remains.

A sketch of the stone monument erected in honour of Blind Chang.

Due to the sacrifice of 50-year-old Blind Chang, the lives of the 50 Christians were spared. It was only after his death that many people started to understand the full scale of the suffering and hardship Chang had endured during his years of ministry. A teenage boy, who had served as the evangelist’s guide on several journeys, recounted how

“the blind man often met with bitter persecution and endured great hardships, especially when going to a new region. Children were encouraged to pelt him with clods or bricks, curses were hurled after him as the people drove him from their doors. Worst of all the dogs were set upon him…great mongrel, half-starved Chinese dogs.

What such attacks must have meant to one blind and unable to forefend their onslaughts who can describe! Yet none of these things moved him, neither counted he his life dear unto him, for again he would return seeking a hearing for his wonderful soul-saving, life-giving message, till public opinion turned in his favour and victory came…. He had one message. He preached Jesus to them for he knew nothing but Christ and Him crucified.”[18]

When the Boxer Rebellion had concluded the Government of Manchuria realized they had allowed the murder of a unique and holy man of God to take place. They ordered a stone monument to be erected in honour of Blind Chang.

1. Dugald Christie, Ten Years in Manchuria: A Story of Medical Mission Work in Moukden (Edinburgh: J. & R. Parlane, 1894), 28.
2. Arthur T. Pierson, The Miracles of Missions: Modern Marvels in the History of Missionary Enterprise (New York: Funk & Wangnalls, 1899), 134.
3. Goforth, Blind Chang, 10.
4. Christie, Ten Years in Manchuria, 28.
5. Rosalind Goforth, Blind Chang: Missionary Martyr of Manchuria (Toronto: Evangelical Publishers, n.d., [c.1906]), 19.
6. Pierson, The Miracles of Missions, 135.
7. Bentley, Illustrious Chinese Christians, 175.
8. Goforth, Blind Chang, 13.
9. Christie, Ten Years in Manchuria, 29.
10. Pierson, The Miracles of Missions, 137.
11. Goforth, Blind Chang, 16.
12. Pierson, The Miracles of Missions, 139.
13. Hefley, China! Christian Martyrs of the 20th Century, 35.
14. Bentley, Illustrious Chinese Christians, 177.
15. Hefley, China! Christian Martyrs of the 20th Century, 36.
16. Goforth, Blind Chang, 27-28.
17. O’Neill, The Call of the East, 42-43.
18. Goforth, Blind Chang, 21-22.