1900 - Anne Zhen & Frances Li

July 13, 1900

Taiyuan, Shanxi

Two of the closest Chinese co-workers of the slain missionary nuns at Taiyuan were Anne Zhen and Frances Li. After the massacre of the foreigners on July 9th, the governor ordered the 200 orphans under the mission’s care to be sent to a government building. One night 20 carts were dispatched to the orphanage to transport the frightened children, who were bound together in pairs and placed in the back of the carts. On the way to their new location the children started to cry so the soldiers threatened to beat them unless they kept quiet.

The governor soon found that taking care of 200 orphans is hard work. There was only enough food provided for each child to eat two small pieces of bread daily. They became so hungry that they began to eat grass from a nearby field. Each day the local magistrates came and interrogated the children, doing all he could to make them turn away from their faith in God. This invariably failed, and the little ones declared in unison, “No, no, we will never give up our religion!” Two women, Anne Zhen and Frances Li, did a sterling job encouraging the frightened orphans and helping them be strong in their faith. As soon as the magistrates appeared each morning “the children, at a signal from the women, knelt down and began to pray aloud putting these scheming men to shame.”[1]

When the wicked Governor Yu Xian was foiled in his designs he decided to torture the two women and some of the strongest children in the presence of the others, hoping the traumatic experience would break their resistance. On July 12th, 12 children were singled out, and,

“with the two women, were suspended from a beam with their hands tied behind their backs. In a short time Anne Zhen became unconscious and was taken down…. Another magistrate now came on the scene and, seeing that torture had failed, he decided to try to win them over by allurements and coaxing. He failed to do so. The sufferers were then taken down from the beam and, on being released, one of them stepped out and, facing the two magistrates, she unbraided them for their cowardice: ‘You men,’ she said, ‘you ought to be ashamed of yourselves to illtreat these little girls in such a cruel way. What harm have they done? You are worse than dogs.’”[2]

When Yu Xian heard what had taken place he was infuriated and summoned Anne and Frances to his presence. “It is you who have turned these children’s heads,” he charged. “‘Did you not tell them to die rather than obey me? Take your choice at once—apostasy or death.’ ‘We will never submit to you,’ they both answered defiantly…. ‘I will have you cut in pieces,’ he roared. ‘Do as you wish,’ came from both the women.”[3]

Anne Zhen and Frances Li were dragged out into the street and literally sliced to pieces, their limbs being cut off one by one while they continued to call on the name of Jesus. When the brave women finally perished the soldiers gathered their warm blood in cups and forced the little children to denounce Christ or drink their teachers’ blood. The children, faced with two vile options, decided it was worse to turn against the Lord and so drank the blood. The governor was defeated. Realizing nothing he could do would make the children turn against the Man of Galilee, he ordered the massacre of all 200 orphans. The local magistrates, however, could not bring themselves to carry out the order and their lives were spared.

1. Ricci, Chinese Martyrs of 1900, 25.
2. Ricci, Chinese Martyrs of 1900, 25.
3. Ricci, Chinese Martyrs of 1900, 26.