Carlo Socol – “Don Bosco in mainland China. A case study on reports from Shenbao (Shangai news), 1929-1949” in “Percezione della figura di don Bosco all’esterno dell’Opera Salesiana dal 1879 al 1965”

Though limited, this 4-hands research on religious reports in Shenbao is a first attempt to gauge public opinion on youth work, Don Bosco and the Salesians in Shangai based on newspaper records.

Of Don Bosco as such, Shenbao offers two vivid portraits: Don Bosco the Saint, and Don Bosco Founder and inspirer of the Salesian Society. However, while Catholic Shangai revered and admired Don Bosco for his sanctity and his ability to lead the young on a path to holiness, in the Shenbao reports his figure remains a backlighted silhouette, given shape and rendered vivid by the exemplary commitment and the dedicated educative work of the Salesians.

Sebbene limitata, questa ricerca a 4 mani sui resoconti religiosi a Shenbao è un primo tentativo di misurare l’opinione pubblica sul lavoro giovanile, su Don Bosco e sui Salesiani a Shangai sulla base degli articoli di giornale. Di Don Bosco in sè, Shenbao offre due vividi ritratti: Don Bosco il Santo e Don Bosco Fondatore e ispiratore della Società Salesiana. Tuttavia, mentre la cattolica Shangai riveriva e ammirava Don Bosco per la sua santità e la sua capacità di guidare i giovani in un cammino di santità, nei rapporti di Shenbao la sua figura rimane una sagoma in controluce, modellata e resa vivida dall’impegno esemplare e dalla dedizione educativa dell’ opera Salesiana.

Index:

• 1. Introduction
  • 1.1 Salesians in Shangai (1924-1949)
  • 1.2 Catholic Shangai and Don Bosco prior to and after the arrival of the Salesians
  • 1.3 Shenbao, its database and the research
• 2. “Shenbao” in related exposure analysis of Don Bosco and related words
  • 2.1 Research results
  • 2.2 The Don Bosco commemoration
  • 2.3 Music, theatre and sports
  • 2.4 Other entries related to the Don Bosco group
• 3. The Salesian mission
  • 3.1 A conference on “child relief work” organized by “Shenbao”
  • 3.2 Don Bosco’s heritage: an outstanding contribution to the Shanghai youth education case
  • 3.3 Hardship in times of war
• 4. Conclusions
  • 4.1 Epilogue

Reference time period: 1929 – 1949

Reference institution:
ACSSA