Catholic disaster relief in China (1840-1949). Based on the case of Hunan

Participating and holding public charity is a long tradition of the Catholic and a concrete embodiment of the Catholic active participation in social care. During the period from 1840 to 1949, the political structure, social class, and economic order of Chinese society underwent earth-shaking changes, and wars and turmoil were frequent. In this period of social turmoil, while preaching in China, Catholicism also adheres to religious concepts, actively practices the concept of charity, and participates in social charity services in many ways. Missionaries, who had come to China in modern times, had actively participated in various charitable undertakings in China with full religious enthusiasm, especially disaster and famine relief. At present, less attention has been paid to the research on disaster relief undertakings carried out by Catholic missionaries in China, especially the history of local religious disaster relief needs to be improved. The Catholic's disaster relief in China has always played an indelible role in disaster relief. And reflecting on and drawing on the historical experience is of great practical significance for the current disaster resistance and relief. Studying the disaster relief undertakings carried out by the Catholic Church in modern Hunan could further expand the research on disaster and relief in China and could contribute to similar research in other countries.