Chapter 326 - The Abbot
"The method is quite good," Wen Desi said. "But what if Lu Ruohua harbors ulterior motives and uses this hatred to build his own faction of clergy?"
"That depends on Bai Duolu and the others keeping close watch. Also, we need to mix sand in." He Ying offered a plan. "I think we can select a few particularly loyal students from the school to proactively enter the monastery and serve as the first batch of grassroots clergy."
"That's naturally ideal. Selecting indigenous students is fine, but they're young and easily influenced. Just a few months of brainwashing may not be enough."
"Then send someone in to control the monastery."
"For Abbot, isn't Bai Duolu suitable?"
"He has to keep an eye on Lu Ruohua and can't pull himself away." Wen Desi shook his head. "Moreover, he's a believer. Though his faith doesn't seem firm enough, he has faith..."
He didn't finish, but the implication was clear. The church Wen Desi was preparing to establish was decidedly sui generis. Calling it "heretical" wouldn't be an exaggeration.
He Ying pondered: "How about we recruit someone and send them in?"
"Good. We'll select someone later—then I agree to run the monastery. But the location must be in Bairen, not Daolu Village. Also, monastery entrants must be reported one by one, with clear resumes, for your approval." Wen Desi instructed.
A recruitment notice for a religious professional was posted on the BBS, and someone indeed applied. The applicant was surnamed Wu, named Shimang—about thirty, slightly chubby, all smiles, not very talkative.
Wen Desi picked up his file:
Transmigration Political Security Bureau Personal Assessment of Transmigrator Wu Shimang (Top Secret):
Born X Month X Day, XXXX. Joined the Transmigration Cause X Month XXXX. Han ethnicity. Political inclination: No obvious inclination, follows the crowd politically. Personality—relatively introverted, adaptable, not picky about the environment, but will improve it manually when possible. Ruthless to enemies. Noble character, no bad habits, clear social relations. Specialties: Personnel Training (Expert), Combat (General), First Aid (Roughly proficient). Performance—active and motivated, has urgent desire to serve the organization...
Wen Desi studied it. Personnel Recruitment and Training Supervisor—means he can talk well and hoodwink people. Knows combat skills—no problem traveling to the countryside, can protect himself. Knows first aid and bandaging—useful skills; with training, he can coordinate with "sending medicine to the countryside."
"Quite suitable," Wen Desi said. "But to be this Abbot, you'll have to learn basic doctrines and go preaching. Can you do it?"
"My learning ability is very strong. As for preaching, it's a piece of cake. I often do training. Even if the organization wants me to do pyramid schemes, it's not a problem."
"Mm, but this position is clergy; it might involve baptism and taking vows..."
Wu Shimang smiled: "President Wen, you aren't really that pious, are you?"
Wen Desi smiled slightly—this person's comprehension was indeed strong.
"Formalism is still needed." After all, most Chinese still hoped to see religious professionals upholding an image of poverty and abstinence.
"What are the benefits?"
"The church currently only has Bai Duolu alone..."
"Hehe, good, good, good." Wu Shimang beamed. He started talking:
"President Wen, is this a monastery for men or a convent for women—"
"There are both. There's also the task of raising children. Things won't be few." Wen Desi said. "You'll be busy."
"Nun MMs..." This guy's expression started looking wrong.
"Nun Grannies." Wen Desi corrected him, then explained the work content.
"...The focus is brainwashing. Understood?"
"Understood, understood." Wu Shimang nodded. He offered his own view: "President Wen, I think we shouldn't give the Chinese Bible to Father Lu. In my opinion, believers shouldn't be able to see the original text."
"Mm." Wen Desi was interested. "Why?"
"With the Chinese Bible, wouldn't ordinary believers also master the doctrine? If the official doctrine we promote differs from what the Bible says, that gives certain people ready-made ammunition."
"Go on." Wen Desi was genuinely interested.
"I don't know much religious history, but I remember something key Martin Luther did during the Reformation—translating the Latin version into German. He didn't do it for amusement. He obviously regarded letting ordinary people master scripture content as a weapon."
"Going deeper—with scriptures, won't disputes arise over doctrinal ambiguity? This is common. A word, a sentence—how should it be interpreted? What if believers fight over details? If we brainwash them too well and create fanatics who chop each other up first, that's putting the cart before the horse."
Wen Desi was secretly surprised. He'd originally thought this Brother Wu was just an opportunist wanting to mix into the upper echelons—but he actually had ideas!
"Finally, Hong Xiuquan cannot be ignored. Back then, Hong Xiuquan created the God Worshipping Society with just a Christian propaganda pamphlet. Now with the full Bible, if any ambitious person uses it to create another God Worshipping Society, things will be troublesome."
"What's your plan?"
"Recall the Chinese Bibles." Wu Shimang said. "Stipulate that only clergy above a certain level can possess them. Collect the right of interpretation." Seeing Wen Desi listening attentively, he drank some water and continued:
"Ordinary believers don't need the Bible. We can compile pamphlets like 'Collection of Scriptures' or 'Catechism,' publishing basic doctrines and prayers. As for Bible stories, we can select suitable parts and publish a 'Story Collection' specifically." He paused. "Only publish 'Quotations,' not 'Selected Works.'"
"We possess the final right of interpretation." Wen Desi summarized.
Wu Shimang nodded: "Exactly. Without the original Bible, any meaning loses its basis. The church can declare unstable elements as 'heretics' at any time." He thought. "We'd better set up an arbitration tribunal enjoying final interpretive authority. No one may question it. Finally, grasp all bishop appointment rights in our own hands."
"Mm." Wen Desi was noncommittal. "Not bad. Get your transfer order first. We'll discuss again when Bai Duolu returns."
After he left, Wen Desi knew clearly that what Wu Shimang said aligned with their ultimate interests. However, they hadn't reached the time to truly show their hand with the church. For now, maintaining low-key cooperation was better. Let these missionaries lay solid brainwashing foundations first.
Wu Shimang took office. His external position was Abbot of Bairen Monastery; internally, Deputy Director of the Religious Affairs Office—same as Bai Duolu. Having become Deputy Director, Wu Shimang asked Wen Desi to telegram Bai Duolu about managing the Chinese Bibles well and strictly prohibiting outflow. So Bai Duolu quietly sent the box of books back to Bairen for Wu Shimang to keep—ostensibly fearing dampness.
Wu Shimang was enthusiastic. He first visited the Lingao Construction Company, flashing his new appointment letter. Under his persistence and pestering, Mei Lin agreed to start church construction—though he stated in advance that only building materials and some skilled workers could be provided; unskilled laborers were in short supply. Wu Shimang agreed readily, saying the church would handle unskilled labor.
While busy with infrastructure, Wu Shimang obtained quite a few religious books from the Grand Library for study. Otherwise, when Lu Ruohua returned, wouldn't his "Abbot" cover be blown if he knew nothing? Moreover, plans for future doctrine revision and establishment were needed.
"Help me find some pictures." Wu Shimang found the human search engine Luo Duo.
"What pictures?"
"Christian pictures, propaganda posters, and the like." Wu Shimang thought. "Preferably localized."
"Localized—you mean Chinese-styled figures?"
"Right, exactly. Western style is okay too, but preferably with features not too obvious. Don't want golden-haired ones. Little Jesus doesn't need localizing—a chubby white doll is definitely likable."
Luo Duo queried and found quite a few. Wu Shimang selected better-looking ones and found transmigrators who could draw to redraw them. Quite a few paintings were made.
Two young indigenous personnel were also sent from the General Bureau of Political Security—two orphans taken in from Guangdong. With introverted personalities, after sufficient brainwashing, they accepted the task: preparing to join catechism study as soon as Lu Ruohua returned, then get baptized and enter the monastery.
Lu Ruohua, however, hadn't returned. Though his achievements were remarkable, he knew these new flocks couldn't claim much real faith yet. So he toured villages daily to strengthen their belief. One day, just returning from an outer village, he saw a strange Australian in the team headquarters sitting and resting, with the new Village Head Liu Si attending diligently.
Lu Ruohua could clearly distinguish Australians from their indigenous subordinates and from local ordinary natives—the differences in mental state and physical appearance were great.
This person, though wearing a local blue cloth shirt, bamboo hat, straw sandals, and carrying a rattan basket, was tall, physically strong, and fair-skinned. His gestures were full of spirit. A typical Australian image.
"May the Lord bless you." Lu Ruohua crossed himself. "Are you here to see Ms. Du?"
"Yes, Father." The visitor was polite. "I'm here to deliver medicine."
This was Liu San. After receiving Du Wen's letter, busy tending his herb garden and concocting medicinal powders according to Dong Weiwei's telegram, he'd set off late. When he arrived, the entire Thirteen Villages area was already peaceful. Dressed in Ming Dynasty attire and disguised as an herb gatherer, he hadn't used guards and traveled freely. Arriving at team headquarters but missing Du Wen and Dong Weiwei, he found only Liu Si, who insisted on calling him Big Brother—though Liu San was actually 26, younger than Liu Si.
Hearing he was a doctor, Lu Ruohua was very interested. Missionaries coming to Asia and Africa typically mastered specialized skills—some astronomy, some technology, some medicine, some art—to penetrate local society.
Medicine was the most effective. Only in China had missionaries' medical skills seemed unpopular. Lu Ruohua knew Chinese people had their own unique medical theory and herbalogy, completely different from Europe's. He wanted to understand—particularly acupuncture. When Dong Weiwei performed acupuncture on locals, Lu Ruohua had watched for a long time, always wanting to know what theory cured pain through needles.
Hearing his acupuncture question, Liu San thought this foreigner knew his stuff. In the other timeline, the Chinese medicine most popular in the West was also acupuncture. He began explaining from Yin-Yang and Five Elements theory of the body and meridians. Actually, as a modern Master of Traditional Chinese Pharmacy, Liu San was quite skeptical about this almost shamanistic traditional theory—but acupuncture was purely empirical medicine with no scientific theoretical basis yet to speak of.
Unexpectedly, though Lu Ruohua listened with half-understanding, a look of fascination appeared on his face. Liu San thought: I don't even understand this stuff well—could this foreign monk understand it?
"Acupuncture—is it piercing a certain position to guide 'Pneuma' directly into these places to generate more 'Vital Spirit'?"
Liu San was tongue-tied, not understanding what he meant. Actually, Lu Ruohua was speaking of standard traditional European medical theory—Galen's "Pneuma" theory. Liu San had to ask what "Pneuma" meant.
"The great physician Galen said: The human body has three kinds of spirits, which are the elements of life. Residing in the liver is the 'Natural Spirit,' the center of nutrition and metabolism; in the brain, the 'Animal Spirit,' center of sensation and activity; in the heart, the 'Vital Spirit,' center of regulating body heat." Lu Ruohua was obviously familiar with these theories and spoke with fervor. "Pneuma comes from the 'World Pneuma' in the air through breathing..."
Liu San didn't know whether to laugh or cry. So Western medicine also had such shamanistic theories. He'd previously only known Humorism and already thought it charlatan-like. He hadn't expected this even more mysterious "Pneuma Theory," comparable to TCM's Yin-Yang and Five Elements.
Originally, he'd wanted to suggest to the health department recruiting some European doctors from Macau through the church or merchants to absorb local experience. Now that seemed superfluous. Lu Ruohua was obviously an intellectual even in Europe. If intellectuals trusted this medical tune, better to respectfully decline Western medicine in 1629.