Daniel J Sheridan 

University of Cambridge

The Makings of a Syriac Saint in Tang China?

Although extant texts attest to the presence of East Syriac Christians in Tang China (618-907) for at least two centuries (and quite probably longer), few documents or artifacts of any kind survive from China. Thus, we remain mostly in the dark as to whether there were any local preferences for the commemoration of particular saints. Therefore, the case of a certain Christian named Aluoben 阿羅本 is especially intriguing. First re-entering the historic record with the rediscovery of the Xi’an Stele of 781 in 1623/1625, Aluoben is recorded as having been ushered into a Tang court in 635. Thus, although still unattested outside Chinese primary sources, he has become best known as the first confirmed Christian missionary to China. Yet, these Chinese sources, including a manuscript from Dunhuang, also point to the careful preservation of his memory in the Sinographic world for many years after his momentous arrival. This paper analyzes the transmission of “the Aluoben narrative” and the particular language used to honor this important figure of the Christian church in Tang China.