Visiting Sheshan

by Anne S. Tsui, Ph.D., Board Secretary of the USCCA

During my month-long visit in Shanghai, I went to the Mass at the Basilica of Holy Mary, the Help of Christians, on Sheshan three times. My last visit was on May 25, 2025, the day after the World Day of Prayer for the Church in China. Sheshan is about 30 kilometers to the west of Shanghai downtown. I was curious about the meaning of the name “Sheshan” and asked ChatGPT for assistance. There are three explanations, or more likely legends, about the origin of this name. The first is that a person with the surname She (佘) practiced Daoism in that mountain and thus it was named after him. A second explanation is about a large number of people with the surname She (佘) lived in the area, so the mountain took on the name. The third is that during the Eastern Han dynasty, a general surnamed She (佘) lived in seclusion on this mountain. Today, there is a She General Temple (佘将军庙) on the mountain to commemorate him.

I consulted Wikipedia for a brief history of the Sheshan Shrine. I learned that the first church was built in 1863 by the Jesuit missionaries in China. Later expansion by the French Jesuits in the period of 1870 to 1900 included a mid-level church (which is now used by the locals), the Three Saints Pavilions 三圣亭 dedicated to Jesus, the Virgin Mary, and Saint Joseph, respectively, and the stations of the cross on a windy path along the hillside. The construction included an astronomical observatory which still stands in the same location today.

The entire holy site is inside the Sheshan National Forest Park with an entrance for tourists (and informal pilgrims) on the north and an entrance on the east for formally organized pilgrim groups. I entered the north gate after registering with the security guards. After a long flight of stone steps, there is a one-way tree-lined trail made of wood planks and then a stone paved path to the top of the hill. The Mass is always in Chinese, with beautiful hymns and deeply devotional faces that moved me to tears.

At the end of the Mass, the congregation recited the Holy Mother of Sheshan prayer. It asks Mary for protection and to lead us on the road to truth and mercy. On the top of the Basilica is a statue of Mary holding up baby Jesus with spreading arms, showing his love for all people in the world. Because Shanghai is located on the easternmost edge of China, the statue of the Virgin Mary holding the Child Jesus on the roof of the Basilica faces westward, symbolizing her protection and care over all of China.

Pilgrims waiting to enter the Basilica

I saw three groups of pilgrims in differently colored uniforms lining up outside the Basilica, waiting to enter it for the 11 am Mass. The Basilica does not have a resident priest. The pilgrims bring their own priest to celebrate Mass. The pilgrim groups usually bring one or two doctors to meet any urgent needs. There were many volunteers wearing colorful vests to direct traffic and keep order.

I met a friend after Mass, and she shared with me a brief history of the pilgrims to Sheshan from the early days to the present time. After the reconstruction of Sheshan in early 1900s, pilgrims would come to Sheshan using fishing boats on rivers flowing into the Shanghai estuary. With the advance of motor vehicles and highways, later pilgrims came on large tour buses seating 40 to 50 passengers. A group typically has more than ten buses. From the foothill, they would parade up the hill carrying the Marian stature, chanting in unison, and praying at the stations of the cross. Millions would come during the height of the pilgrim season, usually May each year. The entire mountain would be covered with people. My friend said, “It was a very grand and spectacular sight.”

Nowadays, especially since the beginning of 2025, the number of pilgrims has greatly declined, to probably between 20% to 25% of what it was before. Since January 2025, government does not allow pilgrimages outside of a province. People can only organize formal pilgrims within a province. The formal pilgrims to Sheshan are only from churches in the Shanghai metropolitan area. Official pilgrim groups need to register online and wait for approval before embarking on their journey. Parading with the Mary stature is no longer allowed. However, this new policy has no impact on private pilgrims. There are still devoted Catholics, both from the open church and underground, coming to pray at the foot of Mary at Sheshan. Every day, the prayers in various local dialects, like beautiful music, linger around the Three Saints Pavilion. The earnest gestures of the faithful often draw curious visitors to stop and watch.

At the Mary statue in the Three Saints Pavilion, faithful people in deep prayers.

When the pilgrims finish their prayers, they sit down on the ground beside the pavilion, eating the simple food they have brought with them to satisfy their hunger. Although the food is plain and there are no tables or chairs, the pilgrims' hearts are filled with deep contentment and joy. This is why, year after year, Sheshan continues to attract countless pilgrims. For it is here that believers can feel the protection of the Virgin Mary and the power of their faith.

Today, there are probably now more tourists than pilgrims, though some of the tourists may be pilgrims in disguise. People from other provinces come as groups of tourists. It is difficult to know exactly the scale of the informal pilgrims. I suppose nothing can prevent the faithful followers of Jesus from visiting his mother, who is also a mother of China.

Attending Mass and praying at Sheshan, especially witnessing the deep devotion of these pilgrims, made me believe that people's faith in Jesus Christ and their pursuit of truth in God will never cease no matter the circumstances, good or bad. On the contrary, the greater the constraints and pressures, the stronger the power of faith becomes. My pilgrimage to Sheshan allowed me to personally witness the fervent faith and steadfast dedication of Chinese Catholics. There is no doubt that the Church in China is full of vitality and life, for I have seen the power of God in them.

Anne Tsui

May 26, 2025

Shanghai, China

**My deepest gratitude to my friend for sharing her knowledge about Sheshan and for the gift of her spiritual editing of this essay.

Dr. Anne S. Tsui is currently Professor Emerita at Arizona State University, and Distinguished Visiting Professor at Peking University and Fudan University, China. Dr. Tsui has been a leading force in the development of Chinese management research as well as global efforts to transform business research into a force for the common good.

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