Old Russia in new China

Press, 12 July 1985, Page 12

Old Russia in new China

At 93, Alexei Shamdar is probably the oldest Russian in China, and he couldn’t care less if Peking and Moscow achieve better relations. He has been treated roughly by the Reds on both sides of the border, writes Jonathan Mirsky. Shamdar is a veteran of the White Army which fled in 1919 when Vladivostock fell to the Reds. He is one of perhaps 20 Russians, refugees from the Bolsheviks, who have lived in Harbin, in China’s extreme north-east, not far from Siberia, for over 60 years. Every Sunday this dwindling band, some of whom are so old that they must sit through a service in which Russians traditionally stand, worship at the only one of Harbin’s 19 Russian Orthodox churches which is officially open. The others, including the huge' cathedral of St Sophia are used only for various secular purposes, including storage. There were once 120,000 Russians here. They attended services in 22 Orthodox churches and sponsored a 120-piece symphony orchestra. Now most of them are either dead or are living in the United States and Canada, to which they were allowed to emigrate in the early 19605. Harbin’s White Russian community did not suffer much during the

Japanese occupation, but their troubles began when the Soviet Army liberated the city in 1945. Whatever happened then, however, was nothing compared to the horrors of the Cultural Revolution of 1966 to 1976. All the Russian churches like most other churchs in China were desecrated by the Red Guards, who smashed the icons and buried them. A unique wooden church built with no nails was razed and a statue of Mao erected in its place; this in turn vanished as the chairman lost his charisma. The church service which has been permitted since last year is remarkable. Incense fills the air. The Chinese priest, Father Zhu, trained in the early 1950 s in Peking when religious observance was still permitted, intoned the Russian liturgy in a resonant bass voice. Alexei Shamdar and three slightly younger Russians sing the responses in weak voices. Exhausted, Shamdar stops singing and staggers to the back of the church where he sits down. On the other side of the aisle sits a very old woman with apple cheeks. Her white hair is tucked under a head scarf. Over her faded dress she wears a very large man’s jacket, beautifully cut in another age. — Copyright, London Observer Service.