From April 28 to 29, 2026, a symposium on the Chinanization of sacred music and a draft finalization meeting for the Historical Narratives of the Supplement to the New Hymnal convened in Shanghai.

Fourteen professional sacred music composers from seminaries and churches across the country were invited to finalize the first draft of the Historical Narratives. They also attended a symposium to explore its practical values on promoting the Chinanization of sacred music.

The event was attended by Rev. Geng Weizhong, Resident Vice President of CCC, and moderated by Ms. Chen Hongli from the Media Department of CCC&TSPM.

On April 28, during the editorial session, authors and reviewers conducted a comprehensive review of the submitted manuscripts. They strictly followed procedures including comprehensive reading, structural auditing, collective Q&A, and standardization. In collaboration with the editorial team, they established a formal style guide for the publication.

At the symposium on April 29, Rev. Geng Weizhong reviewed the history of hymnal publications in the Church in China since 1980s. Rev. Geng noted that the Chinanization of sacred music is a pressing and vital ministry for the church today. The compilation of this book must ensure historical authenticity, musical professionalism, and theological soundness to better serve the worship needs of believers.

During the exchange, authors shared their experiences based on personal creative practices in contextualizing sacred music in China. The attendees reached a consensus that the book not only serves as an accessible musical work for the general public but also a concrete application of the Chinanization of sacred music.

Translated and edited by Bei Feng