Zhang Dapeng
Quick Facts
Biography
Saint Joseph Zhang Dapeng (Chinese:張大鵬, 1754 – 12 March 1815), was a Chinese martyr.
Life
Zhang Dapeng was born in 1754 as a Buddhist, and his only son, Dewang Dapeng, was born in 1793. He was baptized at the age 46. After the baptism, he started to preach the word of the Roman Catholic Church. He taught over a thousand people to accept Catholicism.
Because of his preaching, the Mandarins wanted to imprison him because some of the local Chinese disliked foreign religious beliefs. Soon, his son was captured by the Mandarins and died in 1813. Zhang Dapeng heard of his son's death and fled to Sichuan. Finally, Zhang Dapeng was captured and was imprisoned in the year 1814. On 12 March 1815, Zhang Dapeng was killed by the Mandarins at the age of 61.
Family life
Zhang Dapeng had two wives and a son named Dewang Dapeng. Zhang Dapeng also had two brothers named Dakui and Daxue.
Canonization
Zhang Dapeng was Beatified on 12 February 1909 by Pope Pius X and was Canonized on October 1 of 2000 by Pope John Paul II.
Chapel
- Hong Kong St. Zhang Dapeng Chapel