1905 - Jules Dubernard & Raymond

July 26, 1905

Deqin, Yunnan

A motor road in northern Yunnan showing the extraordinary terrain of the area where Jules Dubernard worked. This photograph, taken by a missionary in the late 1800s, shows 24 hairpin bends.

Born in the French town of Ussel on August 8, 1840, Jules Etienne Dubernard grew up in a hard-working family that owned a hotel. Although his parents were not practicing Christians at the time, the godly example and purity of Jules’ life later brought both his mother and father back to God.

When Jules was 12-years-old, he and two of his brothers were sent to the college in Brive. He later entered the seminary at Tulle. Dubernard had not been raised in the Catholic faith, and when he first entered the seminary he was somewhat arrogant and had a complete ignorance of the ways of God. During the years he studied there, however, he gained an understanding of the Bible and submitted his life to the grace of God. Those who saw him later could hardly recognize him as the same person. He now carried a wise and humble demeanor and was concerned about the welfare of others.

After being ordained a priest on January 10, 1864, Dubernard departed France for Tibet the following March 15th. Due to constant disturbances, France did not want any of its citizens travelling to Tibet, but Dubernard and his travelling companions proceeded anyway and made it safely to Kangding, a key Tibetan town at the time. Dubernard immediately began studying the Khampa Tibetan language, hiring some local Buddhist lamas to tutor him. By learning the religious vocabulary, Dubernard hoped to be able to share the gospel with Buddhist monks as well as the common people. After living for a time in the village of Pamoutang, Dubernard was transferred to Yanmen (then known as Zegou, or Tsekou) in northern Yunnan Province. He was to spend the next 40 years there, serving the Tibetan people through medical evangelism. Jules Dubernard and his co-workers were able to lead hundreds of people to faith in Christ, and established three new mission bases. Churches, medical clinics, orphanages and schools were all constructed to reach out to the Tibetan people.

Between 1875 and the end of the 19th century there was much armed conflict in the area, as Satan did all he could to stop the advance of the kingdom of God among the Tibetans, Lisu, and other peoples. The Buddhist lamas were jealous of Dubernard’s success, and after arming themselves with weapons, the lamas launched an evil plan to harm the Frenchman and his Tibetan converts. Dubernard narrowly escaped death on several occasions, much to the fury of his attackers. One explorer who passed through Yanmen wrote,

“Dubernard has brought together believers from several different missions, many of whom had been persecuted and driven out of their communities on account of their Christian faith. The priests at Yanmen work hard from morning to night farming the land, teaching the children, and treating the sick…. Though poor in the eyes of this world, they are rich. They bring joy to the joyless, relief for the suffering, and balm for those living in fear.”[1]

In 1905 a new storm of persecution arose. The lamas again attacked the missionaries working in the area. In April, Mussot and Soulié were martyred at Batang. Dozens of Tibetan believers flooded into Yanmen seeking refuge at the mission. Bourdonnec and Dubernard could have spared their lives if they had fled at this time, but they chose to stay at their post and minister to the needs of the refugees coming to them. On July 19th a mob of Tibetans, led by the lamas, came to kill the missionaries. The Frenchmen fled to a nearby village. When the murderers arrived and found their prey absent they were infuriated.

The following day they launched a widespread search for the two missionaries. A group of Christian friends led them along a ridge overlooking a river, but by that time Dubernard was almost 65-years-old and unable to move quickly. Assisted by several Christians who led him by the hand, Dubernard entered the mountains in a bid to evade the relentless Buddhist lamas. When a mob of crazed men approached their hiding place, Dubernard ordered his Christian friends to depart in order to save their lives. He then knelt at the foot of a tree and prayed while awaiting death, but for some reason the persecutors passed by without seeing him. The following day he made his way to a small village inhabited by people from the Lisu tribe. They fed him, but took him to a cave located in a nearby forest as they were afraid of reprisals if the Tibetans found the missionary staying in their village.

On July 25th the Tibetans found a Christian named Raymond in the forest. They jumped on him and hacked him to pieces with their swords. Moments later they discovered Jules Dubernard in his hiding place.

“They seized the venerable French priest and wounded him with many violent blows. Naked and covered in blood, they forced Dubernard down from the mountains, all the way insulting him with the most vile words and blaspheming God. When they came to a clearing the mob threw stones at Dubernard. Each stone that connected brought an issue of blood. The missionary collapsed in a semi-conscious state. Undeterred, the callous men placed the nearly lifeless body on the back of one of their number, and carried him down the hill.”[2]

The Buddhist leaders had given instructions for Dubernard to be killed in public, so as to warn the people against Christianity. Their plan was to take him to the monastery of Deqin. To get there they had to cross the Lancang (Mekong) River, but they found the rope bridge in a state of disrepair. Deciding to stay in the small village on the south side of the river for the night, the men tied Dubernard to a post in the middle of a field. Throughout the night,

“Tibetans and their lamas mocked Dubernard by asking where his God was, and taunted him by saying all his years of praying had been to no effect, for if his Jesus was so powerful he would come and deliver him from his perilous situation. The Tibetans even offered Dubernard a chance to denounce his faith. At this the old apostle raised his head indignantly, and told them they may as well slice him to pieces there and then, for he would never deny his God who had died that he might have life. The Tibetans, finally exhausted from the afflictions they had exerted, fell asleep in a circle around the priest.”[3]

At daybreak three Lisu men were paid to kill Dubernard. Being “good Buddhists,” the Tibetans were not permitted to take the life of another creature. For their evil deed, the murderers were given a bull. With the Tibetan monks and lamas watching, the Lisu men

“sharpened their swords, before stripping the martyr and binding his hands behind his back. Dubernard fell to his knees and said his final prayers, begging his torturers to at least let him die wearing his shirt and trousers. The lamas again asked if the missionary would like to denounce his faith. In reply, Dubernard embraced a cross that he had with him. Immediately a thrust of a sword sent the faithful servant of God to heaven. Two more cuts were required to remove his head from his body. The assassins scraped up the blood of the martyr, along with his head, heart and liver, and carried them to Deqin. The Lisus dug a small grave and buried the remains on the riverbank.”[4]

The head lama at Deqin was overjoyed when he was presented with the head and organs of his hated enemy. For more than 40 years Jules Dubernard had loved the Tibetan people more than the lama had. He had served thousands of needy people without demanding anything in return, whereas the local monastery was known as a den of iniquity and the abode of lazy and corrupt Buddhist lamas.

Dubernard’s head was triumphantly hung on the monastery gate as a warning to the people not to follow Christianity. The Church in this remote area suffered only a temporary setback, however. More workers soon came to replace those who had been martyred, and their faithful example led many people to inquire into the faith. In 1998 there were 9,500 Tibetan Catholics in northern Yunnan and southern Tibet where Dubernard gave his life.[5]

1. My translation of the Jules Dubernard Obituary in the Archives des Missions Etrangères de Paris, China Biographies and Obituaries, 1900-1999.
2. Jules Dubernard Obituary in the Archives des Missions Etrangères de Paris.
3. Jules Dubernard Obituary in the Archives des Missions Etrangères de Paris.
4. Jules Dubernard Obituary in the Archives des Missions Etrangères de Paris.
5. See Alex Buchan, “Catholic Church Hangs on in Tibet,” Compass Direct (September 1998).