中文

Who is Yīyīsūsī Hélìsītuōsī ?

The Chinese Orthodox term for Jesus Christ as found frequently in classical Chinese Orthodox liturgical texts and also at the top of Chinese Martyrs icon from Holy Transfiguration Monastery is not the more commonly known Chinese transliteration for the name of the Son of God. The term is a direct transliteration from the Russian (Иисус Христос), and is a mouthful if you attempt to read each Chinese character literally, as in the pinyin Yīyīsūsī Hélìsītuōsī .

According to Fr. Michael Li from Shanghai who is now residing in Cambramata, Australia, the term Yīyīsūsī Hélìsītuōsī is not to be read literally in Chinese, but is read as the Russian: Iisus Hristos.

You may get a puzzled stare if you say Iisus Hristos in front of a Chinese speaker. Unless they are familiar with either the Russian or Greek pronunciation and actually use this term, it is best to use the more familiar Chinese transliteration of Jesus Christ, which is pronounced in pinyin as Yēsū Jīdū for most effective communication.