Joseph Tong Changping

Joseph Tong Changping (simplified Chinese: 同长平; traditional Chinese: 同長平; pinyin: Tóng Chángpíng; born December 6, 1968) is a Chinese Catholic priest and has served as the Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou since 2002.^[1]

Tong was born on December 6, 1968, in Shaanxi, China. From 1991 to 1994, he studied theology and philosophy at the Seminary of Xi'an Archdiocese. He continued to study law and political science at Shaanxi Academy of Political Science. On January 6, 1997,at the age of 29, he was ordained a priest. After being ordained, he became a professor of law at the diocesan seminary. He was also a superior priest and spiritual director in the Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou. On November 4, 2002, he was ordained a bishop by Bishop Lawrence Zhang Wenbin. Despite being ordained by a bishop illegally, but the Holy See still recognized his episcopal office and appointed him Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Tongzhou. His episcopal ordination was held in December 2003.