In July 1900, Boxers martyred “Blind Chang” at Chaoyang, China.
Formerly an alcoholic, thief, gambler, and member of the notorious gang known as Vegetarians, he had become blind after expelling his wife from their home and forcing his daughter into prostitution. He made his way to a mission station where he was given a place to stay. There he heard the gospel and was transformed by the power of Christ.
He returned to preach in the villages where he had lived a dissipated life, undaunted by thrown rocks and dogs that were sicced on him. When missionaries came to check on his progress, they found he had won two hundred people to Christ. Soon afterward they taught him to read braille. Memorizing huge chunks of Scripture, he won even more souls.
When the Boxers neared, Christians hid him in a cave. Boxers rounded up fifty Christians in Chaoyang, but were told that as long as Chang lived, Christians would continue to multiply. The Boxers promised to free the Christians captives if Chang was handed over. When told this, Chang readily volunteered to die in their place. The Boxers tried to force him to sacrifice to Buddha. When he would not, they executed him, then fled the scene in terror, saying they had killed a righteous man.
The full story and many more can be found in Paul Hattaway’s extraordinary book China’s Christian Martyrs.