Joseph Yuan Zaide was a Chinese Catholic priest who lived from 1766 to 1817. Born in Pengshui, he embraced Christianity after hearing the preaching of Gabriel-Taurin Dufresse. After training at the Luoranggou mission seminary in Yibin, he was ordained in 1794. He served as a missionary throughout eastern Sichuan until the persecutions under the Jiaqing Emperor led to his arrest. Refusing to abandon his religious convictions, he was executed by strangulation in Chengdu on June 24, 1817.
Life and death
Following his conversion, Yuan Zaide pursued his vocation through formal studies in Sichuan. He spent his ministry working as a missionary priest in the eastern regions of the province. His life ended during a period of intense religious persecution, when he was captured and pressured to renounce his faith. Because he remained steadfast in his beliefs, he was put to death in 1817.
Veneration
The Catholic Church recognizes him as a saint. He was beatified by Pope Leo XIII in 1900 and later canonized by Pope John Paul II in 2000, alongside other Chinese martyrs. He is commemorated in the church calendar on June 24 and July 9.