This article mainly explores the reasons for the successful missionary work of the Christian Youth Association in the late Qing Dynasty and early Republic of China. It is believed that its ability to become the fastest-growing Christian group in China in a short period of time is not only an inevitable result of social changes, but also due to the joint efforts of multiple actors at critical junctures. Willard Lyon, John R. Mott, Robert Lewis, C. H. Robertson and M. J. Exner established close connections with Chinese students, social elites and intellectuals, helping them build a diversified service network in Chinese society and promoting the rapid development of the Young Men's Christian Association in China. This indicates that in the process of social change, the efforts of actors at critical junctures are crucial for the development of the institutions they serve in.
Li Fang (Sun,) studied this question.