History:
The City of Shanghai, China, is an old city with a long history. In the year 1300, Xu Kong I came upon the city during a time of famine and crisis, and promised them hope. Much of the populace supported him.
He then circulated a legend that he had slain a dragon in combat, which had sought to subjegate the Shanghai people. He called his empire "The Empire of the Dragon" which nationalizes the fierce spirit of the dragon, and shows a people that allegedly had a Dragon-killing leader.
Whether right before Xu Kong I took the city of Shanghai, or immediately after, isn't known, but the Emperor claimed he had a vision from God showing him the Christian Church in the New Testament times, and how Apostolic theology was skewed toward paganism, and that Jesus Christ had chosen him to revitalize the Church. Within five years, the Oriental Catholic Church was born, the Universal Church of Jesus Christ. Well-versed in both Western and Eastern thought, philosophy, and religion, Xu Kong I knew full well how to run a Church, and the Church became strong.
Upon his death, his two sons had a feud as to who would take the Empire. The Emperor's oldest son, Xu Kong II, was very politically minded, while his brother was a former Buddhist Monk who was deeply interested in Eastern Christianity and how it could be reconciled with certain aspects of his old Buddhist faith. The monk took the seat of the papacy, while Xu Kong II took the throne of Shanghai, in a compromise. This tradition lasted for over 200 years, with the family of the oldest son ruling, and the family of the younger son administrating the Church, with only minor conflicts between the two.