Jing Dianying
Encyclopedia
Jing Dianying was the founder of the second largest Chinese Pentecostal church movement known as the Jesus Family
. Jing was born in Mazhuang of China
's Shandong
province, the fifth child of an impoverished landlord named Jing Chuanji (敬传箕). His family possessed 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) of fertile land
and scores of tile-roofed houses. Both his parents died by the time he was fifteen years old and hence the family's economic position deteriorated.
In 1905 the Qing Dynasty
abolished the imperial examination
and hence Jing's chances of entering the bureaucracy was blocked. In an attempt to alleviate this disappointment, he turned to Daoism and believed that he could become a very healthy man through that religion.
In 1912 Jing enrolled in an American
Methodist Middle School
in Taian and was later hired as a teacher by the Methodist missionary
Nora Dellinbeck, a teacher of Mandarin Chinese. Jing became a Christian in 1914 which, some believe, was due to his attraction to this missionary.
In 1918 a hospital
with connections to the University of Jinan
in Shandong
hired Jing as a preacher, where he worked for five years. Jing then established the Christian Trust and Saving Society, a Christian cooperative economy. He later became dissatisfied with the hospital job due to his low pay and complained that people with foreign university degrees received higher salaries. After resigning his job, he was invited to become a Bible
teacher
in his Alma Mater
in 1924. There, he was profoundly influenced by the American Assemblies of God
missionaries, L. Lesli, M. Anglin and J. Jaston, who had arrived in Taian in 1916. He received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues which were strongly emphasized in the Pentecostal movement. Jing was then ousted from both the school and the Methodist church because he refused to retreat from Pentecostalism.
In 1927 he set up the Jesus Family.
Jesus Family
The Jesus Family was a unique Pentecostal communitarian church first established in rural Shandong Province in a village called Mazhuang, in Taian County about 1927. In later years, other Jesus Family churches were established in North and Central China, many of them in Shandong but others as far...
. Jing was born in Mazhuang of China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
's Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
province, the fifth child of an impoverished landlord named Jing Chuanji (敬传箕). His family possessed 120 acre (0.4856232 km²) of fertile land
Arable land
In geography and agriculture, arable land is land that can be used for growing crops. It includes all land under temporary crops , temporary meadows for mowing or pasture, land under market and kitchen gardens and land temporarily fallow...
and scores of tile-roofed houses. Both his parents died by the time he was fifteen years old and hence the family's economic position deteriorated.
In 1905 the Qing Dynasty
Qing Dynasty
The Qing Dynasty was the last dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912 with a brief, abortive restoration in 1917. It was preceded by the Ming Dynasty and followed by the Republic of China....
abolished the imperial examination
Imperial examination
The Imperial examination was an examination system in Imperial China designed to select the best administrative officials for the state's bureaucracy. This system had a huge influence on both society and culture in Imperial China and was directly responsible for the creation of a class of...
and hence Jing's chances of entering the bureaucracy was blocked. In an attempt to alleviate this disappointment, he turned to Daoism and believed that he could become a very healthy man through that religion.
In 1912 Jing enrolled in an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Methodist Middle School
Middle school
Middle School and Junior High School are levels of schooling between elementary and high schools. Most school systems use one term or the other, not both. The terms are not interchangeable...
in Taian and was later hired as a teacher by the Methodist missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Nora Dellinbeck, a teacher of Mandarin Chinese. Jing became a Christian in 1914 which, some believe, was due to his attraction to this missionary.
In 1918 a hospital
Hospital
A hospital is a health care institution providing patient treatment by specialized staff and equipment. Hospitals often, but not always, provide for inpatient care or longer-term patient stays....
with connections to the University of Jinan
Jinan
Jinan is the capital of Shandong province in Eastern China. The area of present-day Jinan has played an important role in the history of the region from the earliest beginnings of civilisation and has evolved into a major national administrative, economic, and transportation hub...
in Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
hired Jing as a preacher, where he worked for five years. Jing then established the Christian Trust and Saving Society, a Christian cooperative economy. He later became dissatisfied with the hospital job due to his low pay and complained that people with foreign university degrees received higher salaries. After resigning his job, he was invited to become a Bible
Bible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
in his Alma Mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
in 1924. There, he was profoundly influenced by the American Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
missionaries, L. Lesli, M. Anglin and J. Jaston, who had arrived in Taian in 1916. He received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and speaking in tongues which were strongly emphasized in the Pentecostal movement. Jing was then ousted from both the school and the Methodist church because he refused to retreat from Pentecostalism.
In 1927 he set up the Jesus Family.