Editing Mentuhui (section)

== History ==
The movement was founded by Ji Sanbao in [[Yaozhou District|Yao County]], Tongchuan, Shaanxi, on 20 February 1989 (the [[Lantern Festival|15th day of the first lunar month]]).<ref name="Sichuan"/>

Ji Sanbao, also known as Ji Zhongjie, was born in 1939 to a peasant family in [[Shaanxi]]. Having only attained a primary school education, he spent most of his early life working as a farmer and miner, eventually moving to [[Xinjiang]] to work for the [[Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps]]. Ji met and married his wife there in 1960, and they would go on to have several children together, eventually returning to Shaanxi in 1971.<ref name="anti-cult">{{cite web|url = https://www.chinafxj.cn/n47/n135/n137/c125329/content.html| title = 起底"门徒会"头目季三保 当过煤矿工人| website = China Anti-Cult Network|date = 14 September 2011|language=zh}}</ref>

Ji converted to Christianity in 1976 after the death of one of his sons, joining the [[The Shouters|Shouters sect]] in 1982. In 1985 he proclaimed himself the "Three-Redemptive Christ" (referring to the redemption of [[Noah]], the redemption of [[Lot (biblical person)|Lot]], and the redemption of Ji Sanbao), declared the [[Eschatology|end of the world was imminent]], and proposed a "seven-step spiritual journey" to save humanity and bring all mankind to the Kingdom of Christ.<ref name="Sichuan">{{cite web|url=http://www.sichuanpeace.gov.cn/sfzxdt/20210305/2395523.html|title=说说"门徒会"的"救赎"|accessdate=11 December 2023 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20210909141105/http://www.sichuanpeace.gov.cn/sfzxdt/20210305/2395523.html|archivedate=9 September 2021 |language=zh }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|date=28 September 2016|title=揭秘邪教"门徒会"：邪教"门徒会"的累累血债|url=http://news.cctv.com/2016/09/28/ARTILfbPKuNiFyz4v5QYJyAt160928.shtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211106221604/http://news.cctv.com/2016/09/28/ARTILfbPKuNiFyz4v5QYJyAt160928.shtml|work=CCTV|archive-date=6 November 2021|access-date=11 December 2023|language=zh}}</ref>

Ji began preaching his beliefs across China in the late 1980s, recruiting followers in [[Ankang]], [[Xiangyang]] and [[Xichuan County]], [[Nanyang, Henan|Nanyang]]. After ordaining 12 "disciples", Ji established both the Mentuhui movement and declared himself the [[Son of Heaven]] (True Dragon Emperor) of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ. The government of the Heavenly Kingdom, based out of [[Hanzhong]], was established to overthrow and replace the [[government of the People's Republic of China]]. Xu Mingchao, one of Ji's 12 disciples, served as [[prime minister]].<ref name="anti-cult"/>

The Mentuhui was banned in 1990. In March 1992, Ji Sanbao was arrested and sentenced to 7 years imprisonment. He was released early in June 1997, but died soon after in a car accident in [[Xi'an]] in December. Following Ji's death, Wei Shiqiang, one of the 12 disciples, was proclaimed [[King]] of the Heavenly Kingdom of Christ. In June 2001, less than 4 years after taking over the group's leadership, Wei died of [[liver cancer]]. Chen Shirong, another disciple, succeeded Wei as King. 

Chen, alongside other Mentuhui leaders, was arrested on 6 November 2005 in Hanzhong. He was sentenced to 13 years imprisonment on charges of leading and organizing an illegal organization. The Heavenly Kingdom was effectively dissolved following Chen's arrest.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.chinafxj.cn/bgt/201712/07/t20171207_5484.shtml|title=起底邪教"门徒会"主要头目|website = China Anti-Cult Network|accessdate=11 December 2023 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20191230130619/http://www.chinafxj.cn/bgt/201712/07/t20171207_5484.shtml|archivedate=30 December 2019 |language=zh }}</ref>