Editing Mentuhui

{{short description|Christian movement in China}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2020}}
{{Infobox Christian denomination
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| name                = Three-Redemptive Christ
| native_name         ={{Nobold|{{Lang|zh|三赎基督}}}}
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| type                = [[Local churches (affiliation)|Chinese Local Church movement]]
| main_classification = Christian [[new religious movement]]
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| area                = [[People's Republic of China]]
| language            = [[Standard Chinese]]
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| founder             = Ji Sanbao
| founded_date        = 20 February 1989
| founded_place       = [[China]]
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| branched_from       = [[The Shouters]]
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| other_names         = ''Mentuhui''
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The '''Mentuhui''' ({{zh|s=门徒会|l=apostles' assembly}}), also known as the '''Three-Redemptive Christ sect''' ({{zh|s=三赎基督|p=sān shú jīdū}}), is a Christian [[doomsday cult|doomsday]] and [[new religious movement]] in [[China]]. 

The group was founded in [[Shaanxi]] in 1989 by former [[The Shouters|Shouter]] Ji Sanbao ({{zh|links=no|c=季三保}}), who claimed to be the [[Second Coming of Jesus Christ]].<ref name="autogenerated1"/><ref name="chinapolitik1">{{cite web|url=http://www.chinapolitik.de/studien/china_analysis/china_geheimgesellschaften.pdf |title="Geheimgesellschaften" in der VR China: Christlich inspirierte, spirituell-religiöse Gruppierungen seit 1978 |accessdate=6 December 2014 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131012024333/http://www.chinapolitik.de/studien/china_analysis/china_geheimgesellschaften.pdf |archivedate=12 October 2013 }}</ref> He ordained 12 "disciples",<ref name="chinapolitik1"/> leading to the group being known as the ''apostles' assembly''. 

By 1995, the group claimed to have over 250,000 followers.<ref>[https://brill.com/display/book/9789004369900/BP000015.xml Brill website]</ref> By 1999, it may have had more than half a million members.<ref name="autogenerated1">[http://www.omf.org/omf/us/resources__1/newsletters/china_insight_newsletter/china_insight_2006_2009/april_may_2006 April/May 2006]. OMF (20 October 1999). Retrieved on 25 October 2011.</ref> In 2013, the sect had approximately 100,000 members in [[Guizhou]].<ref name="chinapolitik1"/> and had a presence in [[Shaanxi]], Gansu, [[Hebei]], Qinghai, [[Hunan]], Jiangsu, [[Yunnan]], Shandong, [[Sichuan]] and [[Xinjiang]].<ref name="chinapolitik1"/> 

The Mentuhui was banned in China in 1990 and included on the government list of ''[[Heterodox teachings (Chinese law)|xiéjiào]]'' in 1995. There have been numerous arrests of members since then.<ref name="amnesty1">{{cite web|url=http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170112000?open&of=ENG-MAC |accessdate=18 September 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20090805184749/http://asiapacific.amnesty.org/library/Index/ENGASA170112000?open&of=ENG-MAC |archivedate=5 August 2009 |title=PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA: The crackdown on Falun Gong and other so-called 'heretical organizations' }}</ref> The most recent crackdown was in summer 2020, when police arrested almost 100 members in [[Baotou]] and another 100 members in [[Dezhou]].<ref>[https://samvadaworld.com/featured/ccp-government-cracks-down-on-members-of-mentuhui-religious-movement-across-china-key-leaders-arrested-again/ Samvada World website]</ref>

== 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>

== See also ==
*[[Beili Wang]]
*[[Christianity in China]]
*[[God complex]]

== Notes ==
{{reflist}}

[[Category:1989 establishments in China]]
[[Category:Christian denominations founded in China]]
[[Category:Christian organizations established in 1989]]
[[Category:Organizations designated as cults by China]]
[[Category:Christian new religious movements]]
[[Category:Secret societies]]