Teng Shih K'ou Congregational Church ( zh, t=燈市口公理會教堂, w=Têng Shih K'ou Kung-li-hui Chiao-t'ang, p=Dēngshìkǒu Gōnglǐhuì Jiàotáng), often simply referred to as the Teng Shih K'ou Church (), was a

Congregational Congregationalism (also Congregational Churches or Congregationalist Churches) is a Reformed Christianity, Reformed Christian (Calvinist) tradition of Protestant Christianity in which churches practice Congregationalist polity, congregational ...

church Church may refer to: Religion * Church (building), a place/building for Christian religious activities and praying * Church (congregation), a local congregation of a Christian denomination * Church service, a formalized period of Christian comm ...

located at Dengshikou (Teng Shih K'ou) in Dongcheng District,

Beijing Beijing, Chinese postal romanization, previously romanized as Peking, is the capital city of China. With more than 22 million residents, it is the world's List of national capitals by population, most populous national capital city as well as ...

. It was the largest Protestant church in Beijing until it was demolished during the

Cultural Revolution The Cultural Revolution, formally known as the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution, was a Social movement, sociopolitical movement in the China, People's Republic of China (PRC). It was launched by Mao Zedong in 1966 and lasted until his de ...

History

Built in 1864, as part of Bridgman Girls' College founded by

Eliza Jane Gillett Bridgman Eliza Jane Gillett Bridgman (1805–1871) was a pioneer educational missionary in China. She was born in Derby, Connecticut, to Canfield and Hannah Gilett. Graduating at age sixteen, she became an assistant teacher at the boarding school from wh ...

, the Teng Shih K'ou Church was the oldest of the American Board Mission churches in Beijing. According to Sidney D. Gamble, it was "a beautiful example of Gothic architecture". The membership roll of the church included some three hundred families, notable for its well-trained pastor and a large number of well-to-do congregants. The church was under the care of Henry Blodget (1825–1903), before being burnt down in 1900 during the

Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion, also known as the Boxer Uprising, was an anti-foreign, anti-imperialist, and anti-Christian uprising in North China between 1899 and 1901, towards the end of the Qing dynasty, by the Society of Righteous and Harmonious F ...

. In 1902, it was rebuilt by William Scott Ament. During the

Republican era Republican can refer to: Political ideology * An advocate of a republic, a type of government that is not a monarchy or dictatorship, and is usually associated with the rule of law. ** Republicanism, the ideology in support of republics or agains ...

(1912–1949), the church was involved in numerous charitable activities. For instance, a speech in English given by Nellie Yu Roung Ling took place at the church in 1921, in aid of the "School for Poor Children" charity funds. In 1958, in order to support the

Great Leap Forward The Great Leap Forward was an industrialization campaign within China from 1958 to 1962, led by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Party Chairman Mao Zedong launched the campaign to transform the country from an agrarian society into an indu ...

campaign, the sixty or so churches in Beijing were forced to combine their worship services at four facilities, Teng Shih K'ou Church being one of them. During the

(1966–1976), the church was demolished by

Red Guards The Red Guards () were a mass, student-led, paramilitary social movement mobilized by Chairman Mao Zedong in 1966 until their abolition in 1968, during the first phase of the Cultural Revolution, which he had instituted.Teiwes According to a ...

References

{{coord missing, Beijing Former Congregational churches Destroyed churches in China Churches in Beijing Churches destroyed by arson Rebuilt churches Protestant churches in China 19th-century churches in China 20th-century churches in China Gothic Revival church buildings in China Churches completed in 1864