Red Priest: Dong Jianwu

Author: Wang Guangyuan
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2000-01-01
Features: Communists are atheists, but within the Communist Party ranks, there was a Christian pastor who, after joining the party, continued to use his pastoral profession as a cover for revolutionary activities. He is the "Pastor Wang" mentioned by the American journalist Edgar Snow in his book Red Star Over China. His real name was Dong Jianwu. His life was filled with legends, and he was known as the "Red Pastor."
Dong Jianwu (1891–1970) was from Qingpu County, Shanghai. He graduated from Shanghai (St. John's University) and was a classmate and close friend of Soong Ching-ling (Song Ziyuan). He served as the pastor of St. Peter's Church and later worked as a secretary and English teacher in Feng Yuxiang's army. In 1927, he joined the Communist Party of China (CPC), and in 1929, he joined the Central Special Branch in Shanghai. In 1930, he opened the "Da Tong Kindergarten" to care for the children of party leaders and orphans of martyrs. Later, with the help of Zhang Xueliang, he sent Mao Anqing and Mao Anqing to the Soviet Union. At the request of Soong Ching-ling, he escorted Edgar Snow and Ma Haide to Yan'an. This book tells the legendary story of Dong Jianwu's life.