Electronic Bibles are popular in China. But not with the CCP, as the Christians operating Shenzhen Life Tree Culture Communication painfully discovered.
by Wang Kexin
Bible players and electronic Bibles are very popular with Chinese Christians. Their sale was more or less tolerated by the CCP, but it seems this is no longer the case.
In Shenzhen city in Guangdong province, a group of Christians operate Shenzhen Life Tree Culture Communication. The Christians involved are Fu Hyunjuan, born on December 20, 1978; Deng Tianyong, born on December 4, 1971; Feng Qunhao, born on June 13, 1976; and Han Li, born on November 14, 1981.
According to the company’s registration, Shenzhen Life Tree “continues the activities of the Intercom Electronics Co., Ltd., established on September 5, 1996, to continue to develop advanced multimedia digital terminals and communication technology products with independent intellectual property rights, with many years of experience in electronic research and development, relying on the Shenzhen digital high-tech field of mature industry chain and global demand to enrich the cultural life of the masses and achieve export earnings and industry value. It is committed to the dissemination of biblical culture. We can provide suitable content according to customer needs, such as hymns or classic sermons and so on, and have established good relationships with many influential churches and bookstores, organizations and agents at home and abroad.”
Shenzhen Life Tree has operated for years, and has acquired a good reputation among Christians, specializing in the production and sale of Bible players. On July 2, 2020, however, Fu, Deng. Feng, and Han were arrested for “conducting illegal business operations.” On August 6, they were formally arrested. It should be noted that they had conducted their business for years and were never told it was “illegal.”
They were tried by the Bao’an District Court on December 9, 2020, but the verdict was not immediately announced.
Their families and co-religionists have now learned (and have been threatened not to disclose the case) that Fu Hyunjuan, regarded as the main person responsible for the Bible players business, has been sentenced to 6 years in prison and a fine of 200,000 yuan; Deng Tianyong, to 3 years in prison and a fine of 50,000 yuan; Feng Qunhao, to 2 years and 6 months in prison and a fine of 30,000 yuan; and Han Li, to 1 year and 3 months in prison and a fine of 10,000 yuan. Computers and Bible players have also been confiscated.
