Christ Church on Jingsi Road

Jinan Christ Church on Jingsi Road, commonly referred to as Jingsi Road Church, is one of the seven existing Christian churches in Jinan (including Jingsi Road Church, Houzaimen Church, Nanshangshan Street Church, Yuzhongli Church, Guanzhaying Church, Sanlizhuang Church, and Weidong Church). It is located at No. 425 Jingsi Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan. The church was originally the place of worship for the Shandong...

Jinan Christ Church on Jingsi Road is a cultural relic protection unit of Shandong Province.

Jinan Christ Church on Jingsi Road, commonly referred to as Jingsi Road Church, is one of the seven existing Christian churches in Jinan (including Jingsi Road Church, Houzaimen Church, Nanshangshan Street Church, Yuzhongli Church, Guanzhaying Church, Sanlizhuang Church, and Weidong Church). It is located at No. 425 Jingsi Road, Huaiyin District, Jinan. The church was originally the place of worship for the Shandong Chinese Christian Independent Church. Construction began in 1924 and was completed in 1926. Covering an area of 13,300 square meters with a building area of over 1,300 square meters, it is the largest Christian church in Jinan and also one of the iconic buildings in the city's commercial district.

This church was the first Christian building in China to be entirely invested in, designed, and constructed by Chinese individuals. After completion, it has also been managed by Chinese clergy. Its designer was Li Honggen, the son of Li Daohui, the first Chinese pastor of the original temporary chapel on the site. The construction was carried out by HuanTai-based builders Yang Changli and Yang Changzhen. The ground floor features rough stone walls, while the upper floors are constructed with exposed red brick walls and red-tiled roofs, giving the structure a bright and vibrant color scheme. The façade is simple and dignified in design, based on Renaissance architectural techniques while also incorporating certain elements of traditional Chinese architecture (such as using a large number of rectangular windows and doors rather than the Western-style semi-circular arches, blending harmoniously with the overall Western architectural style of the commercial district).

The Jingsi Road Church was originally a place of worship for the Chinese Christian community. Construction began in 1924 and was completed in 1926, covering an area of over 1,300 square meters. The exterior of the church is majestic, with a design that incorporates the architectural style of Western-style buildings in Jinan’s commercial district at the time. The interior is simply decorated, spacious, and bright, with seating for approximately 1,300 people for religious services. In front of the main entrance of the church, there are more than ten single-story houses. Their weathered walls suggest each building is at least several decades old. Many of these houses have been rented out for commercial use, which affects the overall appearance of the church.

In June 2009, relevant departments organized the unified demolition of over 400 square meters of single-story houses in front of the church. Randomly built structures and piled-up debris were cleared, and all posted advertisements were removed. The garbage from the demolished buildings has been cleared away, leaving a wide open space in front of the church where the old church now shines brilliantly in the bright sunlight. The surrounding buildings will also undergo overall renovation and beautification. The open space in front of the church will be turned into a small plaza. The church and the nearby Cai Gongshi Memorial Site will complement each other from afar, with the two historic buildings shining anew along the youthful Jingsi Road.

Further Reading:

· Fourth Batch of Cultural Relic Protection Units in Shandong Province