The Pentecost and Yelikewen: Lived Experience of the Pentecost and Poetic Dancing with Qi

Abstract Yelikewen 也裡可溫 represents yet another missionary endeavor by the Church of the East during the Yuan dynasty (1271–1368). This chapter seeks to explore the primary source related to Yelikewen and to examine their understanding and lived experiences of the Pentecost and the Holy Spirit. Generally, the believers of Yelikewen adopted a more understated approach to disseminating their Christian doctrines. Consequently, in contrast to their predecessors from the Tang dynasty, they demonstrated a more conservative stance in their mission among the Han Chinese and in contextualizing their Christian faith. Nonetheless, traces of the Holy Spirit’s influence can be identified through the study of Yelikewen’s primary source. This chapter argues that some Yelikewen believers authentically embodied the experience of the Pentecost (Acts 2), while others employed poetic imagery, such as ‘rain’ as a form of qi, to convey the nurturing power of the Holy Spirit. To achieve this, the chapter will first provide a brief introduction to Yelikewen and its engagement with the spiritual world of the Yuan dynasty. Following that, I will analyze their primary source, which will enhance our understanding of their relationship with the Pentecost and the Holy Spirit.