Classification: preacher of an unregistered Protestant church in Kunming, Yunnan; detained April 2026; reported detained without trial as of August 2026.
Background
Yu Shaolin (虞少林), born in 1974, is a preacher of the Century New City Church, an unregistered Protestant congregation of about thirty members in Kunming, Yunnan Province. According to the case record compiled by Chinese Human Rights Defenders, he became a Christian after struggling with drug addiction earlier in life, and as a preacher devoted himself to sharing his faith with and supporting drug users in the local community. The record describes his health as fragile — he has thalassemia, carotid plaque, liver damage, kidney problems, and severe varicose veins in his right leg that cannot be operated on — and notes that his wife also suffers from serious health problems.
Note on the name: the surname is 虞 (Yú), not 余. The English romanization “Yu” cannot distinguish the two; the Chinese edition of the source roster confirms the 虞 characters.
Detention
On April 12, 2026, during the church’s Sunday gathering, the authorities raided the meeting, and Yu Shaolin was taken away by police together with two church co-workers, Li Qun and Luo Ping. On May 20, 2026, all three were formally arrested, with the authorities’ stated charge being organizing illegal assemblies. The church’s members have since been repeatedly summoned and questioned by police. The record notes that the church issued a public letter calling for prayer and is seeking legal assistance. He is reported to be held in the Guandu District Detention Center in Kunming.
Current status
The Rights Defense Network’s monthly in-custody report for August 2026 lists Yu Shaolin in its Yunnan regional group among people reported as detained without trial. No details of any trial, conviction, or sentence have been located, and none is inferred. The Zhu Zhengwu / Pu Jinshun Lingshan Church case is a separate matter within the same roster group and must not be conflated with this one.
Sources: Chinese Human Rights Defenders, Prisoners of Conscience database individual record (entered June 11, 2026); Rights Defense Network (维权网), Issue 131 monthly in-custody report, August 31, 2026.
Media profile & archive: Media profile and archive for Yu Shaolin (虞少林)