Li Zhengyi, chairman of the board of Olive CCLM Publishing Group Ltd., passed away at the age of 78 on March 16.
Li ran a Christian publisher in Taipei, Taiwan, for 40 years, which has published more than 1,000 books. In addition, he also devoted himself to the gospel bookstore and Bible-related cultural and creative goods, aiming to introduce Christian values to every person.
It is reported that in recent years, Li required long-term dialysis due to illness. Hospitalized for peritonitis in mid-February, he was discharged on March 9. During the treatment, he was still developing the company's new ministry.
As a friend who has known Li for 40 years, Yin Keming, chairman of Olive Foundation of Taipei, said, "Chinese people all over the world might come to Li, if they wanted to publish some important things, including Bible study books and the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis which only recently came off the press. Some ordinary publishers would not dare to publish these, but he took over the task, as it was his mission."
After establishing the Olive Foundation in 1982, Li founded the Olive CCLM Publishing Group Ltd. with the vision of "preparing the way of the Lord and making straight paths for Him", as he found that many college students were influenced by secular culture after they stepped into society.
This year marks the 40th anniversary of the publishing group, which has released more than 1,000 kinds of products, mainly focusing on pre-evangelism and supplemented by business ethics books. The published products cover theological education, hermeneutic studies, church growth, and spiritual formation. In addition to publishing, he also invested in the design and production of biblical cultural and creative products, determined to bring the Christian culture, truth, and values into the lives of other people who can live a life of "walking with God". In 2007, Gan Lan Publishing Corporation was registered.
In mid-November 2021, Li addressed the book launch event of the New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology and Exegesis, hoping that this dictionary would be a grateful gift for the 40th anniversary of Olive CCLM. At the same time, he also stated that it was a miracle to complete the dictionary, which cost more than 10 million yuan in total to translate and publish. This was also his last public appearance.
- Translated by Abigail Wu
