The Buddhist Bonan in Tongren consider themselves a separate people from the Muslim Bonan in Gansu. Their languages are now also different. Using the definition of a people group as "a significantly large ethnic or sociological grouping of individuals who perceive themselves to have a common affinity for one another," the Tongren Bonan definitely qualify as a distinct people group.
The Tongren Bonan are the descendants of Mongolian troops who were stationed in the region during the Mongolian world empire of the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. After the collapse of Mongol rule in 1368, most soldiers retreated to Mongolia, but a few remained behind. After centuries of intermingling with other nationalities, they became a distinct group called the Bonan.
The Tongren Bonan observe all Tibetan festivals and have culturally become almost indistinguishable from the Tibetans. "Those Bonans who retained their Buddhist faith became strongly acculturated to their neighbors ... as a result, only a small number of persons remain in Tongren who from an ethno-linguistic point of view can still be considered Bonan."
The Tongren Bonan are Tibetan Buddhists. In the early nineteenth century, a portion of the Bonan converted to Islam. This caused deep friction among the two Bonan groups. The Muslim Bonan were forced to migrate into Gansu Province where they remain to this day.
The first foreign missionaries among the Tongren Bonan were workers affiliated with the Christian and Missionary Alliance. They commenced work in Bao'an Township around 1910. Despite being in the Bonan neighborhood, the missionaries' primary focus was on the Tibetans, not the Bonan. By 1922 the mission was closed due to lack of workers. It opened again, but after years of slow and unfruitful progress the work gravitated towards the more receptive Han Chinese. Today, there are no known Christians among the Tongren Bonan.
Scripture Prayers for the Bonan, Tongren in China.
Profile Source: Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
Global Prayer Digest: 2009-07-23 |
People Name General | Bonan, Tongren |
People Name in Country | Bonan, Tongren |
Pronunciation | Bo-nahn Tong-ren |
Population this Country | 7,400 |
Population all Countries | 7,400 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
Alternate Names | Bao'an; Buddhist Bonan; Qinghai Bonan; Tongren |
People ID | 18420 |
ROP3 Code | 114015 |
Country | China | ||
Region | Asia, Northeast | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | 17 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | Tongren County, in the eastern part of Qinghai Province, is home to more than 5,000 people of the Bonan nationality. Tongren is a crossroads for many different peoples, including the Salar, Tu, Hui, Amdo Tibetans, and Wutun. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Country | China |
Region | Asia, Northeast |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 17 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | Tongren County, in the eastern part of Qinghai Province, is home to more than 5,000 people of the Bonan nationality. Tongren is a crossroads for many different peoples, including the Salar, Tu, Hui, Amdo Tibetans, and Wutun.. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Primary Language | Bonan (7,400 speakers) |
Language Code | peh Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Unknown |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Bonan (7,400 speakers) |
Language Code | peh Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Bonan |
Primary Language: Bonan
Bible Translation Status: Translation Needed
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name |
---|---|
None reported |
Primary Religion: | Buddhism |
Religion Subdivision: | Tibetan |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
100.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Christian Segments ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Anglican |
Unknown
|
Independent |
Unknown
|
Orthodox |
Unknown
|
Other Christian |
Unknown
|
Protestant |
Unknown
|
Roman Catholic |
Unknown
|
Photo Source | Joe Tym - Flickr Creative Commons |
Map Source | Joshua Project / Global Mapping International |
Profile Source | Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Read more |