Digao in China

The Digao have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The many Yi groups in China, including the Digao, once lived farther to the north of their present location. When Marco Polo passed through the Yi regions in the thirteenth century, he recorded, "Caindu is a province lying towards the west, and there is only one king in it. The people are idolaters, subject to the Great Kaan, and they have plenty of towns and villages. ... There is a great lake here, in which are found pearls [which are white but not round]. But the Great Kaan will not allow them to be fished, for if people were to take as many as they could find there, the supply would be so vast that pearls would lose their value and come to be worth nothing." Over the course of many centuries the Yi splintered into numerous ethnolinguistic entities and migrated across a huge area of southern China.

The official classification of the Digao people is somewhat complicated. The Digao are one of five groups in Kaiyuan County that are given the cover name of Aza. The 1996 Chinese publication Kaiyuan Xian Zhi (The Annals of Kaiyuan County) states, "Based on linguistic and cultural differences, the 'Aza' can be divided into five groups." None of these five groups (which also include the Daizhan, Asahei, Labapo and Ani) calls itself Aza. All of these ethnicities have been officially included in the Yi nationality.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The typical Digao house is made of wood, bamboo, and mud. Although today the Digao are rapidly being assimilated by the Han Chinese, in the past each village had an entrance with carved images of birds, the sun, or the moon, under which was a wooden guardian eagle which had been blessed by the bimo (shaman). Opposite the entrance were goats' horns and chicken feathers remaining from sacrifices. In the northeast corner of the house stood a hearth of three stones, which could never be touched by the feet, because they believed it brought bad luck.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Today only the elderly Digao continue to observe the animistic belief in the spirits that marked the identity of their forefathers. Ancestor worship is still strong, however. Annual ceremonies are held to honor the spirits of the Digao's parents.

There are no known Christians among the Digao. The Catholics had a small work in Kaiyuan prior to 1949, with one priest, Father Booker, living in the county between 1910 and 1933. He was buried at Lukude. This work resulted in about 2,000 believers among the Hmong, but the various Yi groups were not reached.


What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people will be lost in this life and the life to come. They need someone to go to them as Christ-bearers.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to intervene in their families, calling people to his side.

Pray for loving workers.

Pray for their hearts to be drawn to the Lord of lords.

Pray for a church planting movement to thrive in their communities.


Scripture Prayers for the Digao in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Digao
People Name in Country Digao
Pronunciation Dee-gaow
Alternate Names Azar; Digao Aza; Digaopo
Population this Country 29,000
Population all Countries 29,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18441
ROP3 Code 114041
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country A 1999 report listed a population of 22,300 Digao people in China. They mostly live in the Zhongheying District of Kaiyuan County in the central part of Yunnan Province. Smaller numbers of Digao live in the Dazhuang and Lebaidao districts, also within Kaiyuan County; other Digao live in the Pingyuan District of Yanshan County and the Nijiao District of Qiubei County.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 19  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country A 1999 report listed a population of 22,300 Digao people in China. They mostly live in the Zhongheying District of Kaiyuan County in the central part of Yunnan Province. Smaller numbers of Digao live in the Dazhuang and Lebaidao districts, also within Kaiyuan County; other Digao live in the Pingyuan District of Yanshan County and the Nijiao District of Qiubei County..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.00 %)
0.00 %
Ethnic Religions
95.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Sani (29,000 speakers)
Language Code ysn   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Sani (29,000 speakers)
Language Code ysn   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Sani

Primary Language:  Sani

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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