Mosuo in China

The Mosuo have only been reported in China
Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Buddhism (Tibetan)
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Introduction / History

The Mosuo have been officially included as part of the Naxi nationality. The Mosuo deeply resent this and despise being called Naxi. The two groups have a different language, religion and culture.
According to Mosuo legends, the ancestors of today's Naxi and Mosuo migrated down from the Tibetan Plateau about 1,000 years ago. Part of the group stopped at Lugu Lake and became today's Mosuo people, while the remainder continued south until they reached Lijiang where today they are the Naxi. After many centuries of separation, the two groups have developed major ethnolinguistic differences.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Mosuo have a matriarchal and matrilineal society. The azhu system means all property and assets are transferred to the female side of the family, from mother to youngest daughter. Even the family name is passed down from the mother. Instead of taking a husband, Mosuo women are allowed to have "walk-in" relationships. Men are only allowed to visit their lovers at night. They must leave the woman's house early the next morning and return to their mother's home. If a child is born, the responsibility to raise the child is borne by the mother and her brothers., They often don’t know the identity of the father. Despite pressure from the government to discontinue the azhu system, a 1994 study revealed 60% of the Mosuo still conform to this way of life.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Tibetan Buddhism has a strong grip on the Mosuo. Altars of white stones are piled in pyramid formations on every corner and outside most homes. "Because the Mosuo have no written language, shamans had to memorize the equivalent of 71 volumes of text and recited them word for word during funerals, births and other events. From the first utterance to the last, a master's recitation took up to 60 hours."


What Are Their Needs?

There had never been a known Mosuo believer until recently, when a Mosuo family came to Christ under quite extraordinary, supernatural circumstances. This family shared the gospel with their friends and neighbors, and today there are a substantial number of Christian believers among the Mosuo. This is an excellent start! But there is a great need for the gospel to spread to every Mosuo family throughout China.


Prayer Points

Pray for the gospel to spread far and wide among the Mosuo people.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to raise up and send out hundreds of Mosuo Christ followers to their neighbors.
Pray for Mosuo Christ followers to show others the way to obedience to Christ, specifically in regard to being faithful to their spouse.


Scripture Prayers for the Mosuo in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

The Naxi, Mosuo, Pumi, and Lisu

Source:  Asia Harvest      Download

People Name General Mosuo
People Name in Country Mosuo
Pronunciation Mo-sor
Alternate Names Hli-khin; Jang; Lushi; Mo-hsieh; Mosso; Moxie; Musu
Population this Country 57,000
Population all Countries 57,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 18610
ROP3 Code 114230
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 1991 study numbered 40,000 Mosuo, living on both sides of the Sichuan-Yunnan border. The Mosuo are primarily concentrated around the shores of beautiful Lugu Lake. Lugu is one of the highest inhabited lake areas in China, at an altitude of 2,685 meters (8,800 ft.) above sea level. Lion Mountain, home to the goddess Gammo, the chief Mosuo deity, rises majestically over the northern shore. No roads led to the lake until 1982. Before that time the Mosuo area was only accessible by foot or on horseback. Still today the whole area is snowbound and cut off from the rest of the world for months at a time during winter.   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 1991 study numbered 40,000 Mosuo, living on both sides of the Sichuan-Yunnan border. The Mosuo are primarily concentrated around the shores of beautiful Lugu Lake. Lugu is one of the highest inhabited lake areas in China, at an altitude of 2,685 meters (8,800 ft.) above sea level. Lion Mountain, home to the goddess Gammo, the chief Mosuo deity, rises majestically over the northern shore. No roads led to the lake until 1982. Before that time the Mosuo area was only accessible by foot or on horseback. Still today the whole area is snowbound and cut off from the rest of the world for months at a time during winter..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Buddhism (Tibetan)
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
90.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 5.00 %)
5.00 %
Ethnic Religions
5.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
0.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Narua (57,000 speakers)
Language Code nru   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Narua (57,000 speakers)
Language Code nru   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Narua

Primary Language:  Narua

Bible Translation Status:  Translation Needed

Resource Type Resource Name Source
None reported  
Photo Source Rod Waddington - Flickr  Creative Commons 
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Video Source Asia Harvest
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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