Areas of the western Liangshan Prefecture used to be in a province called Xikang, which was grafted into Sichuan Province in 1939. Xikang was a violent region; murder and banditry were commonplace. "Much of the banditry and lawlessness in Sikang [Xikang] can be traced to the opium trade. Confusion and violent civil strife often break out in opium-growing districts after the harvest. ... The prevalence of such lawlessness makes firearms almost a necessity, even for lawabiding citizens." For more than 200 years, up until the 1950s, the Namuyi were subject to the powerful Chrame Kingdom that was based in Muli. The king ruled with "absolute spiritual and temporal sway" over his subjects.
Although they officially belong to the Tibetan minority, the Namuyi, who call themselves Namuzi in Jiulong and Muli, speak a distinct language belonging to the Qiangic branch. The Namuyi, along with several similar groups such as the Jiarong, Ersu, Shixing, Ergong, and Minyak, have been combined into the Tibetan nationality solely on the basis of their religion.
The Namuyi practice traditional Tibetan wind burial. Corpses are cut up with an axe into small pieces and placed on a mountaintop. Ravens and other birds of prey descend and devour the flesh and organs. The Namuyi believe this enables the soul of the dead person to be scattered to the four winds.
Most Namuyi are Tibetan Buddhists, but those who live near the large and influential Nosu group have adopted their polytheistic practices.
The Namuyi have yet to hear the gospel for the first time because of their geographic, social and religious isolation. There are few Christians among any of the ethnic groups in the region. Of the hundreds of self-sacrificing missionaries who gave their lives for China, none is known to have worked in the Namuyi area. C. T. Studd, a well-known sportsman in England, gave up his fame and career to serve Christ in Africa and China. For Studd, the decision was not a difficult one to make. He simply explained, "If Jesus Christ be God and died for me, then no sacrifice can be too great for me to make for him."
Without the guidance of Christ, these people are like sheep without a shepherd. They need the good shepherd in their families and communities.
Pray for the authority of Christ to bind hindering spiritual forces to lead them from darkness to light.
Pray for signs and wonders to happen among them and for great breakthroughs with a rapid multiplication of disciples and house churches.
Pray for bold workers who are driven by the love of the Holy Spirit to go to them.
Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.
Scripture Prayers for the Namuyi in China.
Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/2015/07/20
http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/2013/07/23
Profile Source: Joshua Project |
People Name General | Namuyi |
People Name in Country | Namuyi |
Pronunciation | Nah-moo-yee |
Alternate Names | Nameji; Namuzi |
Population this Country | 8,800 |
Population all Countries | 8,800 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 0 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
People ID | 18621 |
ROP3 Code | 114241 |
ROP25 Code | 305858 |
ROP25 Name | Namuyi |
Country | China | ||
Region | Asia, Northeast | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | 16 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | In 1983 Chinese linguist Sun Hongkai listed 5,000 speakers of the Namuyi language. The majority are located in the western parts of the Liangshan (Cold Mountains) Prefecture in southern Sichuan Province. Although small in number, the Namuyi are geographically widespread, inhabiting parts of Mianning, Muli, Xichang, and Yanyuan counties in the Liangshan Prefecture, in addition to parts of Jiulong County in Garze Prefecture. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Country | China |
Region | Asia, Northeast |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 16 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | In 1983 Chinese linguist Sun Hongkai listed 5,000 speakers of the Namuyi language. The majority are located in the western parts of the Liangshan (Cold Mountains) Prefecture in southern Sichuan Province. Although small in number, the Namuyi are geographically widespread, inhabiting parts of Mianning, Muli, Xichang, and Yanyuan counties in the Liangshan Prefecture, in addition to parts of Jiulong County in Garze Prefecture.. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Primary Religion: | Buddhism |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
95.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
4.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
1.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Primary Language | Namuyi (8,800 speakers) |
Language Code | nmy Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Unknown |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Namuyi (8,800 speakers) |
Language Code | nmy Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Namuyi |
Primary Language: Namuyi
Bible Translation Status: Translation Needed
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name | Source |
---|---|---|
None reported |
Photo Source | Copyrighted © 2023 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. |