Namuyi in China

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

Introduction / History

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.


What Are Their Lives Like?

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.


What Are Their Beliefs?

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."


What Are Their Needs?

The Namuyi people have few if any opportunities to experience the abundant life that comes from fellowship with the King of kings. Who will go to them?


Prayer Points

Pray that God will reveal himself to them and bring them to not be satisfied with spiritual counterfeits.
Pray 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.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission.


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
PeopleID3 18621
ROP3 Code 114241
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 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 19  (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 © 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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