Hakka Chinese in China


Population
Main Language
Largest Religion
Christian
Evangelical
Progress
Progress Gauge

Identity

The Hakka, although proud of their cultural differences, have never claimed to be non-Chinese. Many famous Chinese have been Hakka, including Deng Xiaoping, Lee Kwan Yew, and Hong Xiuquan (the leader of the Taiping Rebellion).


History

There is much speculation concerning the historical roots of the Hakka. Some claim that they were the first Chinese people to arrive in China. Others claim that the Hakka are the descendants of the Xiongnu tribe. This much is agreed upon: At various stages between the fourth and thirteenth centuries AD, large numbers of people were forced to flee their homes in the war-torn Yellow River valley to seek refuge in southern China. These war refugees came to be known as Kejia - a Hakka word meaning "strangers" or "guests." When the savage Mongol hordes swept across China in the thirteenth century, many Hakka fled to the south to escape the carnage.


Customs

As part of the careful preservation of their language, when a non-Hakka woman marries into a Hakka family she is required to learn the Hakka language. In the past, many Hakka mothers killed their female babies. "Sooner than sell their daughters into slavery or concubinage, Hakka mothers prefer to kill them soon after birth." The Hakka never practiced footbinding like other Chinese.


Religion

Since the advent of Communism most Hakka could accurately be described as nonreligious. Aspects of animism and shamanism are found among some of the more remote Hakka locations.


Christianity

Rev. T. H. Hamburg and Rudolf Lechler were the first missionaries sent out by the Basel Mission. They arrived in China in 1846 to commence work among the Hakka. They experienced great success, and by 1922 the Hakka Christians numbered 30,000. Today, most of the estimated 150,000 Hakka Christians in China are located in southern Guangdong. In the 1800s the Taiping leader Chung Wang, a Hakka, pleaded for missionaries to have patience with his people. "You have had the Gospel for upwards of 1,800 years; we only, as it were, eight days. Your knowledge of it ought to be correct and extensive, ours must necessarily be limited and imperfect. You must therefore bear with us for the present, and we will gradually improve. We are determined to uproot idolatry, and plant Christianity in its place."


Prayer Points

Scripture Prayers for the Han Chinese, Hakka in China.


Profile Source:   Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©   Used with permission  

People Name General Han Chinese, Hakka
People Name in Country Han Chinese, Hakka
Natural Name Hakka Chinese
Pronunciation HAH-kah
Alternate Names Han Chinese; Hokka; Ke; Kechia; Kehia; Kejia; Kek; Khek; Majia; Totok; Xinmin
Population this Country 36,339,000
Population all Countries 44,257,000
Total Countries 23
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 12054
ROP3 Code 103691
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 More than 30 million Hakka are located in over 200 cities and counties spread throughout seven provinces and administrative areas of China. An additional two million Hakka live in Taiwan. The Hakka are concentrated in Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Fujian, Hong Kong, and Hunan provinces. There are also small numbers in Sichuan and Hunan provinces. In addition, Hakka communities are scattered throughout many nations around the world.   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 More than 30 million Hakka are located in over 200 cities and counties spread throughout seven provinces and administrative areas of China. An additional two million Hakka live in Taiwan. The Hakka are concentrated in Guangdong, Jiangxi, Guangxi, Fujian, Hong Kong, and Hunan provinces. There are also small numbers in Sichuan and Hunan provinces. In addition, Hakka communities are scattered throughout many nations around the world..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Map of Han Chinese, Hakka in China Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
9.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 7.80 %)
9.10 %
Ethnic Religions
46.90 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
35.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Chinese, Hakka
Language Code hak   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Hakka
Dialect Code 340   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Chinese, Hakka
Language Code hak   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Hakka
Dialect Code 340   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Chinese, Hakka
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: IMB. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Operation China, Asia Harvest  Copyrighted ©  Used with permission 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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