Daizhan in China

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

Introduction / History

The Daizhan are one of five distinct tribes in Kaiyuan County who have been combined by the Chinese under the name of Aza. These five groups, in turn, have been placed under the official Yi nationality. Although they speak many distinct languages and go by dozens of ethnic names, most Yi groups in China have a loose common historical affinity for each other. Many say their ancestors were two brothers, Wusa and Wumeng, who, "like Esau and Jacob, struggled together in the womb of their mother; hence ... the wildness of our hearts and our fondness for fighting."

Approximately 11,600 people belonging to the Daizhan ethnic group inhabit villages in the Baige District of Kaiyuan County in the Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. An unspecified number of Daizhan are believed to live in the adjoining Ashe District of Yanshan County. The Daizhan live in simple houses near streams or some other water source.


What Are Their Lives Like?

In the past, when a Daizhan couple decided to get married, the groom fixed an auspicious date, assembled flute players, and danced around his sweetheart's home until nightfall. All of a sudden, he took the girl in his arms and ran away into the dense forest. Before the girl was accepted as a full-fledged member of her new family, however, she had to kill a chicken. Only then was she considered a full member of the family, never again to live with her parents. One month after they were married, the wife took her new husband to visit her parents. The husband made apologies to his in-laws and brought grain to his father-in-law as a gift of gratitude. Most Daizhan customs like this have now been lost.


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Daizhan are predominantly animists. They believe a person's soul leaves the body during illness or at death. Red cord is tied around a sick person's arm in a bid to prevent the soul from departing the body.

There are no known Christians among the Daizhan. The small amount of mission work done in Kaiyuan focused on the Han Chinese and Miao. Efforts to reach them will best be done by Chinese believers. Mission statesman Roland Allen once said, "Foreigners can never successfully direct the propagation of any faith throughout a whole country. If the faith does not become naturalized and expand among the people by its own vital power, it exercises an alarming and hateful influence, and men fear and shun it as something alien."


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 Daizhan in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Daizhan
People Name in Country Daizhan
Pronunciation die-ZHAHN
Alternate Names Azar; Daizhan Aza; Daizhanpo; Pula
Population this Country 14,000
Population all Countries 14,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group Yes
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 18432
ROP3 Code 114029
ROP25 Code 301904
ROP25 Name Daizhan
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 Approximately 11,600 people belonging to the Daizhan ethnic group inhabit villages in the Baige District of Kaiyuan County in the Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. An unspecified number of Daizhan are believed to live in the adjoining Ashe District of Yanshan County. The Daizhan live in simple houses near streams or some other water source.   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 Approximately 11,600 people belonging to the Daizhan ethnic group inhabit villages in the Baige District of Kaiyuan County in the Honghe Hani-Yi Autonomous Prefecture in Yunnan Province. An unspecified number of Daizhan are believed to live in the adjoining Ashe District of Yanshan County. The Daizhan live in simple houses near streams or some other water source..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Map of Daizhan in China Ethnolinguistic map or other map

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 Chinese, Mandarin (14,000 speakers)
Language Code cmn   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Chinese, Mandarin (14,000 speakers)
Language Code cmn   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Chinese, Mandarin

Primary Language:  Chinese, Mandarin

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1864-1986)
Bible-New Testament Yes  (1857-1981)
Bible-Complete Yes  (1874-2018)
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Film / Video Jesus film: view in Mandarin Chinese Jesus Film Project
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Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source People Group location: Operation China. Map geography: ESRI / GMI. Map design: Joshua Project.  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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