Shenzhou in China

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

Introduction / History

The Shenzhou, who are also known in China as the Shenzhouren, are one of several groups in Guizhou Province who possess a Chinese ancestry. Due to living alongside minority peoples (such as the Miao, Yi, and Bouyei) for many centuries they have lost their original ethnicity and now see themselves as a minority group. Other groups in Guizhou who fit this description are the Chuanlan, Chuanqing, Liujia, and Nanjingren. In the 1982 census the Shenzhou were not granted status as a nationality but were instead included in a list of Undetermined Minorities. In 1985, when researchers proved the Shenzhou were historically Han people, they were placed under the Han Chinese nationality. This was not accepted by the Shenzhou who insist that they are a minority group. Although the Shenzhou do speak Chinese, the fact that they view themselves so differently from other Chinese justifies their inclusion as a separate ethnocultural group.
The ancestors of the Shenzhou were Chinese soldiers sent to Guizhou Province to quell uprisings by the Yi and Miao more than 800 years ago. After the fighting subsided, many soldiers stayed behind in Guizhou, took wives from among the local minorities - there were no other Han Chinese to speak of in the province at that time - and settled down. After generations passed, a new mixed people group evolved with aspects of minority culture and dress yet who still retained their Chinese language.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The overwhelming trend in China today is for the Han Chinese to assimilate non-Han minorities, which causes them to lose their identity. Therefore, it is ironic that there are pockets of people who fiercely insist on being called minority people even though the government has classified them as Han. The Shenzhou practice many customs, ceremonies and festivals borrowed from minorities.


What Are Their Beliefs?

Although the Shenzhou do not think of themselves as religious people, ancestor worship still has a firm hold on the lives of most Shenzhou, especially the elderly. Some spirit worship, such as worship of the spirit of the house and village, are also practiced.


What Are Their Needs?

Because their exact location has yet to be ascertained, nothing is known about the status of Christianity among the Shenzhou people. If they happen to live near some of the Miao communities in Anshun Prefecture, then there is a good chance that some of the Shenzhou have been exposed to the gospel; otherwise, most areas of southern Guizhou are unreached and unevangelized.


Prayer Points

Pray for a complete harvest among the Shenzhou people of China.
Pray for the Holy Spirit to make inroads into every Shenzhou family.
Pray for Shenzhou disciples to make more disciples.


Scripture Prayers for the Shenzhou in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Shenzhou
People Name in Country Shenzhou
Pronunciation Shen-joe
Alternate Names Shenzhouren
Population this Country 4,900
Population all Countries 4,900
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
People ID 18681
ROP3 Code 114308
ROP25 Code 307458
ROP25 Name Shenzhou
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 With an estimated population of more than 4,000 people, the littleknown Shenzhou people group inhabit areas of western Guizhou Province in southern China. The precise location of the Shenzhou is uncertain, but it is likely that they live in Anshun 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 With an estimated population of more than 4,000 people, the littleknown Shenzhou people group inhabit areas of western Guizhou Province in southern China. The precise location of the Shenzhou is uncertain, but it is likely that they live in Anshun Prefecture..   Source:  Operation China, 2000

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Ethnolinguistic map or other map

Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 3.80 %)
4.20 %
Ethnic Religions
89.80 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Chinese, Mandarin (4,900 speakers)
Language Code cmn   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Chinese, Mandarin (4,900 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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Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.



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