Azhe in China

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

Introduction / History

The Azhe say they originated in northern Yunnan. They migrated south to Jianshui during the Sui and Tang dynasties (581-907). At that time, they were giving military assistance to the Luodian Kingdom. Later, the people separated. Some went back to Yimen and Shuangbai counties where today they are the A Che people. Despite their shared origins, the languages and customs of the Azhe and A Che today differ remarkably.

In 1960 the Azhe were officially placed in the Yi nationality. The Azhe, however, refuse to intermarry with other peoples and are culturally and linguistically different from their neighbors. The Azhe are not the same ethnolinguistic group as the A Che people farther to the west, who speak a language from the Southern Yi branch.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Azhe celebrate the annual Torch Festival. On the first day of the festival, they hold many weddings. On the second day, the men sacrifice an ox at the foot of the sacred village tree.


What Are Their Beliefs?

After sacrificing an ox during the Torch Festival, the Azhe "engage in much chanting to invoke spirits. Having finished the chanting, the men take the heart of the ox and boil it together with a rooster in order to appease the god of the mountain. The meat from the ox is divided among all the men who participated in the sacrifice, and the ox bones are dispersed evenly to each family of the village. No one works during the Azhe Torch Festival and every night of the festival the youth engage in dancing, singing and courtship." The Azhe hold many holidays centered in animism and polytheism. On the 14th day of the tenth lunar month, the whole village goes to a sacred mountain. They slaughter a cow and two chickens in hope of appeasing a mountain god whom they believe to be in charge of their welfare.

There is one known Catholic meeting point among the Azhe, situated in Mile County. French Catholic missionaries worked extensively in the region in the first half of the twentieth century. Today, however, most Azhe are completely unaware of the gospel or the name of Christ, having been cut off from outside influence for generations. In the early part of this century the Sani people, located to the north, were reported to have more than 7,000 Catholics, but there is no evidence of Sani outreach to the Azhe who have a different language and culture.


What Are Their Needs?

The Azhe people need to submit to Jesus Christ so they can experience the abundant life he offers them in John 10:10.


Prayer Points

Pray for the spiritual blindness and bondage to the evil one to be removed so they can understand and respond to Christ.

Pray for the Lord to provide for their physical and spiritual needs as a testimony of his power and love.

Pray that the Azhe people will have a spiritual hunger that will open their hearts to the King of kings.

Pray for an unstoppable movement to Christ among them.


Scripture Prayers for the Azhe in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Azhe
People Name in Country Azhe
Pronunciation Ah-jeh
Alternate Names A-djay; A-gie; Ajia; Aozhe; Arjie; Azhepuo; Huami Yi
Population this Country 64,000
Population all Countries 64,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 18407
ROP3 Code 114001
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 A 1999 study placed 57,500 Azhe people in central Yunnan Province. A 1984 figure listed 36,447 in Mile County, while 7,200 live in Huaning County of Yuxi Prefecture. Others live in Kaiyuan (4,600) and Jianshui (200) counties.   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 A 1999 study placed 57,500 Azhe people in central Yunnan Province. A 1984 figure listed 36,447 in Mile County, while 7,200 live in Huaning County of Yuxi Prefecture. Others live in Kaiyuan (4,600) and Jianshui (200) counties..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.07 %)
1.00 %
Ethnic Religions
94.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Azhe (64,000 speakers)
Language Code yiz   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Azhe (64,000 speakers)
Language Code yiz   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Azhe

Primary Language:  Azhe

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Audio Recordings Oral Bible stories One Story
General Scripture Earth Gospel resources links Scripture Earth
Photo Source Paul Noll 
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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