Gouzou in China

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

Introduction / History

The Gouzou are part of the official Yi nationality in China. They are not the same as the Guopu people group who inhabit the same area. The various Yi groups in Guizhou Province were considered endangered in the early 1900s. One writer noted, "The unsanitary conditions in which they live - the water they drink is often drawn from stagnant pools fouled by sheep and cattle - and their riotous indulgence in whisky, opium, and other vices, sufficiently account for this.... They are burdened with the thought that their doom as a race is sealed."
Guizhou may have been the original homeland of all Yi. The Nosu in Sichuan say their two ancestors, Gu Mmu and Cho Li, came from a town called Zzupu in Guizhou. "Even now when a Nosu person dies the relatives chant so that the dead person's spirit will be able to walk back the same way to the original family home in Guizhou." The history of the Yi in Guizhou is one of war and conflict, including numerous clashes with Hui Muslims.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Before the introduction of modern medicine, whole Gouzou communities were wiped out by a fever called Nomatsi. "No person will stay by the sick bed to nurse the unfortunate patient. Food and water are placed by the bedside, the sick one is covered with a quilt and left at the mercy of the disease. Since the patient will perspire as the fever progresses, heavy stones are placed upon the quilt that it may not be thrown off. Many have died from suffocation."


What Are Their Beliefs?

The polytheistic Gouzou have a flood legend: "A certain man had three sons. He received warning that a flood was about to come upon the earth, and the family discussed how they should save themselves when this calamity came upon them. One suggested an iron cupboard, another a stone one, but the suggestion that they should make a cupboard of wood and store it with food was acted upon." Ancestor worship is also prevalent among the Gouzou. Since the early 1900s, Christianity has made an appearance among them also.
Today there is a small church among the Gouzou. Most Gouzou believers are female and over 30 years old.


What Are Their Needs?

Work among the Gouzou people needs to produce lasting fruit that will bless all of China.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to do a new work among Gouzou men, drawing them to the King of kings.
Pray for the Lord to guide and protect Gouzou families.
Pray for the Lord to use Gouzou Christians as salt and light to those around them.


Scripture Prayers for the Gouzou in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Gouzou
People Name in Country Gouzou
Pronunciation Gow-zo
Alternate Names
Population this Country 5,300
Population all Countries 5,300
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 4
Unreached No
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 4  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed
PeopleID3 18468
ROP3 Code 114072
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 4,000 people belonging to the Gouzou people group live in Weining County in the northwest part of Guizhou Province. The landscape in Weining "is an unimaginable labyrinth of inter-tangled valleys which run in every direction. The soil is formed out of a very soft limestone, which is quickly eroded by running water. A frequent result is that the stream sinks too low, cannot find an escape from the valley it has entered, and finally erodes a subterranean passage and disappears into a cavern."   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 4,000 people belonging to the Gouzou people group live in Weining County in the northwest part of Guizhou Province. The landscape in Weining "is an unimaginable labyrinth of inter-tangled valleys which run in every direction. The soil is formed out of a very soft limestone, which is quickly eroded by running water. A frequent result is that the stream sinks too low, cannot find an escape from the valley it has entered, and finally erodes a subterranean passage and disappears into a cavern.".   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 4.88 %)
5.00 %
Ethnic Religions
93.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
2.00 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Nasu, Wusa (5,300 speakers)
Language Code yig   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Nasu, Wusa (5,300 speakers)
Language Code yig   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Nasu, Wusa

Primary Language:  Nasu, Wusa

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes
Bible-New Testament Yes  (2018)
Bible-Complete No
Possible Print Bibles
Amazon
World Bibles
Forum Bible Agencies
National Bible Societies
World Bible Finder
Virtual Storehouse
Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
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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