Mo in China

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

Introduction / History

The Mo were included in a list of Undetermined Minorities in the 1982 census but were reclassified into the Bouyei nationality in 1985. The Mo are also known as the Mo Jia, Mak, and Ching, which may be the names of Mo clans. Most of the inhabitants of Jia Liang are surnamed Mo.

The Mo language - which has been described as "very close to Shui" - is also related to Yanghuang and Rao. It is part of the Dong-Shui branch of the Tai linguistic family. It contains five dialects: Mak, Ching, Chi, Hwa, and Lyo. Most Mo men are able to speak Mandarin, with a heavy local accent. Many can also speak Bouyei as a trade language. Most Mo women, however, cannot speak any Mandarin at all.

Because they do not possess a script, the exact history of the Mo is uncertain. From their language, it can be speculated that the Mo were originally part of the Shui, who migrated away from the main body of Shui several centuries ago.


What Are Their Lives Like?

Many of the Mo customs are the same as those of the Bouyei. When visiting a Mo home, "one may see cut-paper spells hanging in the doorway or in the windows. The door may have a mirror above it to reflect demons away or swords to pierce them if they try to enter."


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Mo adhere to the Chinese religion of Daoism. Although they do not have their own temples, most Mo homes contain pictures of fierce Daoist deities. Posters are plastered to the doors and gates of their houses in a bid to scare off afflicting demons.

A Protestant mission station opened in Dushan County in 1895, but "the time of the missionaries was entirely given up to work among the Chinese." In 1995 a Hong Kong-based mission presented the gospel to the Mo and succeeded in winning several of them to Christ. The new converts immediately started a house church. About 30 Mo have reportedly become Christians in the years since then. These messengers of the gospel shared the great joy that many early pioneers found in presenting the message of eternal life to a people for the first time. One missionary wrote, "I know not whether anyone experiences emotion worthy to be compared with the thrill of joy which the missionary feels, when permitted for the first time to point out to a sin enslaved people the Lamb of God which taketh away the sin of the world."


What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people are like sheep without a shepherd. They need the good shepherd in their families and communities.


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 Mo 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 Mo in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Mo
People Name in Country Mo
Pronunciation mo
Alternate Names Ching; Mak
Population this Country 14,000
Population all Countries 14,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
PeopleID3 19013
ROP3 Code 114939
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 total of 12,822 Mo people were listed in a 1982 Chinese official publication. The majority are located in and around Jia Liang Township in the heart of Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, and in parts of Dushan County. The Mo live near the Maolan Karst Forest, where "karst formations are cut by beautiful waterfalls. The natural vegetation remains and there are plants that have survived from very early periods, retaining characteristics of plants and trees that are now extinct.… This conservation area supports musk deer, rhesus monkey and, it is claimed, tiger, ox, bear and leopard."   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 total of 12,822 Mo people were listed in a 1982 Chinese official publication. The majority are located in and around Jia Liang Township in the heart of Libo County in southern Guizhou Province, and in parts of Dushan County. The Mo live near the Maolan Karst Forest, where "karst formations are cut by beautiful waterfalls. The natural vegetation remains and there are plants that have survived from very early periods, retaining characteristics of plants and trees that are now extinct.… This conservation area supports musk deer, rhesus monkey and, it is claimed, tiger, ox, bear and leopard.".   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.16 %)
0.20 %
Ethnic Religions
95.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
4.80 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Mak (China) (14,000 speakers)
Language Code mkg   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Mo
Dialect Code 6088   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Mak (China) (14,000 speakers)
Language Code mkg   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Mo
Dialect Code 6088   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Mak (China)

Primary Language:  Mak (China)

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

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
Map Source Bethany World Prayer Center  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.


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