Baonuo in China

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

Introduction / History

The Baonuo are commonly called Baiku Yao (White Pants Yao) by the Chinese. They are so named because the men wear white trousers. Far from being different merely because of their clothing, however, the Baonuo also possess their own ethnicity and speak their own distinct language.

The Baonuo have this fascinating account of why they wear their distinctive clothing. A tribal headman once sent troops to attack the Baonuo's villages, intending to exterminate them. The Baonuo king led his troops out in battle to resist the invasion. "The headman's armies were stronger and drove the Baiku [Baonuo] back into the mountains. The king himself was severely wounded. Being trapped in the mountains with no escape, an old villager pointed out a path on the cliff which led down the mountains. When the king heard this he was overjoyed, and happily slapped his knees. His two bleeding hands left five-fingered bloody hand-prints on both his trouser legs. While breaking through the enemy troops, his trouser legs below the knees were torn to shreds. The king eventually died from his wounds, but the Baiku [Baonuo] commemorate him by wearing knee-length trousers with bloody hand-prints sewn in with red yarn."


What Are Their Lives Like?

On the back of Baonuo women's blouses are square patterns representing King Pan's agreement with the Chinese to release the Yao from having to pay tax. The Baonuo say they were once cannibals. When someone died, they cut the corpse up and ate it. Since the suggestion of a small boy named Laga, who could not bear to see his own mother eaten, the Baonuo have killed a bull instead.


What Are Their Beliefs?

At funerals the Baonuo hold a traditional bull-beheading ceremony. "Thirty or more brass drums are hung from a frame. The Baiku [Baonuo] consider their brass drums sacred. They are normally hidden away except for special occasions. An offering of wine, meat, rice and water is performed by the head of the family. After the drum beating a large water buffalo is beheaded, with four or five strokes of sharp knives."

The Baonuo are an isolated people, most of whom have never heard of the name of Jesus, although a small number have believed in Christ in recent years. The Baonuo live in extremely remote villages and are terrified of outsiders. Several foreigners who visited a Baonuo village in the mid-1980s, without prior notice, were stoned to death. Baonuo gospel recordings were first produced in 1999.


What Are Their Needs?

The Baonuo 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 Lord to intervene, calling these 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 Baonuo in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission

http://www.globalprayerdigest.org/issue/day/2018/07/16


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

Additional Info
Global Prayer Digest: 2018-07-16
People Name General Baonuo
People Name in Country Baonuo
Pronunciation Baow-nuoh
Alternate Names Baiku; Baiku Yao; Na Klao; Nao Gelao; Nao Klao; Ngao Klao; Pou Nuo; White Pants Yao; White Trouser Yao
Population this Country 33,000
Population all Countries 33,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 1
People ID 10669
ROP3 Code 101024
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 16  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country The Baonuo are the largest Yao group in Guizhou Province. More than 10,000 are located in Libo County in the southern part of the province. Guizhou contained a total of 19,400 Yao people in 1990. In addition, about 10,000 Baonuo inhabit the mountains of Nandan, Hechi, and Tian'e counties in the northern part of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region.   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Country China
Region Asia, Northeast
Continent Asia
10/40 Window Yes
National Bible Society Website
Persecution Rank 16  (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking)
Location in Country The Baonuo are the largest Yao group in Guizhou Province. More than 10,000 are located in Libo County in the southern part of the province. Guizhou contained a total of 19,400 Yao people in 1990. In addition, about 10,000 Baonuo inhabit the mountains of Nandan, Hechi, and Tian'e counties in the northern part of the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.30 %)
0.40 %
Ethnic Religions
94.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
5.60 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Bunu, Bu-Nao (33,000 speakers)
Language Code bwx   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Naogelao
Dialect Code 8502   Global Recordings Listing
Language Written Unknown
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Bunu, Bu-Nao (33,000 speakers)
Language Code bwx   Ethnologue Listing
Primary Dialect Naogelao
Dialect Code 8502   Global Recordings Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Bunu, Bu-Nao

Primary Language:  Bunu, Bu-Nao

Bible Translation Status:  Unspecified

Resource Type Resource Name Source
Audio Recordings Audio Bible teaching Global Recordings Network
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2023  Operation China, Asia Harvest  All rights reserved.  Used with permission
Map Source Joshua Project / Global Mapping International  
Profile Source Joshua Project 
Data Sources Data is compiled from various sources. Learn more.