The Rongba Amdo are part of the Tibetan nationality. The name Rongba means "farmer" in Tibetan. When the Communists took over all of Tibet in the 1950s, thousands of Tibetans were butchered. The official Chinese version of these events is markedly different. "This rebellion accelerated the destruction of Tibet's reactionary forces and brought Tibet onto the bright, democratic, and socialist road sooner than expected."
The Rongba Amdo language has two dialects and contains more Chinese loanwords than any other Tibetan language in China. Rongba is only partially intelligible with the three other Amdo languages; however, all Tibetans use the same written script.
For centuries the Amdo roamed the borderlands of the Tibetan-Chinese world. Their menacing reputation struck fear into all who dared to venture, unwelcomed, into their realm.
The Rongba Amdo are largely unconcerned about the outside world. They celebrate the Tibetan New Year in February, according to the Tibetan lunar calendar. In the past, celebrations commenced the moment the peach tree blossomed. It is a time for relatives to get together and celebrate the past year's events.
The Rongba Amdo adhere to Tibetan Buddhism, also known as Tantric Buddhism. "Tantra's most striking feature is its technique of occult visualization. The tantric master gives each student a deity which the student has to visualize. These deities, most of which appear in wrathful or monstrous forms, are supposed to be able to help the student achieve liberation. As the student visualizes, he tries to become what he sees, and in fact some Tibetan Buddhists claim to be able to actually materialize demons in front of them."
There are about ten known Christians among the Rongba Amdo today. They have historically proven to be a difficult group to reach with the gospel. The criteria used in the 1920s for missionaries among Tibetan peoples still applies to would-be laborers today: "In sending out missionaries for work among the Tibetans, candidates with a strong constitution should be chosen, as missionary work in Tibet is more strenuous than in most places. Missionaries that are afraid to expose themselves to hardship and even danger should not be sent to Tibet."
Scripture Prayers for the Amdo, Rongba in China.
Profile Source: Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
Global Prayer Digest: 2010-08-01 |
People Name General | Amdo, Rongba |
People Name in Country | Amdo, Rongba |
Pronunciation | Ahm-doe, Rong-wah |
Natural Name | Rongba Amdo |
Natural Pronunciation | Rong-wah Ahm-doe |
Population this Country | 163,000 |
Population all Countries | 163,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 3 |
Alternate Names | Amdo; Rongba; Rongpa |
People ID | 18393 |
ROP3 Code | 113986 |
Country | China | ||
Region | Asia, Northeast | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | 23 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | A 1987 report listed 97,600 speakers of the Rongba Amdo language living in eastern Qinghai Province. In many locations in the region the towns are inhabited by Han Chinese and Muslims, while the Rongba Amdo lead nomadic lives in the countryside. The Rongba Amdo primarily live in Hualong, which is an autonomous county of the Hui Muslims; and in Xunhua County, partly administered by members of the Salar minority. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Country | China |
Region | Asia, Northeast |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 23 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | A 1987 report listed 97,600 speakers of the Rongba Amdo language living in eastern Qinghai Province. In many locations in the region the towns are inhabited by Han Chinese and Muslims, while the Rongba Amdo lead nomadic lives in the countryside. The Rongba Amdo primarily live in Hualong, which is an autonomous county of the Hui Muslims; and in Xunhua County, partly administered by members of the Salar minority.. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Primary Language | Tibetan, Amdo (163,000 speakers) |
Language Code | adx Ethnologue Listing |
Primary Dialect | Rongba |
Dialect Code | 6955 Global Recordings Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Tibetan, Amdo (163,000 speakers) |
Language Code | adx Ethnologue Listing |
Primary Dialect | Rongba |
Dialect Code | 6955 Global Recordings Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Tibetan, Amdo |
Primary Language: Tibetan, Amdo
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (2017) |
Bible-Complete | No |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
World Bibles | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
Virtual Storehouse |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name |
---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching (GRN) |
Audio Recordings | Online Scripture / Portions |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | God's Story Video |
Film / Video | Indigitube.tv Video / Animation |
Film / Video | Jesus Film: view in Tibetan, Amdo |
Film / Video | My Last Day (Jesus Film Project Anime) |
Film / Video | The Hope Video |
General | Four Spiritual Laws |
General | Got Questions Ministry |
Text / Printed Matter | Online Bible text (Scripture Earth) |
Text / Printed Matter | World Missionary Press Booklets |
Primary Religion: | Buddhism |
Religion Subdivision: | Tibetan |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
99.50 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.01 %) |
0.01 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
0.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
0.49 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Christian Segments ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Anglican |
0.0 %
|
Independent |
100.0 %
|
Orthodox |
0.0 %
|
Other Christian |
0.0 %
|
Protestant |
0.0 %
|
Roman Catholic |
0.0 %
|
Photo Source | Jared Kachurak |
Map Source | People Group Location from Asia Harvest. Other map data / geography from GMI. Map by Joshua Project. |
Video Source | Asia Harvest |
Profile Source | Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Read more |