Eastern Gepo in China

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

Introduction / History

Before 1949 there seems to have been four classes among the Yi peoples of eastern Yunnan: two lower classes, both called Gepo; and two upper classes, both of whom referred to themselves as Neisu or Nasu. The Gepo "were further separated into Greater and Lesser Gepo as were the Nasu. In their own language, Gepo means 'white people'. They were enslaved by the Greater and Lesser Nasu. Many subtle social rules and marriage restrictions that existed between the Greater and Lesser Gepo are all but discarded today."

Commonly called Bai Yi (White Yi) by the Chinese, this people group refers to itself as Gepo. Chinese sources further divide the Eastern Gepo - according to their style of headdress - into Pingtou Yi (Flathead Yi) and Jiantou Yi (Conehead Yi). Nevertheless, both of these groups refer to themselves as Gepo and speak the same language. The Eastern Gepo are different from the Depo of northern Yunnan. The Depo also sometimes refer to themselves as Gepo or Gepuo.


What Are Their Lives Like?

The Eastern Gepo are culturally distinct from all other surrounding communities. They are proud of their ethnic identity and prefer to be left alone by outsiders. Many of China's Yi people were decimated by disease in the past. Missionary Samuel Clarke explained the customs of one Yi group that were designed to limit the death toll caused by disease. "When it is known that disease has visited a neighbor's house, a pole seven feet long is erected in a conspicuous place in a thicket some distance from the house. ... On the pole an old plow-share is fixed, and it is supposed that when the spirit who controls the disease sees the plowshare he will retire to a distance from these homesteads."


What Are Their Beliefs?

The Eastern Gepo are polytheists: they worship a multitude of gods and deities. Each year they offer sacrifices of chickens and livestock to the god of the harvest to ensure a successful crop. The Gepo also carefully observe customs relating to health and hygiene.

There are a small number of believers among the Eastern Gepo. The Christians in Huize County, including the Eastern Gepo, have experienced horrific persecution from local authorities in recent years. Land has been confiscated, believers beaten and tortured. One report stated, "The instruments of torture they use include clubs, firewood, ropes, handcuffs, and electrically-charged stun-batons. They cuffed and kicked until these instruments broke." Evangelist Cui Chaoshu was "pounded to death with a thick stick, his nose and mouth bleeding profusely."


What Are Their Needs?

Without the guidance of Christ, these people will be lost in this life and the life to come. They need someone to go to them as Christ-bearers.


Prayer Points

Pray for the Lord to intervene in their families, calling 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 Gepo, Eastern in China.


References

Operation China, Asia Harvest, Copyrighted © Used with permission


Profile Source:   Joshua Project  

People Name General Gepo, Eastern
People Name in Country Gepo, Eastern
Natural Name Eastern Gepo
Pronunciation Geh-po
Alternate Names Baiyi; Gepo; Gepu; Gepuo; Guo; Guopu; Gupu; Guzu; Jiantou Yi; Nasu; Pingtou Yi; White Yi
Population this Country 83,000
Population all Countries 83,000
Total Countries 1
Indigenous Yes
Progress Scale 1
Unreached Yes
Frontier People Group No
GSEC 1  (per PeopleGroups.org)
Pioneer Workers Needed 2
People ID 18461
ROP3 Code 114063
ROP25 Code 302648
ROP25 Name Gepo
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 More than 64,000 Eastern Gepo live in the eastern part of Yunnan Province in southwest China. They are distributed in parts of ten different counties. Xundian County, with 23,000 Eastern Gepo, contains the largest concentration of this group.   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 More than 64,000 Eastern Gepo live in the eastern part of Yunnan Province in southwest China. They are distributed in parts of ten different counties. Xundian County, with 23,000 Eastern Gepo, contains the largest concentration of this group..   Source:  Operation China, 2000
Primary Religion: Ethnic Religions
Major Religion Percent
Buddhism
0.00 %
Christianity  (Evangelical 0.60 %)
0.60 %
Ethnic Religions
96.00 %
Hinduism
0.00 %
Islam
0.00 %
Non-Religious
3.40 %
Other / Small
0.00 %
Unknown
0.00 %
Primary Language Gepo (83,000 speakers)
Language Code ygp   Ethnologue Listing
Language Written Yes   ScriptSource Listing
Total Languages 1
Primary Language Gepo (83,000 speakers)
Language Code ygp   Ethnologue Listing
Total Languages 1
People Groups Speaking Gepo

Primary Language:  Gepo

Bible Translation Status  (Years)
Bible-Portions Yes  (1913)
Bible-New Testament No
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
Film / Video Jesus Film Jesus Film Project
Photo Source Copyrighted © 2024  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.



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