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.
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."
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."
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.
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.
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 |
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 | 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 | 16 (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 |
---|---|---|
None reported |
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. |