The Gesu have been officially included as part of the Yi nationality in China. In the 1950s the Gesu were one of 260 tribes and people groups in Yunnan Province who applied to be recognized as a separate minority. The Gesu are also called Gaoshanzu (High Mountain People) or Tuzu (Soil People) by their Han Chinese neighbors. It is possible that these two names represent two different subgroups of Gesu.
The various branches of the Yi are believed to have descended from the Di and Qiang peoples who migrated south to the Dianchi area in Yunnan and the Qiongdou area of Sichuan in the second century BC. After the Jin Dynasty (AD 265-420), the Cuan clan became rulers of the Dianchi region, northeastern Yunnan, and the Honghe River area. These places were later known as the Cuan area. Its people became the forerunners of today's various Yi tribes.
Every year on the eighth day of the second lunar month, the Gesu living near Tanhua Township in Dayao County celebrate the Flower- Decorating Festival. The people get together, worship the mali flower, and have flower decoration competitions. They also sing and dance and generally have a good time with relatives and friends. Because it is usually still quite cold, bonfires are built to give warmth and to roast meat and corn. A similar celebration, called the Festival of the Mali Flower, is held on the same day in Wuding County, although the Wuding version of the festival focuses more on paying respect to the Mali Flower god and on giving the youth a chance to meet prospective partners from other villages.
In addition to worshiping the Flower god, the Gesu worship the sun, stars, and moon. Perhaps their most-feared deity is the god of the Mountains. They believe large, powerful demons live inside the highest mountains in the area and must be placated to avoid disaster in their communities.
No mission agencies have ever included the Gesu on their lists of people groups in China. They are a largely unevangelized and unreached people group. Because their villages are remote and because the Gesu have an independent mindset, they rarely travel into the towns or have any contact with other tribes. There are no gospel recordings available in the Gesu language.
Scripture Prayers for the Gesu in China.
Profile Source: Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
People Name General | Gesu |
People Name in Country | Gesu |
Pronunciation | Geh-soo |
World Population | 16,000 |
Total Countries | 1 |
Indigenous | Yes |
Progress Scale | 1 ● |
Unreached | Yes |
Frontier People Group | Yes |
GSEC | 1 (per PeopleGroups.org) |
Pioneer Workers Needed | 1 |
Alternate Names | Gaoshan, Gesu Yi, Tu |
People ID | 18464 |
ROP3 Code | 114066 |
Country | China | ||
Region | Northeast Asia | ||
Continent | Asia | ||
10/40 Window | Yes | ||
National Bible Society | Website | ||
Persecution Rank | 27 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) | ||
Location in Country | The authorities of the Chuxiong Prefecture in Yunnan Province listed a 1957 figure of 6,753 Gesu people. Their population is estimated to have grown to approximately 12,000 today. The Gesu inhabit villages in parts of Dayao and Wuding counties. Both are under the jurisdiction of Chuxiong Prefecture. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Country | China |
Region | Northeast Asia |
Continent | Asia |
10/40 Window | Yes |
National Bible Society | Website |
Persecution Rank | 27 (Open Doors top 50 rank, 1 = highest persecution ranking) |
Location in Country | The authorities of the Chuxiong Prefecture in Yunnan Province listed a 1957 figure of 6,753 Gesu people. Their population is estimated to have grown to approximately 12,000 today. The Gesu inhabit villages in parts of Dayao and Wuding counties. Both are under the jurisdiction of Chuxiong Prefecture.. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
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Primary Language | Chinese, Mandarin (16,000 speakers) |
Language Code | cmn Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Chinese, Mandarin (16,000 speakers) |
Language Code | cmn Ethnologue Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
People Groups | Speaking Chinese, Mandarin |
Primary Language: Chinese, Mandarin
Bible Translation ▲ | Status (Years) |
---|---|
Bible-Portions | Yes (1864-1986) |
Bible-New Testament | Yes (1857-1981) |
Bible-Complete | Yes (1874-1983) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Bible-NT Text | Online |
Possible Print Bibles | |
---|---|
Amazon | |
Forum Bible Agencies | |
National Bible Societies | |
World Bible Finder | |
World Bibles |
Resource Type ▲ | Resource Name |
---|---|
Audio Recordings | Audio Bible teaching (GRN) |
Audio Recordings | Christ for the Nations |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament (FCBH) |
Audio Recordings | Online New Testament - Traditional (FCBH) |
Audio Recordings | Online Scripture (Talking Bibles) |
Audio Recordings | Story of Jesus audio (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | Changed Lives (Indigitube.tv) |
Film / Video | Creation to Christ (Indigitube.tv) |
Film / Video | Father's Love Letter |
Film / Video | God's Story Video |
Film / Video | Jesus film: view in Mandarin Chinese |
Film / Video | Light of Revelation (Indigitube.tv) |
Film / Video | Magdalena (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | My Last Day (Jesus Film Project Anime) |
Film / Video | Open the Doors See the Mountains (Indigitube.tv) |
Film / Video | Path to Truth and Life (Indigitube.tv) |
Film / Video | Story of Hope (Indigitube.tv) |
Film / Video | Story of Jesus for Children (JF Project) |
Film / Video | The Hope Video |
Film / Video | The Prophets Story (Indigitube.tv) |
Primary Religion: | Ethnic Religions |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
0.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
96.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
4.00 %
|
Other / Small |
0.00 %
|
Unknown |
0.00 %
|
Christian Segments ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Anglican |
Unknown
|
Independent |
Unknown
|
Orthodox |
Unknown
|
Other Christian |
Unknown
|
Protestant |
Unknown
|
Roman Catholic |
Unknown
|
Photo Source | Copyrighted © 2019 Operation China, Asia Harvest All rights reserved. Used with permission |
Profile Source | Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Read more |