The Ming people are an ethnic Han Chinese-Qiang mix. They formed their own communities after being ostracized by the other peoples in the region. The Ming wear distinct costumes marked by a white turban. They call themselves Ming Zu, meaning "Ming nationality." Scottish missionary Thomas F. Torrance notes, "In Weizhou [now called Wenchuan] most of the people are either Qiang or a mixed race, though there are some outsiders of Tibetan, Jiarong, Xifan, Nosu, Wazi, and Bolotsze ... as well."
A mixed race has existed in the Qiang region for at least a thousand years. During the zenith of the Tibetan empire (AD 600-900), many Qiang were assimilated by the Tibetans and by Han Chinese. According to one scholar, "Only a small number were not assimilated." In the past there was prejudice against the members of this mixed race, who were not socially accepted by either the Qiang or the Han Chinese. They were forced to form their own communities and villages and to adopt a separate identity.
The Ming observe all traditional Chinese festivals, including the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival celebrations. Being the crossroads for several ethnic groups, Maoxian County hosts a large number of Tibetan and Qiang festivals and special occasions.
Although some Ming are animists, the majority can accurately be described as nonreligious. There are Daoist and Buddhist temples in Maoxian County, but many of the customs and beliefs that formed the identity of the people in the region have been set aside since the Communists took over China. The young generation of Qiang have been educated in atheistic schools and made to ridicule their parents' religious beliefs, which are mocked as "superstition."
Catholic mission work in the late 1800s and Protestant work in the early 1900s established several churches among the Qiang in the geographically isolated Maoxian area, but no evidence of those labors remains today. There are currently no known churches or believers among the Ming. At least three teams of foreigners have been arrested in recent years for attempting to distribute gospel literature in Maoxian County. The local authorities strongly oppose such outreach.
Scripture Prayers for the Ming in China.
Profile Source: Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
People Name General | Ming |
People Name in Country | Ming |
Pronunciation | Ming |
Population this Country | 16,000 |
Population all Countries | 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 | Mingzu |
People ID | 18597 |
ROP3 Code | 114216 |
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 | The 11,700 Ming people are a mixed race who live in and around the towns of Maoxian and Wenchuan counties in Sichuan Province. Maoxian County is the administrative seat of the Qiang Autonomous County - about eight hours by road from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. Maoxian is one of the most beautiful locations in all of China, with the fast-flowing Min River cutting its way through massive cliffs that rise directly from the river banks. 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 | The 11,700 Ming people are a mixed race who live in and around the towns of Maoxian and Wenchuan counties in Sichuan Province. Maoxian County is the administrative seat of the Qiang Autonomous County - about eight hours by road from Chengdu, the capital city of Sichuan Province. Maoxian is one of the most beautiful locations in all of China, with the fast-flowing Min River cutting its way through massive cliffs that rise directly from the river banks.. Source: Operation China, 2000 |
Primary Language | Chinese, Mandarin |
Language Code | cmn Ethnologue Listing |
Language Written | Yes ScriptSource Listing |
Total Languages | 1 |
Primary Language | Chinese, Mandarin |
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 (1823-2018) |
Bible-NT Audio | Online |
Bible-NT Text | Online |
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 | 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 | Creation to Christ |
Film / Video | Father's Love Letter |
Film / Video | God's Story Video |
Film / Video | Indigitube.tv Video / Animation |
Film / Video | Jesus film: view in Mandarin Chinese |
Film / Video | Magdalena (Jesus Film Project) |
Film / Video | My Last Day (Jesus Film Project Anime) |
Film / Video | Story of Jesus for Children (JF Project) |
Film / Video | The Hope Video |
Film / Video | The Prophets' Story |
Film / Video | The Prophets' Story |
General | Bible Visuals |
General | Four Spiritual Laws |
General | Got Questions Ministry |
Primary Religion: | Non-Religious |
Major Religion ▲ | Percent |
---|---|
Buddhism |
10.00 %
|
Christianity (Evangelical 0.00 %) |
0.00 %
|
Ethnic Religions |
40.00 %
|
Hinduism |
0.00 %
|
Islam |
0.00 %
|
Non-Religious |
50.00 %
|
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 © 2021 Operation China, Asia Harvest All rights reserved. Used with permission |
Map Source | People Group Location from IMB. Other map data / geography from GMI. Map by Joshua Project. |
Profile Source | Operation China, Asia Harvest Copyrighted © Used with permission |
Data Sources | Data is compiled from various sources. Read more |