Nisu, Jianshui September 7

Location: Approximately in southern for many soon he is able to break his 370,000 Jianshui Nisu centuries. Only during the feet through the cuffs and GUIZHOU people are located in past century have a small put the pants on.”3 •Kunming southern Yunnan Province, number of Jianshui Nisu •Mile YUNNAN •Huaning GUANGXI • • primarily in Shiping, been assimilated by Han Religion: The Jianshui Nisu Qiubei Guangnan •Kaiyuan Jianshui, Gejiu, and Mengzi Chinese who have settled in worship numerous spirits, Jinping •Pingbian 2 Scale • counties in Honghe the area. some of whom are 0 KM 160 VIETNAM Prefecture. About 13,000 considered benevolent and Population in : live in Tonghai and Eshan Customs: Women of this others evil. 361,000 (1999) counties of Yuxi Prefecture. group living in Jianshui and 370,200 (2000) Shiping counties wear three Christianity: The first 464,600 (2010) Location: Yunnan Identity: The Jianshui Nisu tightly wound stripes of red missionaries in Jianshui Religion: Polytheism are part of the Yi nationality yarn in their hair, often arrived in 1933 and stayed Christians: 400 in China. Chinese records partially covered by a red or for two years. In 1945 a invariably mention two white headdress. In Shiping Presbyterian work began in Overview of the designations of Nisu in this County, “the family of the Jianshui and was joined by Jianshui Nisu part of the country: Hua Yao bride is to make a new two Italian missionaries. By (Flowery Belt) and San Dao costume to present to the 1950 there were a reported Countries: China Hong (Three Stripes of Red). bride on her wedding day. 200 Christians in Jianshui Pronunciation: 4 “Nee-soo-Jee-uhn-shway” As one scholar found: “The She is to keep this set of — all of them Han Chinese. Other Names: San Dao Hong, Han titles are used in garments until the day she In Shiping, a female Neisu, Niesu, Nisu, Nisupo, Lolo, reference to costume dies. The bride, in turn, missionary from the Luo, Luoluo, Luozu, Yizu differences; nevertheless, in makes a pair of pants from Seventh Day Adventists Population Source: this case, clothing styles coarse cloth, with the leg arrived in 1932. After a 361,000 (1999 J. Pelkey); Out of a total Yi population of correspond directly with the holes sewn closed, and number of years she had 6,572,173 (1990 census) linguistic and cultural presents them to her groom gained about 30 disciples. Location: S Yunnan: Jianshui differences of two people on the wedding day. The All missionaries were (130,000), Shiping (110,500), groups — both of whom call groom, much to his chagrin, expelled in 1949, but by Gejiu (54,700), and Mengzi (53,000) counties of Honghe themselves Nisu.… must put the pants on in 1958 there were still 50 Prefecture; Tonghai and Eshan Garment differences vary front of all his guests during believers in Shiping.5 Today counties in Yuxi Prefecture (13,000) among some of the Jianshui the wedding ceremony. The there are a small number of Status: Officially included under Yi Nisu in Gejiu and Mengzi party judges the groom’s Nisu Christians in the Gaoda 6 Language: Sino-Tibetan, counties, however, and the intelligence based on how District of Tonghai County. Tibeto-Burman, Burmese-Lolo, title San Dao Hong is not Lolo, Northern Lolo, Yi, always used to refer to this Southern .”1 Dialects: 0 Religion: Polytheism, Animism, Ancestor Worship, Shamanism, Language: The Jianshui Christianity Nisu language — which has Christians: 400 about 20 vowels and 30 Scripture: None consonants — belongs to Jesus film: None the Southern Yi linguistic Gospel Recordings: None branch. Jianshui Nisu is Christian Broadcasting: None perhaps the oldest Southern ROPAL code: None Yi language. An ancient pictographic script of about 20,000 characters survives, Status of Evangelization 3,600 of which were 92% commonly used. Today only a few bimos, or shamans, are still able to use the script for rituals. A 30- 7% 1% minute Jianshui Nisu radio broadcast is aired three A B C times daily by the A = Have never heard the gospel government station in Gejiu. B = Were evangelized but did not become Christians C = Are adherents to any form of History: The Jianshui Nisu Christianity have been a dominant group Jamin Pelkey

402 NISU, JIANSHUI