Yugur, Saragh December 24

Location: Approximately west of their present good hosts unless their 10,000 Saragh (Western) location. Today, their guests get drunk. Yugur live in the western descendants are no longer INNER MONGOLIA • part of the Sunan Yugur called Yugur and probably : The Saragh Yugur • , in the have become part of the adhere to a mixture of QINGHAI narrow northern corridor of Uygurs in Xinjiang, who also Tibetan and • Scale Gansu Province. The nearest speak a Turkic language. A . Each family 0 KM 400 town to the Saragh Yugur is small number of people clan has a shaman who Population in : Zhangye. Other Saragh migrated back inside the consults the spirit world for 8,197 (1990) Yugur communities are wall to avoid the conflict them. 9,870 (2000) located in the Dahe and between the Turfan and 11,880 (2010) Location: Gansu Minghua districts, and in the Hami rulers. They are Christianity: This group had Religion: Huangnibao area near believed to be the Yugur’s no knowledge whatsoever of Christians: 50 Jiuquan City in western ancestors. Christianity until 1997, Gansu. when about 15 Saragh Overview of the Customs: Most Saragh Yugur believed in Christ Saragh Yugur Identity: The Saragh Yugur, Yugur live in yak-hair yurts. A after watching the Jesus film also known as Yaofuer, are visitor who comes by in Mandarin.5 This number Countries: China the Turkic half of the official horseback should leave his grew to around 50 believers Pronunciation: “Sah-rahg-Yoo-gur” Yugur nationality. They live in whip, rifle, ammunition, and by May 2000. The Other Names: West Yugur, Saragh, Saraygh, Sarig, Ya Lu, Yellow a separate area from the all meat outside the yurt. authorities in Sunan are Uighur, Sari Yogur, Yuku, Yugu, Enger Yugur. The Yugur believe the god of strongly opposed to the Yohur, Yaofuer Hair dresses in red and introduction of Christianity. Population Source: Language: Whereas Enger rides a reddish horse, so During the 1980s and early 8,197 (1990 AMO); Out of a total Yugur population of Yugur is a Mongolian visitors dressed in red are 1990s one mission agency 12,297 (1990 census) language, Saragh Yugur is a not allowed inside a Yugur sent workers several times Location: NW Gansu: Sunan Yugur completely different home.4 The Yugurs are to distribute gospel County: Dahe and Minghua language — a member of heavy drinkers. Each literature among the Yugur, districts; Also some Yugur inhabit the Huangnibao area near Jiuquan the Turkic language family. evening meal is followed by but on every occasion the City in western Gansu. The two Yugur groups have strong alcohol. Revelry often workers were arrested Status: little contact with each goes far into the next before they could complete Officially included under Yugur other, but when they do morning. They do not their task.6 Language: Altaic, Turkic, Eastern Turkic meet they must use consider themselves to be Dialects: 0 Chinese to communicate. One expert notes that Religion: Tibetan Buddhism, Shamanism, Christianity Saragh Yugur “still Christians: 50 preserves many features of Scripture: None the language of medieval 1 Jesus film: None Turkic literature.” Because Gospel Recordings: they do not have their own Yugur, West #04865 script, written Chinese is in Christian Broadcasting: None common use among the ROPAL code: YBE00 Yugur.

Status of Evangelization History: The Yugur region 93% was controlled by the Tibetans until the Tangut state of Xixia conquered them in 1028.2 The Tanguts, in turn, were annihilated by 6% 1% the in the early 1200s. The Chinese finally A B C assumed control of the area A = Have never heard the gospel during the Ming Dynasty B = Were evangelized but did not become Christians (1368–1644). There were C = Are adherents to any form of 300,000 Yugurs at that Christianity time, most of whom were living outside the Great Wall at Jiayuguan,3 farther to the Tallis Chang Tallis

566 YUGUR, SARAGH